Newly opened dumpling specialty store in Taipei: exploding-juice leek dumplings!

Text and photos byOld K

Located on Lane 437 in Neihu, Northern Dumplings & Noodles has only been open for just over two months. This area is also known as one of Taipei’s food battlegrounds. Originally, I (Old K) didn’t have high expectations for this place, but since I really enjoy eating dumplings, and there aren’t many good dumpling spots nearby, going all the way to Donghu or Shilin just to eat dumplings can be a hassle — so I came here to give it a try.

The first time I came, I didn’t even bring my camera, nor did I have my phone with me. So this visit counts as my second time here — and the reason I came back is obviously because I liked it.

The dumplings are priced at NT$5.5 each, which is about average. I also ordered a portion of spicy wontons, plus a beef consommé with egg drop soup for just NT$35, which felt like a great deal — so I skipped ordering the usual accompaniment of hot and sour soup.

Chopsticks are provided on the table, but if you want a spoon, you’ll need to get it from the seasoning station.

In the three small metal cups from left to right are: minced garlic, chili oil, and soy sauce with chili. I asked which one was spicier — the chili oil or the soy sauce with chili — and it turned out the soy sauce with chili was actually spicier. In the end, I decided to add both!

Dinner arrived, and the dumplings looked quite green — looks like they used a lot of leeks.

Leek Dumplings (NT$5.5 each)
The dumpling wrappers are quite chewy, and there's a generous amount of leek inside. They have an exploding-juice texture with a slightly sweet taste. Although there's relatively less meat, the flavor still comes through, giving the dumplings a refreshing taste. It’s easy to eat one after another without getting tired of them. I really liked them, and they’re delicious even without any dipping sauce.

Unless you have a strong preference for bold flavors and want to add some soy sauce, just a bit of vinegar and chili for extra flavor is perfect. I left very happy because now I don’t have to go far to enjoy good dumplings.

Spicy Wontons (8 pieces for NT$50)
After trying the dumplings, I decided to give the wontons a try too.

Their spicy wontons didn’t smell of vinegar or Sichuan peppercorn, so I guessed it was purely spicy. And indeed, the main flavor was spice, with an okay level of saltiness. The taste was a bit one-dimensional.

Spicy Wontons
But the wontons themselves were pretty good — the wrappers retained their elasticity, and the filling was juicy and smooth. Maybe ordering a bowl of wonton noodles would be nice too.

Beef Consommé with Egg Drop (NT$35)
At NT$35, this bowl is definitely a great deal. There was a generous amount of egg drop, and the beef broth was quite good, with a hint of vegetable sweetness. Paired with the egg flavor and chopped scallions, it was really tasty. I highly recommend this bowl. When I asked the owner, she said that all their dumplings and wontons are handmade — really top-notch. That’s why I came back for a third visit!

Braised Beef Noodles (Large, NT$140)
Because I really enjoyed the beef consommé with egg drop last time but didn’t get to eat noodles, I went straight for a large bowl of braised beef noodles this time.

Their beef noodles come with carrots and daikon radish — no wonder the broth has a sweet taste. The beef broth is still smooth and enjoyable, but not as good as the beef consommé with egg drop. Maybe adding egg drop has some kind of magical effect!

The beef itself was decent — had some chew and wasn’t too tough. The parts with tendon were especially tasty.

The beef slices were of a good thickness.

You can choose between thin noodles or hand-pulled noodles. I went with the hand-pulled ones, but they tasted a lot like thick plain noodles, XD. Though they had slightly better chew than regular plain noodles. The portion size for the large bowl was decent.

Little Tips from K:: Finally, there’s a good dumpling spot in the Neihu area. Now I don’t have to go far for good dumplings. Also, the beef consommé with egg drop is delicious — those are the two things I recommend the most. The wontons are good too, so you can try those as well. As for the beef noodles, I wouldn’t recommend them as much, since there are already plenty of good beef noodle shops in Neihu. If I’m craving beef noodles, I’d probably go to Niuer instead. Recommended for dumpling lovers.

K’s Personal Rating (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8.2 points
Value for money: 8 points
Dining environment: 5.5 points
Price: 8 points

Northern Dumplings & Noodles
Address: No. 2, Lane 4, Alley 437, Section 1, Neihu District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2659-7699
Business hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:30–19:30 (Closed on Sundays)

Old K
Keep it going, Old K!
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