Fennel dumplings with a richer aroma than leek dumplings—dipping them in the shop’s special soy sauce makes them even better.

Text and photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

Pan-fried dumplings, potstickers, boiled dumplings, and steamed dumplings... I find it hard to resist anything dumpling-related. It’s not that I struggle with the decision of whether to eat them or not, but rather that I can’t resist eating until I’m completely stuffed. So whenever I hear about delicious dumplings somewhere, I immediately want to go try them—maybe my past life as an old Shandong northerner’s noodle-loving soul is burning bright.

When I found out that Xiaoliu Potstickers, which used to be far away in Taichung’s Shuinan area, had moved to the Huamei West Street area, I naturally went to queue up early. But nowadays, Xiaoliu has become quite upscale—after finishing a portion, my stomach still feels empty, yet my wallet feels even emptier. That’s why I started missing this [Nanjing Dumplings and Potstickers Specialty Shop].

The location of this [Nanjing Dumplings and Potstickers Specialty Shop] is actually quite hidden. Although it’s near Meicun Road, you wouldn’t notice it unless you rode your bike into the alley. A few years ago, it was because a friend happened to live nearby, and I tried it while visiting them. Little did I know it would become such an unforgettable favorite.


Otherwise, I think most of their customers are probably local neighbors, regulars, and students from nearby elementary schools. Passersby like me are quite rare, although I’ve seen some food blog posts about them online these days.

But they actually seem like a long-established community shop. I remember when I came before, there was an uncle tending the stove, handling the potstickers on the griddle. This time, I didn’t see him, but his son had taken over. The shop does get pretty crowded during peak dining hours.

The space inside isn’t very large, so you basically just grab a seat. Since it’s a row of seats, almost everyone finishes eating within 20 minutes and leaves, so you won’t wait too long. If you don’t want to wait, you can come after 1 PM.


The shop offers a fairly wide variety of items, but the stars are the potstickers and dumplings. The prices aren’t exactly cheap, but they haven’t gone up in all these years. Potstickers are always 5 NT each, but if you buy them uncooked, each is 50 cents cheaper. I think that’s pretty reasonable.

After all, it’s a bit odd that many shops charge the same price whether you buy them cooked or uncooked. Dumplings range from 5 to 12 NT each. Today, I was curious and ordered a fennel dumpling to try.


As for other noodle and rice dishes, I think they’re just average, so I usually just order dumplings. There are marinated side dishes at the counter outside—you’ll have to ask the staff about the prices.


And you have to get your own dipping sauces and utensils. There’s also the shop’s homemade spicy soy sauce, which is really good.

[Signature Pork Potstickers / 5 NT each] As for their potstickers, it really depends on luck to get them at their perfect state. The so-called perfect state is, of course, right after they’re freshly fried—when you take a bite, the crispiness and burst of hot, juicy meat are absolutely delicious.


The sweet and savory meat filling, with a hint of scallion fragrance, is something I fell in love with from the first bite and still love to this day. But because they often fry a whole batch at once, some are left waiting on the side. So occasionally, you might get ones that are slightly warm, with weaker juice, but they’re still delicious. Though they might not be as beautifully crispy as Xiaoliu’s ice-flower crust.


But Nanjing’s potstickers feel richer in umami to me (in my personal ranking), and the shop also has its own homemade soy sauce, which is a bit spicy and slightly tangy—perfect for pairing with their potstickers and dumplings.

[Fennel Dumplings / 7 NT each / Minimum order of 5] Different flavors of dumplings seem to have slightly different shapes too—the fennel ones are adorable, haha XD.


Since fennel is originally a spice ingredient, when used as a filling, its rich aroma is even stronger than leek, and it has a unique flavor, so it’s somewhat of an acquired taste. But the filling is hearty and satisfying—I actually really like it.

[Ox Bone Soup / 30 NT] I used to get beef soup, but then I realized the ox bone soup is 40 NT cheaper but just as good. It’s a braised broth, spicy enough, and carries the pungent flavors of garlic and ginger.


I quite like it—my usual order is a portion of potstickers with a bowl of ox bone soup.


It’s been about half a year since my last visit. I thought the recent price hikes had affected them too, but I was surprised to find the prices hadn’t changed. Although I love their food, the potstickers are still a bit small for me. If they weren’t so delicious, I’d probably feel 5 NT per piece is a bit steep.

But compared to Xiaoliu Potstickers’ current upscale price of 8 NT per piece, I feel much better XDD. If you also like potstickers, I think this Nanjing Dumplings and Potstickers shop is worth the trip. By the way, does anyone know where else in Taichung serves delicious potstickers?

【Nanjing Dumplings and Potstickers Specialty Shop】

Address:No. 127, Wuxian 7th Street, West District, Taichung City
Phone:04-23725446
Business Hours:10:00Am-09:00Pm
Consumption Reminder:Closed on Mondays; best chance to get freshly fried, hot potstickers during peak hours
======================================================
Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog　Orange Dog Loves Candy Facebook Fan Page