Turkish Kitchen
1986 Shattuck Ave [Map]
Berkeley, CA 94704
Ph: (510) 540-9997
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-11pm
Facebook: Turkish Kitchen
Price range: $$ (Entrees $11-$17)

Shan Dong's homemade dumplings. (Shelby Pope)

What more is there to say about Oakland Chinatown’s Shan Dong? It’s a beloved institution that’s constantly packed with people eating the restaurant's signature handmade noodles and dumplings. The Mandarin menu, from owner Charles Hung, is wonderfully consistent, and seeing the process from the beginning--workers rolling out the dough as you walk in--to your plate makes it all the more satisfying. The Shan Dong special dumplings are plump golf balls, with a thick, doughy wrapper covering a flavorful mix of cabbage and well-seasoned pork. The tangy, vinegary dipping sauce adds a burst of salty richness and is the ideal accompaniment. As the server’s shirts will inform you, the restaurant, one of the few serving Northern Chinese food, is currently celebrating their 20th anniversary. They know what they’re doing.

Shan Dong Restaurant
328 10th St #101 [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 839-2299
Hours: Closed Monday; Tue-Thu, 11am-3pm and 4-9:30pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-3pm and 4-10pm; Sun, 11am-3pm and 4pm-9:30pm
Facebook: Shan Dong Restaurant
Price range: $$ (Entrees $11-$17)

Buuz, a type of Mongolian dumpling, from Togi's in Oakland. (Shelby Pope)

Togi's Mongolian Cuisine is a new resturaunt aiming to bring real Mongolian food--not the barbecue of chain restaurants--to Oakland. The cuisine is wheat and meat heavy, and accordingly, one of their traditional dishes is buuz, a type of steamed dumpling filled with mutton or beef typically eaten with your hands. At Togi’s, they take twenty minutes and emerge from the kitchen piping hot, each large dumpling sporting a perfectly crimped top, accompanied by a side of creamy potato salad. They’re rich and filled with well-seasoned beef, a winningly homey introduction to authentic Mongolian cuisine.

Togi's Mongolian Cuisine
352 14th St [Map]
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: (510) 922-1286
Hours: Wed-Mon, 12-9pm, Closed Tue
Price range: $ (Entrees $10 and under)

Goon Mahn Du from Temescal's Casserole House. (Shelby Pope)

Temescal’s Casserole House specializes in junggol, the Korean Casserole dishes they’re named for, but they’re also an excellent place to sample other Korean favorites like barbecued meats, soups and appetizers like mandu, the country’s dumpling. (The dish also
plays a key role in the cult Korean film Oldboy). At the Casserole House, they have Goon Mahn Du, featuring a wonderfully crispy shell filled with beef, pork, tofu and a fresh assortment of green veggies. It’s accompanied by their excellent, funky homemade kimchi, which--per their website--you can buy from Mrs. Lee by calling 510-601-6001.

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Bay Area Bites Guide to 5 Favorite Dumplings in Oakland and Berkeley