Favorite item we ordered was the Dan Dan noodles. Because they give you all the items at once by the time we got our soup dumplings and sat down outside to eat it wasn't hot anymore. The pan fried soup dumplings on the other hand were scalding hot. Overall tasty. Main critiques are around space layout and ordering experience. They really need to move the two tables and chairs right next to the iPad order counter out of the way. During a busy Sunday lunch time it's hard to maneuver around people in that narrow space. And their texting system wasn't working for me after I input my order so I had to wait nearby. Friendly staff, but operationally a few things to improve. They forgot our garlic cucumbers at first but thankfully I was close enough to run back to ask for them. Everything comes out in to-go boxes or bowls so if you're with a group of friends you'll have to get creative about how to divvy up the food with the containers available.
Jon Conley
A bit of a mixed experience. Xiao Chi Jie / MìLà has great flavors and consistency for mass-produced, robot-assisted dumplings, but they are lacking a consistent, delicate human touch and missing the point, in some areas.I wouldn't say they're as delicious as Supreme Dumplings or Din Tai Fung on a good day, but they're totally passable and hit the XLB spot more than many smaller Taiwanese restaurants. For something produced at scale, they're impressive.The employees cooked everything to order, and the steam times were spot-on; but the container situation is where it literally falls apart.The Xiao Long Bao skins are a little thicker than normal (I suspect they have to be for the machine), but the flavors are decent. The biggest issue is that the steamed dumplings are traditionally spaced apart to prevent sticking and skin rupturing, but here, they are jammed rather haphazardly into a tiny to-go box (where the dough hardens and the skins rip, dumping all of their soupy contents).There is about a 25% chance your dumplings will be intact when you eat them. Some of them were already ripped in the box.We purchased four rounds of the XLB while the restaurant was rather quiet during the Farmers Market, and consistently ran into the same issues.Skip the Jianbing. I'm not sure what happened with these, but they were severely underwhelming. I didn't try them when Eggy Pocket moved here from Portland (and if you're ever down there, Bing Mi makes the best one in the country), but these are certainly not the same. The sauce was too sparse; the crepe was too soft and disintegrated; we ordered extra egg, but could barely find any; the cracker and the youtiao were too small and soggy; the ratios were all wrong, and the lap cheong portion was too little. Overall, extremely disappointing, given how expensive it is.The fried Sheng Jian Bao are satisfying (and definitely intact, as the skins are about three times thicker), but not traditionally accurate, as they aren't fluffy with a starch skirt, and are easily surpassed by Dough Zone's far superior "Q Bao" (which are the best in the industry, currently, and also sold frozen). The meatball inside is also extremely small, which feels a bit disappointing, given the price.The XCJ version will also 100% "squirt" into your eyes (happened to all four of us), even if you carefully try to tear a corner with your teeth, covering your face with hot pork grease. But some people are into that, I guess.The production is impressive, but the price of mass-produced dumplings is the same as that of hand-rolled and they are prepared and served with less care, in an extremely uncomfortable space with the worst chairs. There is no service, you aren't given any plates, and it's just too messy to eat there.Unless you live in the building, I don't see much point in eating here. Parking downtown isn't great, and the spots in front are reserved for the Adult Daycare (Tech Worker) Bus. Perhaps, if you can find the frozen dumplings at Costco (I checked two locations and still haven't seen them), it's nice to have some of these to more carefully prepare at home.I love the idea, as I cook many of these dishes myself, and appreciate the quality and cleanliness of the ingredients and the overall ambitions of the owners. I'm sure the frozen business will take off. I just wish the "restaurant" portion was better executed, and some improvements could be made to the recipes.If you have a steam basket and wok at home, maybe try a bag of the frozen XLB. Just be aware of the sticking and breakage issues.
ニッコル猫
Their Sheng Jian Bao is really good. The XLB is moderate but with good consistency (because they just steam their merch haha).Won’t recommend the Jian Bing, it’s not their advantage product. It’s too dry and they don’t put egg on the crepe.
eiko fujikawa
We had fried dumplings and noodles.We loved their fried dumplings. The taste was great, food was hot. Crispy fried dumpling skin added great texture. I would love to try their steamed dumplings. Noodles are ok. A little bit too oily for me. I would get just dumplings next time.This shop locates on the 1st floor of the building and shares tables and chairs with other shops on the same floor so that this is a food court.Their menu is very limited to dumplings, noodles, and take-out items. They have online ordering machines at the counter.Just keep in your mind that this is more like a grab-and-go or quick-bites place. They put all food into to-go containers. This place is not a table service restaurant.Kid-friendliness: This place is a food court.
