Chinese
A Convoy-area bar Roger returns to for the combination of freshly steamed, soupy XLB dumplings and a serious whiskey list — Scotch, coveted Japanese labels and their own Founder's Barrel cask from Maker's Mark.
Start with xLB (soup dumplings) or founder's Barrel whiskey, and check the restaurant’s current menu before you go.
From Roger’s camera roll
From Roger’s Foursquare
Wash down your siu lung bao with a sour beer!
Posted
On Roger’s lists: Guide to San Diego's best spots.
Source-backed notes
Checked in 3 times on Yelp and Swarm, most recently Jul 7, 2019. See the check-in log
“Their XLB dumplings are always freshly steamed, mouth-drooling soupy bites!”
Roger said he comes here for the pairing of dumplings and whiskey: freshly steamed, soupy XLB and a whiskey list spanning Scotch, sought-after Japanese labels and the bar's own Founder's Barrel, a Maker's Mark aged in-house in a cask.
“Who would have though that craft brews and crafted cocktails can be mixed together with "little dragon dumplings?"”
An earlier visit under the Dumpling Inn name, after the business moved from its original hole-in-the-wall space into the current minimalistic building paired with a bar. Roger said the new space made it much faster to get a table, and recommended XLB with soy sauce/vinegar/ginger and the beef curry dumpling with beer — but said skip the orange chicken.
Stay in the neighborhood
A Convoy District spot Roger rated among the better local options for xiao long bao and pan-fried sheng jian bao, with better-than-typical service to match.
A Kearny Mesa Vietnamese spot Roger praised for freshly made, generous portions — nothing mass-ordered frozen — plus made-to-order coffee and wings he ranks among the only two worth ordering at an Asian restaurant in town.
A low-key Convoy-area grocery Roger called a one-stop shop for a Chinese household: herbal remedies, dried seafood, nostalgic HK/China/Taiwan sodas and whole-leaf teas, tucked in a warehouse half a block west of Convoy.
Keep exploring
Browse the Chinese page, or continue to another place with a matching cuisine.
Comforting Hong Kong-style cooking in Clairemont, with the kind of unfussy menu that makes repeat visits easy.
A Northern Chinese skewer spot Roger found overpriced for tiny portions, with slow vegetable dishes and a check-in discount it refused to honor.