If you’re like me, you probably never heard of Bafang Dumpling (singular, not plural!) before the first American branch opened in the busy Puente Hills Mall in the City of Industry — which does not speak well of our knowledge of global culinary obsessions. Just consider: Last year, Bafang sold 1.2 billion (that’s billion with a “b”!) dumplings in its more than 1,100 shops in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. That’s not bad, not bad at all, for a chain started by Mr. Lin, a former math teacher, who began making dumplings in his home to feed his students.
He also worked as a car mechanic. And was having little luck making ends meet, until it struck him that his homemade dumplings could be the answer. As Mr. Lin’s online bio tells us: “Potstickers were a favorite — a crunchy bottomed dumpling filled with flavorful meat and veggies. Who could resist? They brought the kids so much joy. Smiles beaming over the steaming potstickers. With the mindset to create a better life for his family and his community, he opened the first Bafang Dumpling store in Taiwan…”
That was in 1998. And in the last 25 years, Mr. Lin’s concept has expanded logarithmically, turning into a publicly traded company — and the leading purveyor of fast food on the island of Taiwan. And why wouldn’t they be? The potstickers are “cooked on a griddle, allowing the bottom a delicious crunchy texture…” Meanwhile, “the “unique shape of Bafang’s dumpling resemble yuan-bao, an ancient Chinese currency — gold. But more than that, dumplings bring family and friends together…”
This is a dumpling house with a philosophy. And a style unlike any other I’ve ever been to.
It’s a good idea to prepare yourself for the experience before a visit to Bafang. For those of us who have been eating our dim sum from rolling carts…or from a sizable menu at Din Tai Fung…are in for a surprise, even a shock. Bafang is unique within the dim sum genre. These are dumplings from an alternative reality.
The first thing to understand is that at Bafang you order your dumplings at the counter. And if your experience is like mine — admittedly on a weekend — after you get the car parked, you’ll find a line cascading out the door of the shop, and down the sidewalk. That’s the line just to get in, and place an order. While you stand on that line, you can study the options on the menu — which are unexpectedly brief for a dim sum house.
There are three types of potstickers: the house pork signature, the kimchi & pork combination, and the meatless kimchi only. The dumplings are two in number: the pork signature, and the kimchi & pork. And though you can order those in groups of half a dozen, many opt for any (or all) of the eight combos. Which consist of a dozen potstickers, or a dozen dumplings, matched with soup (hot & sour or corn), or with iced lemon black tea. And yes, that is a curious choice, between soup and tea. I mean, go wild…get both!
The potstickers are another oddity, because they don’t look like the ovoid potstickers we’re used to. Instead, they’re long and narrow, something like potsticker cigars. This gives them, it would seem, more surface area to crisp on the griddle. Those of us who opt to eat in the restaurant, at the several hard-to-land tables, can be seen gobbling them down by the dozen, enjoying every bit of crispy crusty crunch.
And there’s more to be eaten here, though not more in the way of dumplings.
Along with the hot & sour and the corn chowder, there’s a mini wonton soup. There are side orders of spicy wontons, Bafang’s house recipe pork chops, and chili pepper fried chicken. None of which are sides so much as they’re additional entrees. And then, there are five noodle dishes, ranging from “old-fashioned” noodles (which don’t seem so much old fashioned as they are just tasty, wonderful, soul-satisfying noodles), sesame noodles, spicy ma-la noodles, noodles in beef soup, and once again, “signature” noodles.
And that’s pretty much it. The food is a joy, a pleasure — and inexpensive at that. If there’s a notable oddity — aside from the brevity of the dumpling list — it’s the many beverages. Soy Wild Mango! Soy Awesome! Soy Tiger Boba! Black Tea Soy Latte! Myself, I just got “old-fashioned” black tea. Which once again, doesn’t seem so “old fashioned” as, well, eternal.
Oh, and there’s a note on the menu that says, “We have franchise opportunities coming to the States!” City of Industry is only the first. I expect within a matter of months, Bafang will be everywhere. With lines at every branch.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Email mreats@aol.com.
Bafang Dumpling
- Rating: 3 stars
- Address: Puente Hills Mall, 1552 S. Azusa Ave., City of Industry
- Information: 626-778-1958; www.bafangdumpling.com
- Cuisine: Dim sum is served morning noon and night, ordered from a counter in a restaurant that often has a line of hungry customers who seemingly can’t get enough of what’s on the menu at this branch of a multi-branch Taiwanese powerhouse.
- Beverages: Tea and soft drinks
- When: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day
- Reservations: No
- Prices: About $18 per person
- On the menu: 8 Combinations ($10.50-$14), 2 Potstickers ($4.50), 2 Dumplings ($4.50), 3 Soups ($3.50-$4.95), 5 Noodle Dishes ($5.85-$15.50), 3 Side Dishes ($5.25-$8), 10 Drinks ($2.50-$4.95)
- Credit cards: MC, V
- What the stars mean: 4 (World class! Worth a trip from anywhere!), 3 (Most excellent, even exceptional. Worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California.), 2 (A good place to go for a meal. Worth a trip from anywhere in the neighborhood.) 1 (If you’re hungry, and it’s nearby, but don’t get stuck in traffic going.) 0 (Honestly, not worth writing about.)