Christopher Walker
I had heard good things about this place during the height of the pandemic and finally got to give it a try. It's in a small food court style area beneath a Bellevue condo, with some wobbly tables you clean yourself. The order comes out all at once, versus when the items are ready, so if you order xiao long bao and something else, and it takes a little more time than you will probably get your XLB warm like I did. It isn't stellar. There is better at Dough Zone or Din Tai Fung. They may be a tad pricier but you will get your food when it's perfect. The dan dan noodles were more greasy than I was used to, and not as spicy as I would expect. Overall this place is okay, and if you're okay with okay, you might like it. It's also kind of wild you have to go out of your way not to tip when no one is serving you, cleaning the tables, or delivering you for food.
Timothy Christians
Please note this review is based on the mail order option. I live in Illinois so can't visit the physical restaurant.... yet!!! I may plan a special trip to California just to visit after having the mail order though.I bought the noodle pack and loved the Fan Dan, I will probably just buy a 6 pack of Dan Dan next time though tbh. the other one was good but not to my liking. I like the spicy noodles!!!!! I've been on tv for a ghost pepper chicken taco eating contest in Chicago so I know heat. These are hot but not too hot, with a ton of flavor. I just need to pick up green onions for them!!!!The dumplings are great!!! I bought the bamboo steamer - and heat water up in one of my woks. Then put the bamboo steamer in the wok. I make a special sauce using a spicy peanut sauce, a Japanese BBQ sauce and a local pumpkin hot sauce. Together it's heaven. And the best part of this is there is little prep, with even less clean up!!!! I can't say enough good things here!!! I'm highly satisfied at this quick meal.The skewers I only made once. And I'll reserve comment till I can try them again.Also great customer service!!! You respond fast to questions!!!
Wei-ju Wu
I've known this place previously through their soup dumplings which i ordered as a subscription. I applaud them for pivoting to a mail order service during the pandemic.We've finally gotten a chance to go there in person and dine in. My suggestion is actually to do take out rather than dine in. That place currently doesn't have much of an atmosphere, but the food is pretty good, regardless of what you order. And the mail ordered soup dumplings are just as good as the ones you get here. That's a compliment for the high quality of their frozen dumplings. The reason why you would do take out over the mail order is that you can get their pan fried dumplings (careful when you bite into them, the soup will splash out ?) and their dandan noodles are pretty yummy.
YY Zhang
Had Sheng Jian Bao. Very delicious and juicy. It’s really hot if it was served fresh. Make sure you let it cool first, otherwise it could burn your lips. The side dish cabbage was very authentic Sichuan flavor. I enjoyed both very much.
Ross Sharp
All the best!Love Weeko x
Kevin T.
Review is from December when I came to visit. I'm a fan of Xiao Chi Jie, and noticed the change and wanted to try out these bings, an egg crepe Chinese breakfast item I live in the Portland metro and have seen an Eggy Pocket around before. To be honest, the chicken filling was dry, and while there was more food per bing, it was just kind of greasy and neutral flavored. The exterior (the crepe itself) is a bit fluffier and the egg isn't as incorporated into the batter as other versions, which wasn't my thing, but to be fair other people may prefer. Personally, I prefer other places in Seattle/Portland for this item. I'm seeing other reviewers compare these new bings favorably to the old ones. Respectfully, I disagree. The old ones had a good exterior, but if there was a complaint it was the filling (the sauce it came with wasn't really the traditional spicy bean paste, more of an aioli (I thought it was fine regardless and stuff like the matchstick potatoes which would go good in the crepe are separate side orders). I'm not local and have only tried once, maybe they've gotten a bit better as things have settled. I've had an Eggy Pocket bing in downtown Portland once, and while not my cup of tea, was admittedly better (the meat was juicy instead of dry in that case). So maybe it's a 3-4 star place if they've improved that and you prefer this style bing/crepe/wrap. Unfortunately, my experience here wasn't that positive though
Delicious Authentic Shen Jian Bao. Easy to find and free parking down below. Also offer XLB and Eggy Pocket.
Henry L.
Nice dumpling and noodle place! Located in a food court, this food stall is pretty neat. They serve piping hot dumplings and noodle soup. The taste is real authentic and fresh! The only downside is the menu is limited. The price is a little high, for food court setting. But the good tastes justifies the price. Plus, the store is located near Amazon and Microsoft where lots of high-pay engineers work--if I were them I would charge even more. Also, they are pretty much one of the few authentic chinese food place in the area! So it's worth the money!
Ann M.
