Dumpling Hours-Palo Alto

Palo Alto's go-to dumpling house with handmade xiao long bao, pan-fried dumplings, and noodle soups served twice daily.

Dumpling Hours makes the choice between steamed, boiled, and pan-fried dumplings part of the fun on Bryant Street in Palo Alto. Its xiao long bao selection reaches beyond pork to chicken, crab and pork, and black truffle with pork. We like being able to compare a familiar soup dumpling with a different filling at the same meal. Pan-fried pork buns bring a crisp base, while boiled dumplings include shrimp, pork, and chives or chicken with shiitake mushrooms. Wontons with sesame sauce and chili oil offer another variation. Dan dan sesame noodles and braised beef noodle soup make the order more substantial, with garlic cucumber salad and sautéed string beans providing vegetable accompaniments. Dumpling Hours is appealing for a meal assembled from several small decisions, where sharing lets everyone try more than one style.