I Love Dumplings

Overview

No fancy metaphors, clever pop culture references or humorous double entendres here — just an exclamation of something to which most Melburnians can relate. I Love Dumplings is certainly not trying to be coy, and if you do indeed love the steaming hot morsels of flavour, then this is the place for you.

Sure, there are a myriad of dumpling houses in this city. But it's not often you find one this good beyond the CBD with a BYO license to boot.

This little gem, tucked inconspicuously on the Kensington-Flemington border that is Racecourse Road, is relatively new to the fairly unexciting strip, but already proving to be a neighbourhood favourite. It strikes a great balance between the no-frills, frenetic-paced, plastic plates style of some dumpling houses and the high-end, high-price style of others.

The pan-fried pork option is always a winner, and the steamed prawn in a rice paper casing offers some freshness to the table, but if you want a bit of variety, the menu holds all the regular Chinese dishes, as well as traditional Liao Ning-style cuisine. Push the boat out and try the stewed preserved Chinese cabbage with sliced pork belly in umami flavour soup or the stir-fried pork liver with carrot, capsicum and onion if you're feeling adventurous.

There's more to love here than just the dumplings, but they are worth the trip alone. A solid, well-priced local haunt for the inner west, I Love Dumplings is consistently busy (always a good sign), so book a table to ensure you're not left out in the cold, staring longingly at the steaming hot plates of food flooding out of the kitchen.