Oddly enough I've never been to the physical restaurant, I've only had the frozen shrimp and pork dumplings but I'm a fan! My family loves DTF dumplings, these are a bit thicker which i like - juicy, flavorful and they heat up really well. I gave my sister and her 2 boys a bag of 50, that same day they ate it ALL in one sitting and asked if i could order them more. Even my picky, old school, Chinese food must be super hot eating mom said, these are good. Don't forget to put it on parchment or wax paper or they'll break. I'm on my 3rd delivery, joined their monthly XLB club and rave about it to anyone that will listen to me. Yes, it's not cheap, 50 Shrimp and Pork for 36.95 after tax, but it's worth it. Order 2 bags (over $50) and it'll be delivered free if you live in the delivery area. I'm not in the hot food delivery area but I am for their frozen ones. Easy, No contact delivery, they email you a few days before to confirm your delivery day, then text when i'm the next house for delivery on the day of. The one thing I do wish i got more of is the vinegar sauce, or could you fill up the container?
Jen L.
We discovered this place from an advertisement on Instagram or Facebook and are now dedicated fans. We ordered one pack each of their pork and pork/shrimp combo which came frozen in a pack of 50 each. You steam it from frozen for about 12 minutes and they are perfect! Our family of 3 blew through the 2 packs in a matter of days. (Although they say you can store them in the freezer for up to 30 days - but not a chance at our house!). We loved it so much that we have now subscribed to be "monthly" members where they deliver an order every month that consists of (according to their website) "A XCJ branded cooler bag Two 50 piece bags of our core flavors per month - ability to flex up monthly and change flavors A special gift each month - ranging from swag to new flavors under development Special flavors include: Summer truffle Caviar Maine lobster Gold flake surprise King crab And many more!" We can't wait! And we are proud to be part of the customers to try to keep this restaurant afloat during these crazy times.
Victoria C.
My husband is obsessed with soup dumplings. Like, we literally normally have to get 20 soup dumplings, so I'll at least get 5 to eat. When I saw the owner/manager had posted that they were selling bags of frozen soup dumplings (50 xlb for $29.95), we quickly jumped on board to order some to help support them during this difficult time. Super easy to order and to pay. You can select to pick up or get delivery (free delivery for orders over $50). We got an email a couple of days later when it was ready for pick up. I walked in, got my order, and left. They also included a parchment round and instructions on how to heat it up. We steamed a couple for breakfast this morning (because why not?), and O.M.G. they were AMAZING. There was plenty of soup and it was very flavorful. I'm literally kicking myself for not getting more soup dumplings now. Highly recommended!
Favorite item we ordered was the Dan Dan noodles. Because they give you all the items at once by the time we got our soup dumplings and sat down outside to eat it wasn't hot anymore. The pan fried soup dumplings on the other hand were scalding hot. Overall tasty. Main critiques are around space layout and ordering experience. They really need to move the two tables and chairs right next to the iPad order counter out of the way. During a busy Sunday lunch time it's hard to maneuver around people in that narrow space. And their texting system wasn't working for me after I input my order so I had to wait nearby. Friendly staff, but operationally a few things to improve. They forgot our garlic cucumbers at first but thankfully I was close enough to run back to ask for them. Everything comes out in to-go boxes or bowls so if you're with a group of friends you'll have to get creative about how to divvy up the food with the containers available.
A bit of a mixed experience. Xiao Chi Jie / MìLà has great flavors and consistency for mass-produced, robot-assisted dumplings, but they are lacking a consistent, delicate human touch and missing the point, in some areas.I wouldn't say they're as delicious as Supreme Dumplings or Din Tai Fung on a good day, but they're totally passable and hit the XLB spot more than many smaller Taiwanese restaurants. For something produced at scale, they're impressive.The employees cooked everything to order, and the steam times were spot-on; but the container situation is where it literally falls apart.The Xiao Long Bao skins are a little thicker than normal (I suspect they have to be for the machine), but the flavors are decent. The biggest issue is that the steamed dumplings are traditionally spaced apart to prevent sticking and skin rupturing, but here, they are jammed rather haphazardly into a tiny to-go box (where the dough hardens and the skins rip, dumping all of their soupy contents).There is about a 25% chance your dumplings will be intact when you eat them. Some of them were already ripped in the box.We purchased four rounds of the XLB while the restaurant was rather quiet during the Farmers Market, and consistently ran into the same issues.Skip the Jianbing. I'm not sure what happened with these, but they were severely underwhelming. I didn't try them when Eggy Pocket moved here from Portland (and if you're ever down there, Bing Mi makes the best one in the country), but these are certainly not the same. The sauce was too sparse; the crepe was too soft and disintegrated; we ordered extra egg, but could barely find any; the cracker and the youtiao were too small