Garden State Restaurant (Jersey City, NJ)

Expanding out of the sixth boro and into Jersey City, brought me to Garden State Restaurant. Obviously, I seamlessed because who wants to venture out and get something when it can be brought to me. I know it does soften up the crisp but a solid 'ling will hold up to the quick jaunt over here to Hoboken. 

Now at first glance this dumplings looked very promising. The golden brown surface is what I dream about on a regular basis, and if it were a paint color I'd paint my room the same.But that was one of the few good things about these. The filling was tasty, but it was lost in the dough. Way to much space up in there. I need to bite into meat, not an air pocket. The sauce was the biggest let down. It wasn't straight soy, which I'm sure most of you are thinking. This sauce had a little bit of chili thrown in there, but just wasn't a good complement. Don't go off the rails. Dumpling sauce is the GOAT because it doesn't need to be tweaked. Maybe they don't know the recipe, but they better find it out, and find it out fast. 

2.7 out of 5

Eric 

Still have UNC taking it all. 

Komegashi Too (Jersey City, NJ)

 Hopped on over to Komegashi Too, last week for a little dumpling/ office party Thursday. I mean how could I not, open bar, unlimited sushi, and the cherry on top all you can eat dumplings. Now granted whenever dumplings are made in huge quantities and kept hot by a sterno, they are setting themselves up for failure, so I wasn't going in to strong. I also had to go in fast though, before the effects of the open bar start to appear. 

That being said, these were some solid 'lings. They were a tiny bit soggy but that comes with the territory of having to hang out in the buffet dish, but I can look that off if the taste is there. Komegashi Too, they had the taste pretty on point. The inside had some flavor, you can taste the chives, it had some substance. Overall good filling; the ratio of dough to filling was spot on, and like I said the only flaw was the dough being a smidge soggy, but its the Christmas season. I will also say get deeper dishes for the dumpling sauce. I need to dunk my dumpling in sauce. It has to be submerged into that heavenly liquid. I can't be spooning it on to a plate, to then have to mop up like some poor. Get it together this goes for all buffet spots with the small round plates that can barely hold any liquid. I don't want to have to start bringing my own little clear solo sauce container to pour into. Their sauce was good though, even though I was mopping it instead of dunking.

3.9 out of 5

Eric 

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals

That's if I don't post another entry before then, but I probably will. Who really knows though.

Jade Wok (Jersey City, NJ)

 A little update for everyone, I had some problems with my tonsils, but you better believe that didn't stop me from trying to swallow a dumpling to get a review out to everyone. It is true what they say, "dumplings >the ability to swallow,"it's an old saying. I was able to muster these down, and don't think that because it was painful that my standards wavered.

These dumplings are a classic case were a good dumpling sauce shined but the 'lings themselves struggled. For one thing, the dough to filling ratio was off; there was much more dough. This could be overlooked if the filling was outstanding, but in these dumplings the filling fell flat. The crisp was alright, the filling was a tad bland, and the sauce was actually the highlight. All of these factors lead to a dumpling experience that I would quickly forget. No.1 Fine Chinese still retains the crown. 

3.2 out of 5

Eric 

A lackluster score for a lackluster dumpling. Not to mention I still have no idea if this restaurant is called Jade Wok, or Jade Garden sooo, there's that. 

Confucius (Jersey City, NJ)

Another Thursday which means another dumpling review. These come from Confucius in Jersey City. Obviously, pan fried, pork, everyone knows the drill, I'm still looking for my go to dumpling. These dumplings, are decent. They will not be more go to but they are okay. The dough was thinner than what I want in a go to dumplings. the filling was packed inside, but the dough along the edge was too much. The filling flavor was good, not bland, but nothing to write home about. The sauce was clearly just soy, so that wasn't bringing anything into the table. Confucius won't be the go to spot, decent dumpling though.

3.7 out of 5 

Eric