A new dining option opened in north Fresno, aiming to introduce the community to authentic, handmade soup dumplings made fresh daily.

Dumpling U, at 7444 N. Fresno St. near the River Park shopping area, is part of a small chain that began in Sacramento and expanded to Stockton. The Fresno location marks its latest effort to bring traditional Chinese flavors to the Central Valley.

“So basically we are a chain soup dumpling shop,” said James Xie, back-of-the-house manager. “We are handmade soup dumplings originated from China.”

Xie said the concept is rooted in his upbringing in Shanghai, where soup dumplings are a staple.

“So soup dumpling is my hometown food. I ate it when I was growing up,” he said. “So we are just trying to bring the most authentic handmade, freshly made soup dumpling to the Fresno community.”

Dumpling U Focuses on Fresh Food for Fresno

The restaurant emphasizes fresh preparation, contrasting what Xie described as more limited access to freshly made dumplings in the area.

“Most of the people here probably only have accessibility to frozen dumplings,” he said, adding that the restaurant’s goal is “to make it fresh daily.”

In addition to soup dumplings, the menu features various traditional dishes, including noodles, buns, and a popular beef roll.

“My favorite dish is the beef roll,” Xie said, describing it as a crispy scallion pancake filled with marinated beef and layered sauces. “Outside is crispy and inside you can taste the beef flavor.”

The restaurant also offers alcoholic beverages, including draft beer, and sake, as well as a specialty drink, the Yuzu Bomb.

Fresno Expansion Comes After a Need Seen, Xie Says

Xie said the decision to expand into Fresno came after a visit to the area.

“We found that there’s really not that many, in my opinion, authentic Chinese food,” he said. “So we wanted to bring the new vibe to the Central Valley.”

Soup dumplings, also known as xiaolongbao, are a specialty dish in which broth is enclosed inside the dumpling wrapper. Xie explained that the soup is created through a lengthy preparation process.

“The soup is boiled for one day,” he said. “And then for that… when we steam the dumpling again it will become water soup inside the dumpling.”

He added that there is a specific way to eat them.

“You take a little bite… and then you pour the soup out. You drink the soup first,” Xie said. “And then you dip the soup dumpling… in our house vinegar sauce and then just enjoy it.”

With its Fresno opening, Dumpling U aims to offer both an introduction to traditional soup dumplings and a new dining experience for the local community.

“We just hope that we can bring the freshly daily servings to our customers,” Xie said. “If they would love to give us a try, that would be much appreciated.”

They also offer vegetarian options. Although a menu offering lists “vegan dumpling,” the restaurant said that it was vegetarian due to being made with milk.

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