Oil screams in a hot pan. Vegetables bubble under their fresh bath. Meat tears its fibers as it dances with a knife. Spices tangle in the air and tickle your nose.   

The story of food becoming a meal is is one that can touch hearts and stomachs. The craving for those comfort foods has never been more desired than during these past two years in the pandemic. As many restaurants had to shift their distribution and restaurant seating, they kept feeding their communities. In a time of touch-starvation, food became the connection we all needed. 

In Muncie, restaurants are clustered about. Out of the 14 Asian restaurants, Dumpling House carries the crown of some of the best food. As they have reopened their doors at a new location, 2900 W. White River Blvd., they offer even more options for their customers to get a taste of Chinese cooking. 

When you eat at Dumpling House, it’s hard to pick just one item off their menu. My go-to order is the crab rangoon appetizer, pork and cabbage dumplings, and the General Tso’s chicken meal combo. The crab rangoon is my guilty pleasure. The cream cheese is wrapped in a wonton and fried to the yellowest gold. It’s crispy, crunchy, and rich— it’s delicious. I typically save it for my “dessert.” The cream cheese has this sweetness that just tops off your meal. 

Like their namesake, of course, the dumplings are phenomenal. I go back and forth between getting my pork dumplings fried or boiled. The pork is seasoned and is always juicy when you bite in. The cabbage soaks up the pork’s flavor and just enhances the dumplings. My favorite part is the dumpling sauce you get with the order;  it’s a delicious blend of soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, garlic, and other spices. 

The best bang-for-your-buck is the meal combos. There are more than 100 items on the menu, so if it’s your first time eating at the Dumpling House, this is where you should look. The combos come with white or fried rice, and a choice of an egg roll, vegetable roll, crab rangoon, hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, or a soda. They are all under nine dollars and are packed with plenty of food. But with so many options and signature items, it’s hard not to split some additional appetizers and entreés with friends. My love for garlic and spices is fanatical, so I always go for General Tso’s.

As the owners reopen their doors, they’ve brought back items such as their signature hot-pots that have blown up on social media. Make sure to also check out Dumpling House’s market. Not only can you get hard-to-find Chinese food items, but you can also get ingredients to try out a new recipe yourself.

Dumpling House offers delivery through services like GrubHub, and more information can be found on their website.

Sources: Dumpling House

Featured Image: Kami Geron

Contact Kami Geron with comments at kkgeron@bsu.edu. Visit ballbearingsmag.com to read more content.

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