‘Sip beer, consume dumpling’ the logo to Little Red Dumpling says.
So, how could we resist an invitation to try out the latest dumpling house in town!
Broadbeach is the second Little Red Dumpling to open on the Gold Coast, the first being in Coomera. They’re part of a 13-strong franchise founded about eight years ago to cater for our love of dumplings.
Few things make us happier than a plate of dumplings, often referred to as ‘bundles of joy’. Dumplings hit the sweet spot between umami flavour and carb comfort. From there, everyone has their preference: fried or steamed, vinegar and soy or fiery chilli sauce… and they’re such a convenient meal option that we just can’t resist.
Dumplings are so popular that I bet Zhang Zhongjing, the ‘Medicine Saint’, wished he’d patented the recipe! Of course, it was about 1800 years ago, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, that Zhongjing invented dumplings to help warm people up to survive the bitter winter.
Dumplings went on to permeate most world cultures, from Japanese gyoza to Russian pelmeni, Italian raviolis to Brazilian empanadas, and German semmelknödel to Jewish matzo balls. To us, though, there’s always room for the original Chinese dumplings.
Little Red Dumpling Broadbeach is an atmospheric Chinese eatery owned by Cherry Liu and her partner Tony, who both work in the restaurant, Cherry as front of house and Tony as chef. Lit by red lanterns overhead, the wall art, sourced from China, features idealistic scenes of beautiful young Chinese women overlooking the dining area of booths and tables.
“We joined the franchise because we love their food,” Cherry tells us. “Tony has worked in many restaurants and is an accomplished chef,” she adds, explaining their decision to open their first restaurant.
Easy to navigate, Little Red Dumpling’s menu is a one-page affair of starters, dumplings, wontons, veggies, ‘not dumplings’ and dessert.
You may want to choose a couple of starters to begin with, and there’s a lot of choice, including popular Chinese standards such as BBQ pork buns, deep fried wontons, great sesame prawn toast loaded with prawn meat, spring rolls and chive pancake, bao, fried chicken and delicious cumin lamb ribs.
Alternatively, head straight to dumplings, which to us are the highlight of the menu. Dumpling choices include pork and chive, chicken cabbage, prawn. chicken & prawn, lamb coriander and rainbow dumplings as well as dumplings in different sauces, soup dumplings, xiao long bao and pan-fried dumplings.
We tried three sets: Steamed pork and chive dumplings, Xiao long bao, and Wontons in red chilli sauce. All were delicious, the dumpling skins tender and the dumplings tasty. Overall, the wontons were our favourite, the chilli sauce mild enough to suit different palates, however if you’re a thrillseeker, ask for extra hot sauce.
For those who want their own meal, there’s a small selection of non-dumpling dishes including braised beef or lamb on rice, a range of noodle soups as well as dry noodle dishes.
Popular dishes are marked with a star and vegetarian dishes are also clearly signposted.
We finished with an ice cream bun, an interesting combo of black sesame ice cream loaded into a sweet bun.
A licensed venue, a few beers are available to accompany your meal, several wines by the glass or bottle and mixed spirit drinks. Personally, the fruit smoothies and Chinese teas (Jasmine, Oolong or Ginger) would satisfy us at lunchtime, but for an exotic (and powerful) tipple there’s Baijiu, a Chinese premium spirit available by the shot.
Little Red Dumpling is not the calibre of place to boast about the number of folds in each dumpling, not to show off its chef in a glass-sided room. However, it adds to the Broadbeach dining scene by giving us delicious handmade dumplings and a range of simple street food to share in atmospheric surrounds and an easy-to-get-to location.
Sorry, Zhongjing. Dumplings may not save us from ‘the winter of our discontent with Covid’, but with fast, efficient service and tasty food, Little Red Dumpling Broadbeach is a great place to share an inexpensive plate of dumplings and a beer.
Don’t pass it by.
“The time for bao is nao!”
Little Red Dumpling, Shop 113, 89-91 Surf Parade Broadbeach QLD 4218
Ph: 07 5627 0070 Open: Mon – Sun 11.30am – 8.15pm
NOTE: Good Food Gold Coast dined as a guest of Little Red Dumpling.