By Assunta Ng
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
The grass is greener and prettier in downtown Seattle.
That’s the owners’ belief of Dough Zone Dumpling House. They recently opened their third restaurant near the Seattle waterfront, in addition to two other restaurants located north and south of downtown, including one in the Chinatown-International District (CID). That’s barely a distance of 1.3 miles between the two farthest restaurants. And between CID and its newest eatery, it’s even closer—less than a mile.
For Dough Zone’s willingness to show its confidence and bet on downtown Seattle is commendable, despite challenges such as the homeless, drug addicts, and empty storefronts. After all, the first Dough Zone was not even opened in Seattle, but in Bellevue in 2014.
When Dough Zone first opened in the CID in 2018, there was no fanfare, no grand opening ceremony, no effort to reach the community or its media. Yet, its effort to reach the media for this new venture has stunned me.
A month ago, an email appeared in my inbox, along with the editor’s, inviting us to dine at the new restaurant for a party of three, for lunch or dinner, as part of a media marketing campaign. They let us choose a date within a two-week time frame.
“That’s unusual,” I thought. My curiosity was piqued. There is always some mysterious appeal for a brand new restaurant. But I wasn’t available on those dates. Would they accommodate me on a later date?
What is it like to have Dough Zone host me, as opposed to me dining there under the radar and ordering my own food? Would the food be just as good or even better? In my publishing career, I had a self-imposed rule of not accepting free restaurant meals except for a community or media event. Now that I have retired, why not just accept the invitation? Entering unfamiliar territory and acquiring new experiences have thrilled and enriched my life with joy and zest. I soon found out about my dining adventure.
The meal
When I arrived, the Dough Zone manager was clueless about my reservation. Was it a misunderstanding?
“It’s okay,” I told the guy, “I will just pay.” I had already invited two friends, media colleagues, whom I was supposed to have lunch with a year ago. Someone screwed up, I assumed. But the mistake did have its upside. I didn’t want them to prepare something especially for us just because we are the media. I want to eat the dishes they normally serve.
What I didn’t know was that the manager, Jerry Su, quietly verified with the marketing staff, and he found out that we were no phonies. He and his staff quickly brought us orange (Thai tea), yellow (passion fruit), and purple (blueberries) bubble tea to start with.
Our bubble tea drinks: orange (Thai tea), yellow (passion fruit), and purple (blueberries). Photo by Assunta Ng
My friends and I shared bits of everything. The passion fruit bubble tea was voted the best. The sweetness was just right. I don’t like too much sugar.
Then the sumptuous feast began. First, the kale and cucumber salads were served to entice our appetite. One friend said the salads were less tasty than at the Bellevue Dough Zone. Before the king of dumplings, juicy little dumplings arrived, we tasted the green onion pancake. A smash hit! The pancakes were superior to the other two Seattle Dough Zone outlets, even the Bellevue one, according to my friends. The little dumplings were delicious. Its juices overflowed in my mouth though I had accidentally cracked it open and leaked a bit of juice before I ate it.
And oh, their famous Q buns (steamed with pork fillings and pan-fried outside), they looked appetizing. It was tempting, but I didn’t eat it. I wanted to save room for Dan Dan noodles, steamed pork, shrimp and veggie dumplings, and perhaps other entrees. I enjoyed them all. My husband tried the Q buns with the leftovers I brought home. He said it was yummy.
Clockwise from top left: Green onion pancake, kale, xiao long bao, cucumber salad, and Q buns. (Photo by Assunta Ng)
The number of dishes kept coming, and we could have easily fed four people. We were treated like distinguished guests. The manager served several dishes himself and also explained Dough Zone’s expansion plan in Houston. It had been a long time since I had eaten such a big, full lunch.
Wontons with hot sauce (Photo by Assunta Ng)
The two-hour lunch was an unforgettable meal for us three women, with lively conversations. One of my dining companions said, “We can live longer if we only eat 80% of our meal!”
Then, temptation came into play. When we dined in Chinese restaurants, the last thing in our mind was dessert. To our astonishment, a plate of fancy fried banana naan, with a mountain of white foaming cream next to it, was placed on our table.
Banana naan bread with whipped cream (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Funny, that advice to “only eat 80% of the meal” was quickly forgotten. We conquered the sweet fried banana naan heartily. It would be rude if we left the dessert untouched, right? What justified me to devour the dessert, even with tons of calories while I was absolutely full, was that I knew I would burn all those calories when I walked back to the CID afterwards.
The setting
Located at 83 University Street, Dough Zone’s newest location is my favorite among the three in downtown Seattle. It’s smaller than the CID restaurant. Its ambience and cozy design would appeal to not just the younger crowd, but old folks like me.
Dough Zone Dumpling House Harbor Steps at 83 University St, Seattle (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Gazing out the window on Harbor Steps, the view is soothing green with plants, flowers, and trees with steps leading all the way to the waterfront. This location connects you between downtown and the waterfront. Those with disability issues might find it a challenge to get there. But for me, walking those steps can be part of my daily exercise routine.
My least favorite Dough Zone is the one at 85 Pine Street. The food is fine, but not exceptional. If you want a private conversation with friends, don’t go there. The restaurant is too packed and tight. I was there a few months ago. The table next to us could practically hear our conversation and vice versa. But if you want a quick bite or have mobility concerns, this one would be suitable for easy access. My relative, who went there alone, loved it as it’s near her hotel, Paramount Theater, and the convention center. She didn’t expect to find an authentic Chinese restaurant downtown and didn’t have to travel all the way to CID.
The CID Dough Zone has remained special to me as it’s the one and only restaurant in the neighborhood specializing in Shanghainese-style comfort food. Instantly a hit since it opened in 2018, it has no competition. The CID was dominated by Cantonese-style restaurants. As I cook mostly Cantonese, Asian fusion, and Western-style at home, dining there or ordering take-out is a wonderful treat, especially during the pandemic lockdown.
As we said goodbye, my friends and I left a big tip for the wait staff. That’s the least we can do for having such a fun lunch with impeccable, personable service. And we repaid the host’s generosity by giving the manager honest feedback in many of the dishes.
If their goal was to impress us, they succeeded. The next time I return to this venue, I might not have the same service, but I know exactly what to order. And the next time I visit the waterfront and Benaroya Hall, this location would be my choice to eat before or after the concert. Its casual-style, fast service, succulent dumplings and variety of items on the menu is appealing to many hungry souls like me.