and soggy; the ratios were all wrong, and the lap cheong portion was too little. Overall, extremely disappointing, given how expensive it is.The fried Sheng Jian Bao are satisfying (and definitely intact, as the skins are about three times thicker), but not traditionally accurate, as they aren't fluffy with a starch skirt, and are easily surpassed by Dough Zone's far superior "Q Bao" (which are the best in the industry, currently, and also sold frozen). The meatball inside is also extremely small, which feels a bit disappointing, given the price.The XCJ version will also 100% "squirt" into your eyes (happened to all four of us), even if you carefully try to tear a corner with your teeth, covering your face with hot pork grease. But some people are into that, I guess.The production is impressive, but the price of mass-produced dumplings is the same as that of hand-rolled and they are prepared and served with less care, in an extremely uncomfortable space with the worst chairs. There is no service, you aren't given any plates, and it's just too messy to eat there.Unless you live in the building, I don't see much point in eating here. Parking downtown isn't great, and the spots in front are reserved for the Adult Daycare (Tech Worker) Bus. Perhaps, if you can find the frozen dumplings at Costco (I checked two locations and still haven't seen them), it's nice to have some of these to more carefully prepare at home.I love the idea, as I cook many of these dishes myself, and appreciate the quality and cleanliness of the ingredients and the overall ambitions of the owners. I'm sure the frozen business will take off. I just wish the "restaurant" portion was better executed, and some improvements could be made to the recipes.If you have a steam basket and wok at home, maybe try a bag of the frozen XLB. Just be aware of the sticking and breakage issues.
Their Sheng Jian Bao is really good. The XLB is moderate but with good consistency (because they just steam their merch haha).Won’t recommend the Jian Bing, it’s not their advantage product. It’s too dry and they don’t put egg on the crepe.
We had fried dumplings and noodles.We loved their fried dumplings. The taste was great, food was hot. Crispy fried dumpling skin added great texture. I would love to try their steamed dumplings. Noodles are ok. A little bit too oily for me. I would get just dumplings next time.This shop locates on the 1st floor of the building and shares tables and chairs with other shops on the same floor so that this is a food court.Their menu is very limited to dumplings, noodles, and take-out items. They have online ordering machines at the counter.Just keep in your mind that this is more like a grab-and-go or quick-bites place. They put all food into to-go containers. This place is not a table service restaurant.Kid-friendliness: This place is a food court.
I had heard good things about this place during the height of the pandemic and finally got to give it a try. It's in a small food court style area beneath a Bellevue condo, with some wobbly tables you clean yourself. The order comes out all at once, versus when the items are ready, so if you order xiao long bao and something else, and it takes a little more time than you will probably get your XLB warm like I did. It isn't stellar. There is better at Dough Zone or Din Tai Fung. They may be a tad pricier but you will get your food when it's perfect. The dan dan noodles were more greasy than I was used to, and not as spicy as I would expect. Overall this place is okay, and if you're okay with okay, you might like it. It's also kind of wild you have to go out of your way not to tip when no one is serving you, cleaning the tables, or delivering you for food.
Please note this review is based on the mail order option. I live in Illinois so can't visit the physical restaurant.... yet!!! I may plan a special trip to California just to visit after having the mail order though.I bought the noodle pack and loved the Fan Dan, I will probably just buy a 6 pack of Dan Dan next time though tbh. the other one was good but not to my liking. I like the spicy noodles!!!!! I've been on tv for a ghost pepper chicken taco eating contest in Chicago so I know heat. These are hot but not too hot, with a ton of flavor. I just need to pick up green onions for them!!!!The dumplings are great!!! I bought the bamboo steamer - and heat water up in one of my woks. Then put the bamboo steamer in the wok. I make a special sauce using a spicy peanut sauce, a Japanese BBQ sauce and a local pumpkin hot sauce. Together it's heaven. And the best part of this is there is little prep, with even less clean up!!!! I can't say enough good things here!!! I'm highly satisfied at this quick meal.The skewers I only made once. And I'll reserve comment till I can try them again.Also great customer service!!! You respond fast to questions!!!
I've known this place previously through their soup dumplings which i ordered as a subscription. I applaud them for pivoting to a mail order service during the pandemic.We've finally gotten a chance to go there in person and dine in. My suggestion is actually to do take out rather than dine in. That place currently doesn't have much of an atmosphere, but the food is pretty good, regardless of what you order. And the mail ordered soup dumplings are just as good as the ones you get here. That's a compliment for the high quality of their frozen dumplings. The reason why you would do take out over the mail order is that you can get their pan fried dumplings (careful when you bite into them, the soup will splash out ?) and their dandan noodles are pretty yummy.
