When the food is great, the price is right, the atmosphere fun, and the décor funky, a restaurant is on to a winning formula, says dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.

With a winning formula, it’s no wonder Dumpling Social decided to open a second location in busy Braddon (their first location is Bradley Street, Woden).

Dumpling Social – contemporary Asian – dishes up modern Chinese and Japanese cuisine, including large dishes, rice, noodles and inspirational small plates. It goes unsaid that it specialises in handcrafted dumplings, and you can watch the experts making them through a large window facing Lonsdale Street.

A group of us dumpling fans visited at lunch and began with pork soup dumplings (five pieces, $12.90). The pork filling was tender and the rich soup bursting with flavour. Be careful when eating because the soup can be piping hot. 

Pretty as a picture, and equally super yummy, were the crayfish and prawn dumplings (five pieces, $13.90), sensational with chilli crumb. Thin slices of shallot were scattered on top, and squeezing the wedge of lemon on top helped pack a punch. The dumplings themselves were soft and perfectly formed.

Our third dumpling selection was lightly fried chicken, and we were attracted by the mention of kimchi (eight pieces for $14.90). The kimchi appeared mostly in the aioli served in a small dish on the side, but the dumplings didn’t disappoint. Dumpling Social came through with its promise of “lightly fried”.

Dumpling Social thinks outside the box with some of its dishes. Think “cheeseburger spring roll” ($11.90 for two; $6 for one extra). They were super fun and truly tasted like a cheeseburger, complete with pickles. The crunchy spring rolls featured wonderful Wagyu beef and zigzags of American cheese sauce were spread from top to bottom. 

From the larger section, we ordered crispy Peking duck with steamed pancakes ($34.90). One of us played “mum”, cutting up the meat, and then we made our own pancakes, first smearing an umami hoisin sauce, and then adding slices of duck and crispy cucumber. 

Dumpling Social’s interior is modern with playful modern illustrations, like the poster of a giant panda sporting the slogan: “I’m not fat. I’m just full of dumplings”.

Our only disappointment, given there were three of us, is that Dumpling Social isn’t flexible with adjusting quantities with some dishes. For example, the pork dumplings came as a “set of five”.

We asked if we could have six, so we could have two each, but were politely refused without any explanation (we were, of course, happy to pay for the extra).

Social Dumpling has a wide selection of reasonably priced beers, wines, spirits, and – of course – sakes. Also BYO. Our bottle of Quealy Balnarring Pinot Grigio, from Mornington Peninsula, was $55.

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