HuTong Dumpling Bar, Melbourne

One of the most consistently liked restaurants on Urbanspoon in Melbourne is HuTong Dumpling Bar. I've been coming here for years for delicious sweet chili dumplings and other delicious Chinese dishes and I have yet to be disappointed. At times, this multi-floored restaurant can be booked out so I suggest arriving early or making a booking.  I think it's a very reasonably priced restaurant that is consistent and worthy of multiple visits. 

With rooms full of brown furniture and funky Chinese artefacts on the wall, Hutong Dumpling Bar has real atmosphere.  The must have dish and what Hutong are really known for are their pork wontons in a chili sauce topped with spring onions. The sauce is more sweet chili so don't expect spice. For 8 pieces of the pork wontons in a sweet szechaun sauce, expect to pay $9.80 (pictured below)

The Xiao Long Bao (soup filled dumplings) are $11.80 are lovely to eat with a mix of soy and vinegar sauce. The skin is slightly thicker than my local Sydney favourites such as Din Tai Fung or Taste of Shanghai. Xiao Long Bao just brings all sorts of wonderful together.

For some greens, I had the sauteed snow pea shoots with garlic which were $16.80. I misheard the waiter and was expecting snow peas but the shoots were nice. The deep fried salt and pepper prawns were $26.80 were crunchy with salty flavours. I wish I ordered more wisely to really cut through the batter.  I suggest ordering something liquidy to cut through the batter.

Overall, another great experience and I'll be back when the opportunity arises.

Prices: $30ish per head

Location: 14 Market Lane, Melbourne CBD.