Had Sheng Jian Bao. Very delicious and juicy. It’s really hot if it was served fresh. Make sure you let it cool first, otherwise it could burn your lips. The side dish cabbage was very authentic Sichuan flavor. I enjoyed both very much.
All the best!Love Weeko x
Review is from December when I came to visit. I'm a fan of Xiao Chi Jie, and noticed the change and wanted to try out these bings, an egg crepe Chinese breakfast item I live in the Portland metro and have seen an Eggy Pocket around before. To be honest, the chicken filling was dry, and while there was more food per bing, it was just kind of greasy and neutral flavored. The exterior (the crepe itself) is a bit fluffier and the egg isn't as incorporated into the batter as other versions, which wasn't my thing, but to be fair other people may prefer. Personally, I prefer other places in Seattle/Portland for this item. I'm seeing other reviewers compare these new bings favorably to the old ones. Respectfully, I disagree. The old ones had a good exterior, but if there was a complaint it was the filling (the sauce it came with wasn't really the traditional spicy bean paste, more of an aioli (I thought it was fine regardless and stuff like the matchstick potatoes which would go good in the crepe are separate side orders). I'm not local and have only tried once, maybe they've gotten a bit better as things have settled. I've had an Eggy Pocket bing in downtown Portland once, and while not my cup of tea, was admittedly better (the meat was juicy instead of dry in that case). So maybe it's a 3-4 star place if they've improved that and you prefer this style bing/crepe/wrap. Unfortunately, my experience here wasn't that positive though
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious Authentic Shen Jian Bao. Easy to find and free parking down below. Also offer XLB and Eggy Pocket.
Nice dumpling and noodle place! Located in a food court, this food stall is pretty neat. They serve piping hot dumplings and noodle soup. The taste is real authentic and fresh! The only downside is the menu is limited. The price is a little high, for food court setting. But the good tastes justifies the price. Plus, the store is located near Amazon and Microsoft where lots of high-pay engineers work--if I were them I would charge even more. Also, they are pretty much one of the few authentic chinese food place in the area! So it's worth the money!
Oddly enough I've never been to the physical restaurant, I've only had the frozen shrimp and pork dumplings but I'm a fan! My family loves DTF dumplings, these are a bit thicker which i like - juicy, flavorful and they heat up really well. I gave my sister and her 2 boys a bag of 50, that same day they ate it ALL in one sitting and asked if i could order them more. Even my picky, old school, Chinese food must be super hot eating mom said, these are good. Don't forget to put it on parchment or wax paper or they'll break. I'm on my 3rd delivery, joined their monthly XLB club and rave about it to anyone that will listen to me. Yes, it's not cheap, 50 Shrimp and Pork for 36.95 after tax, but it's worth it. Order 2 bags (over $50) and it'll be delivered free if you live in the delivery area. I'm not in the hot food delivery area but I am for their frozen ones. Easy, No contact delivery, they email you a few days before to confirm your delivery day, then text when i'm the next house for delivery on the day of. The one thing I do wish i got more of is the vinegar sauce, or could you fill up the container?
We discovered this place from an advertisement on Instagram or Facebook and are now dedicated fans. We ordered one pack each of their pork and pork/shrimp combo which came frozen in a pack of 50 each. You steam it from frozen for about 12 minutes and they are perfect! Our family of 3 blew through the 2 packs in a matter of days. (Although they say you can store them in the freezer for up to 30 days - but not a chance at our house!). We loved it so much that we have now subscribed to be "monthly" members where they deliver an order every month that consists of (according to their website) "A XCJ branded cooler bag Two 50 piece bags of our core flavors per month - ability to flex up monthly and change flavors A special gift each month - ranging from swag to new flavors under development Special flavors include: Summer truffle Caviar Maine lobster Gold flake surprise King crab And many more!" We can't wait! And we are proud to be part of the customers to try to keep this restaurant afloat during these crazy times.
My husband is obsessed with soup dumplings. Like, we literally normally have to get 20 soup dumplings, so I'll at least get 5 to eat. When I saw the owner/manager had posted that they were selling bags of frozen soup dumplings (50 xlb for $29.95), we quickly jumped on board to order some to help support them during this difficult time. Super easy to order and to pay. You can select to pick up or get delivery (free delivery for orders over $50). We got an email a couple of days later when it was ready for pick up. I walked in, got my order, and left. They also included a parchment round and instructions on how to heat it up. We steamed a couple for breakfast this morning (because why not?), and O.M.G. they were AMAZING. There was plenty of soup and it was very flavorful. I'm literally kicking myself for not getting more soup dumplings now. Highly recommended!