I am trying to branch out and explore places that are not brand-new Chinese restaurants—really, I am. But we just have so much great, dumpling-focused cuisine coming in that I can't help myself. I was just innocently scrolling through Instagram when I chanced upon the news of Zhu Ting Ji opening its doors in Taylorsville. I was going to scroll on by, but when I saw the plethora of soup dumplings and bao—both steamed and pan-fried—I was practically out the door before I could put my phone away.
I suppose part of my enthusiasm for a place that was prepping such succulent-looking dumplings came from a visit to the internationally-renowned Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung in California. It's a hot ticket for all things dumpling-adjacent, and is particularly well-known for its soup dumplings—it did not disappoint. However, it got me thinking about how much I would enjoy a local restaurant that shared a similar enthusiasm for this famous Shanghai snack. So, when I spotted Zhu Ting Ji and its stacks of bamboo steamers filled with dumplings of all varieties, it became a moral imperative to pay the place a visit.
Zhu Ting Ji has barely been open a month, but the hype machine is very much on top of this Taylorsville gem. The place garners a decent crowd on weeknights, and gets rather packed on weekends. I would definitely recommend getting there for an earlier meal as the restaurant will often sell out of its most popular items as the night progresses. I know some people will take issue with this, but at this early stage in a restaurant's game, it's a really good sign. The chefs are taking their time with these little babies, which means you're getting some truly high-quality stuff.
That said, when I did finally get the chance to pop in for some of these steamed beauties, I was duly impressed. Filling-wise, you can get an order of six stuffed with chicken ($11.99) or pork ($11.99). Along with your protein of choice, each dumpling is filled with a lovely chicken broth which works in tandem with the filling to create a perfect savory bite. Of the many different varieties of dumpling on the Zhu Ting Ji menu, these are easily the most successful.
The steamed bao is definitely serviceable; the chashu buns ($6.99 for three) are the ones that will most please hardcore bao fans. The exterior bun texture is soft and pillowy while the interior pork is rich and flavorful. The dessert bao are also great if you've got a bit of a sweet tooth. I was torn between the custard buns ($5.99 for three) and the chocolate buns ($5.99 for three), though in retrospect I think the custard variation won out in the end.
In the event the restaurant does run out of dumplings, there are a lot of great options to explore on the rest of the menu. Naturally, I tried out an order of the mapo tofu ($12.99) which comes served in a rustic stone bowl. It's an excellent take—the numbing Sichuan peppercorns are present, and I liked how the broth was a bit on the thicker, stew-like side. After devouring all that silken tofu and chili broth, I may have used a dumpling or two to mop up the extra sauce—no regrets there.
One of the more spectacular dishes available at Zhu Ting Ji was the fried crispy pork ($15.99). This was something that I spotted on the menu and ordered without really thinking. It consists of two long strips of battered and fried pork belly suspended by hooks in a tall wire rack. It arrives at the table hanging from this apparatus, and it comes complete with some kitchen shears you can use to slice it into more manageable pieces. I loved the presentation, and I have nothing but good to say about the pork belly itself: perfectly cooked, not too chewy and composed of a delightful crisp texture on the exterior. I'm pretty sure the table next to me ordered one after they saw mine arrive in all its fried pork glory.
After I finished up my meal at Zhu Ting Ji, I had to take a moment and reflect on how great the staff was. I considered shelving this review until later so the restaurant had a bit more time to get its sea legs, but I can't help but gush about how on-the-ball they were despite the myriad obstacles that new restaurants inevitably struggle with.
During those moments when the kitchen was out of something, my server graciously offered alternative recommendations which I appreciated. Also, I couldn't help but be impressed with the speed and quality at which our food arrived. It was pretty inspiring to see such solid management happening during that all-too-tumultuous first month of business. Go check this place out, as it's shaping up to be something truly great in T-Ville.
