After extended period in US, I just want some comfort food. Darling and I went to this authentic dumpling shop in Burlingame.
Yuanbao Jiaozi is a popular dumpling place in Irving, San Francisco, now with a new location in Burlingame that offers more seating and parking. The restaurant is often busy, and you can see the dumpling-making in their open kitchen.
When we arrived on a weekend lunchtime, it was absolutely packed with a line forming. We were seated after about 20 minutes, and our food came out quickly after we ordered.
We started with a couple of appetisers. Special Mix Salad 拌花菜 was simply a mix of several different types of salad, and included peanut, cucumber, tofu skin, woodear and aromatics with a spicy Szechuan vinaigrette dressing.
Celery & Peanut Salad 西芹花生 had peanuts with skin on and chopped celery soaked in vinegar. The peanuts were neither here nor there; it was too soft to be crunchy, too hard to be soft, more like peanuts gone stale.
US portions are quite substantial so we ordered just two types of dumplings. First up, Napa Cabbage & Pork Potstickers 包菜鮮肉. Potstickers get their name from the Chinese term 锅贴, with literally means “pot sticker”. The potstickers were great – juicy and succulent.
Jiaozi 餃子 typically consist of a ground meat or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. These dumplings are Northern style and have thicker skin, when Southern style used an egg flour skin and thinner skin. The thick skin locks in the juices. They can be boiled, pan fried, steamed, deep fried or baked.
Next up, a filling that Darling is more accustomed to and me not so much. Lamb & Carrot Dumpling 羊肉胡蘿蔔 uses minced lamb with chopped carrots for the filling. The dumpling skin was soft and chewy and the fillings were delicious. And each one is really juicy and does not have the musky smell of lamb.
Jiaozi are one of the major dishes eaten during the Chinese New Year throughout northern China and eaten all year round in the northern provinces. Their resemblance to the gold and silver ingots (yuanbao 元寶) used in Imperial China has meant that they symbolise wealth and good fortune.
Overall everything was pretty good and I especially liked the pork and cabbage dumplings which had plenty of yummy filling. Restaurant is nice, you can have conversations, and enjoy your lunch at the same time.
Yuanbao Jiaozi 元寶餃子 @ Millbrae
1841 El Camino Real, Burlingame, CA 94010, United States
Tel : +1 650-231-9900
Visited Jul 2025
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