It was one of those Saturday mornings; the ones when you wake up early, have a light breakfast, and you’re out the door, off to explore your local metropolis. On that particular Saturday I had Kensington Market on my list of things to see in downtown Toronto.  As a result of being abroad for a good portion of this year I feel I have somewhat neglected my beloved nest and this outing would somewhat ease the guilt.

It was an overcast morning; the rain was drizzling on and off, dark pockets of clouds in the sky.  Kensignton market, however, was still bustling with people, both locals and tourists.  Most shops were already opened and were taking on business as usual.  For me it was all about taking it all in; snapping a few shots with my camera and strolling down bohemian streets decorated with abstract figures and graffiti worthy of being called street art.

But let’s fast-forward a bit and get down to the reason I’m writing this post: The Dumpling House. After spending most of my morning walking on a relatively empty stomach, I had worked up quite the appetite, and although it was only a few minutes past eleven o’clock, my stomach was ready for some Chinese fare.

It’s a good thing I didn’t have to go very far from Kensington market to find a decent Chinese restaurant in order to satisfy my craving.  However, I didn’t just want to go into any joint.  I wanted to find a place that was worthy of my time and money.  So, I took a look at the Urbanspoon website to see what would be good and cheap around the area, and alas, The Dumpling House was on top of the list, conveniently at 328 Spadina Avenue – If you’re not too familiar with downtown Toronto, Spadina Avenue is notorious for being the heart and soul of Toronto’s Chinatown.

By the time I set foot in the restaurant it was already noon, and by this time the restaurant had a good amount of customers inside.  It didn’t take very long for my wife and I to get a table or to place an order… I was starving!

To get started we ordered two dumpling dishes.  First up was the shrimp and pork fried dumplings. All dumplings at this restaurant are prepared from scratch and served with a savory sauce.  The shrimp and pork dumplings were tasty and crispy, but just a bit too oily for my liking.

Next was the steamed spinach and mushroom dumplings.  These were also delicious and steamed to perfection.  The dumpling dough was not too soft and packed tons of flavour.

Last but not least was a house special: The House Noodles.  Golden stir-fried noodles with shrimp, beef, and chicken.

By the end of the meal I was satisfied.  I must confess that this was a lot of food for two people, and we were not able to “put away” an entire serving of the spinach and mushroom dumplings.  The bill came to approximately $27, including tip, and both my wallet and appetite were pleased with the outcome.

The Dumpling House is definitely a good choice when in Chinatown.  Very authentic in every ingredient, preparation, and taste.

It’s your turn! Which restaurant do you recommend when in Chinatown? Let me know in the comments below.