The Principle: Contrast, Not Competition
The best dumpling sides share one characteristic: they provide textural, temperature, or flavor contrast to the dumpling itself. Dumplings are soft, rich, and warm. The sides that work best are crunchy, acidic, cool, or light. Avoid heavy, fatty, or starchy sides — they double down on what the dumpling already provides.
1. Smashed Cucumber Salad
The single best dumpling side. Cool, crunchy, acidic, and refreshing. Our Cucumber Salad ($7.50) uses Persian cucumbers smashed (not sliced — the irregular surface catches more sauce), dressed in black vinegar, garlic, chili oil, and sesame. The acidity cuts through the richness of pork-filled dumplings and resets your palate between bites.
2. Cold Sesame Noodles
Our Sesame Noodles ($11.50) served at room temperature (or cold) are the ideal carbohydrate pairing. The sesame sauce complements rather than duplicates dumpling flavors. Avoid serving hot noodles alongside — the warmth doesn't contrast, it accumulates.
3. Hot and Sour Soup
A hot, sour, peppery soup before a plate of dumplings is the classic Chinese banquet sequence. The acidity primes your appetite. Our Hot and Sour Soup is available as a starter at all locations.
4. Edamame
Simple, light, slightly salty. Edamame gives your hands something to do between dumpling bites. It doesn't compete with anything. At $5.00, our Edamame is the least expensive side on the menu and one of the most versatile.
5. Egg Fried Rice (at the Table)
Rice alongside dumplings is a Chinese restaurant tradition. Dip a piece of pan-fried dumpling in the dipping sauce, then eat it alongside a spoonful of Egg Fried Rice. The rice acts as a base that absorbs sauce and stretches the meal. Don't eat rice as a separate course — eat it interleaved with the dumplings.
6. Pickled Vegetables
Any quick-pickled vegetable — radish, daikon, cabbage — provides the same acidic reset as the cucumber salad with a different texture. If you're making dumplings at home, quick-pickle sliced daikon in rice vinegar, salt, and sugar for 30 minutes while the filling is being prepared.
What to Avoid
Fried rice as the only side: two heavy starchy items is too much. Spring rolls: both are fried and doughy — textural twins. Cream cheese rangoon: delicious on its own, but too rich alongside rich dumplings. Any creamy or cheese-based side: these clash with the delicate flavors of XLB and steamed dumplings.