Students reflect on their experiences eating at the restaurant
By AMBER WARNKE — features@theaggie.org
Dumpling House has been deemed the best dumpling restaurant in Davis yet again, earning 70.8% of students’ votes in the category. The restaurant, located at 129 E St., has been serving the Davis community for over two decades, offering students a cozy and inexpensive place to catch up, relax and experience authentic Chinese cuisine.
While the restaurant specializes in dumplings, it also sells crispy tofu, potstickers, wontons, egg rolls, noodles and fish dishes. Its ample vegetable-based options also provide choices to community members with vegetarian and plant-based diets.
Derrick Wu, a third-year computer science major, has found Dumpling House to be a comforting space, reminding him of his home.
“I am an international student, so I come from China, so dumplings are my traditional food,” Wu said. “When you eat [here], you can feel your culture.”
Forest Sabbath, a second-year anthropology major, eats at Dumpling House often and also appreciates its take on Chinese dining.
“A lot of the Chinese restaurants in Davis have quite a range of cuisines,” Sabbath said. “Some things you probably wouldn’t see elsewhere, and I think that’s a lot of [the time] due to the fact that we have a lot of actual international students here. When they go to a Chinese restaurant, they want to have something from home.”
While Sabbath has explored the international restaurants throughout Davis, Dumpling House is a special place to him.
“The thing about the dumplings that I like is the ability to mix and match dumplings for a low price,” Sabbath said. “I just hope that they continue to be able to do their thing [and] can keep the prices low.”
Dumpling House’s prices, in addition to its short wait time, are part of what makes it an accessible restaurant and a necessity for busy college students. Dumpling House’s cozy atmosphere has also given students a space to meet and unwind throughout the busy quarter.
Leilani Jackson, a second-year biomedical engineering major, has bonded with her friends after going out to eat with them at Dumpling House after club meetings.
“I built stronger connections at Dumpling house,” Jackson said. “All my memories I have at the Dumpling House are me getting to know my friends better [during] my first year and I still talk to [them] today.”
Dumpling House also regularly sells at the weekly Davis Farmers Market, providing food options that shoppers can eat while browsing the stands. Regardless of what students choose to eat from Dumpling House, the restaurant will remain a staple of Davis culture and cuisine for years to come.
Written by: Amber Warnke — features@theaggie.org
