The original United Dumplings has been on Cortland in Bernal since late 2020, but my first time trying their food was just last year at their Oakland location. Women-owned, United Dumplings offers a mix of tradition and innovation, and it all tastes authentically great. I was blown away by the quality of the dumplings and the variety of offerings — of not just dumplings but the myriad noodles, rice, veggie, and tofu options. I was overjoyed to learn (very belatedly) that we had one so close to the Mission. The original is a bit more casual and spare than its East Bay cousin, but the menus seem to be identical. (There’s also another outpost in the Marina.)
Pea shoots I tried in Oakland were a favorite, so I had to have them here.
They were so abundantly garlicky, and so lusciously creamy, they almost seemed as if they’d been cooked in butter. We initially thought they were even better than the ones in Oakland, but soon discovered that these had not been properly trimmed and the stems were thick and very difficult to chew. Like panda bears gnawing on bamboo we were, picking out strands of shoot stems from our teeth. Unfortunate, but an easy fix — just cut the stems out before you eat. (We did mention this to our server after we were done with the meal.)
Ground pork and shrimp Sichuan dumplings in chili oil came next.
These were all you could want in the genre — oily, slippery, silky, and a bit spicy. Sexy little mofos!
Next came the chicken soup dumplings.
United Dumplings prides itself on making authentic, properly pleated XLB, with their thin skins encasing steaming hot broth and a tender nugget of gingery chicken. Another favorite.
A chilly evening called for a big bowl of California braised beef soup and noodles.
Deeply aromatic, five-spicey and super beefy, good springy noodles, this soup was at first a delight … but sadly the meat itself was quite tough and chewy, except for the pieces with a bit of fat/connective tissue on them (those bites were absolutely delicious). We mentioned this to our server as well, who seemed receptive to hearing constructive notes for the kitchen. It’s a shame to mar an excellent broth like this with overcooked beef. But truth be told, we finished the entire bowl.
Lobster wontons were the last item we ordered.
These golden fried shells envelope a glistening quenelle of minced lobster, scallop, and shrimp, but the lovely lobster flavor really shone through. Splendid. First time ever seeing these on a menu, and I’d get them again and again.
The menu spans dumplings of all stripes, of course — Korean beef dumplings, crab meat XLB, Chinese BBQ pork bao — as well as dan dan noodles (a fantastic rendition I tried in Oakland), five-spice silken tofu, sauteed green spring beans, mushroom tempura, wings, Mongolian beef, kimchi fried rice, etc. Having now tried a number of these, even with the couple of missteps, I feel safe in saying that the women at United Dumplings excel at their craft.
I loved the dumplings here better than any I’ve had in our own neighborhood (yes, I said it!), but thank goodness United Dumplings is so close by. Be not afraid to venture out of the Mission now and then!
United Dumplings, 525 Cortland Ave., San Francisco
About the author
Where to find San Francisco’s holiday markets for 2024
It’s almost the holiday season in San Francisco, and there are markets across the city for you to do some shopping, eating, and more.We’ll be keeping track of all the markets in the city, and updating this list as the weeks go by.West Coast Craft, Nov. 23-24West Coast Craft will have a special holiday sale from local artisans for their winter craft fair leading up to the holidays. The craft fair is located at the Fort Mason Center and will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23-24. Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Nov. 23 to Dec. 22The Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a Ruby Jubilee Celebration, featuring an immersive, 19th century London Christmas Market of handmade and antique gifts, music, performances, food, pubs, and a dance hall. The […]
What Can I Do With RMDs I Don’t Plan to Spend? I Don’t Want to Just Dump Them Into My Checking Account
Susannah Snider, CFP I am approaching the time when I’ll take required minimum distributions (RMDs) from my individual retirement account (IRA). I am in a quandary about what I can do with this anticipated largesse of cash. I do not necessarily need the money dumped into my checking account. -Tommy Retirees who don’t need the cash from required minimum distributions (RMDs) aren’t required to dump it directly into a checking account. Fortunately, a range of options exists that allows the RMDs to work more effectively for you. Keep in mind that how you handle your RMDs may come with tax consequences, so it’s important to keep an eye out for those repercussions. Here’s what to do with RMDs when you don’t need the cash. (If you have additional questions about investing or retirement, this tool can help match you with potential advisors.) […]
Staring at the castle gate
Staring at the castle gate Source: missionlocal.org
Rand Paul Breaks With Trump on Two Key Administration Promises
Rand Paul on Face the Nation.President-elect Donald Trump has made it clear that he’s looking for yes-men for his next term in office, but Republican Sen. Rand Paul didn’t seem to get the memo.The Kentucky lawmaker spoke on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday, and firmly stated his stance against both tariffs and the potential of the military being involved in mass deportations.Paul went as far as to call Trump’s proposal to involve the military “illegal” and a “terrible image” while talking to the show’s host, Margaret Brennan.“I am 100 percent supportive of going after the 15,000 murders, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapists. All these people. Let’s send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison. So I would say, all points bulletin, all in,” Paul said.However, he quickly clarified that he and Trump disagreed […]
Martinis!
Martinis! Source: missionlocal.org
Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine.The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year-old war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to Russian state news agency Interfax, the new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to write off bad debts of up to 10 million rubles ($96,000). The law applies to debts for which a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings had commenced before Dec. 1, 2024. It also applies to the spouses of new recruits.Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inboxSee for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment […]
Related
Where to find San Francisco’s holiday markets for 2024
It’s almost the holiday season in San Francisco, and there are markets across the city for you to do some shopping, eating, and more.We’ll be keeping track of all the markets in the city, and updating this list as the weeks go by.West Coast Craft, Nov. 23-24West Coast Craft will have a special holiday sale from local artisans for their winter craft fair leading up to the holidays. The craft fair is located at the Fort Mason Center and will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23-24. Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Nov. 23 to Dec. 22The Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a Ruby Jubilee Celebration, featuring an immersive, 19th century London Christmas Market of handmade and antique gifts, music, performances, food, pubs, and a dance hall. The […]
Staring at the castle gate
Staring at the castle gate Source: missionlocal.org
Martinis!
Martinis! Source: missionlocal.org
The Hayes Valley puppeteer, and his dragon treehouse
It’s not every day that one sees a dragon rising out of San Francisco’s fog. So when I saw a life-sized dragon puppet suspended from a treehouse in Hayes Valley, I knew I had to meet its maker. I slipped a note through the gate of the nearby Victorian and hoped the rain wouldn’t smudge my handwriting. Edward Winslow, a dad, dancer, and internationally-touring puppeteer of 20 years, responded. Winslow, now 64, had the Bay Area version of a storybook childhood: His mom, Marilyn, owned a toy store in Los Altos called Mud Pie and the Jester’s Eye, where she sold handmade Renaissance Faire toys.Winslow, at 11, would play with their stock of finger puppets, but it wasn’t until he moved to New York in the late 1980s that he picked up his first life-sized puppet. The rain did not deter Edward Winslow […]
The Holiday Markets are here
Nov. 23rd and 24th, Dec. 6, 7, 8, 14, and 15Holiday Mercadito Jaguar at Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts will hold a local artisan and small business market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 23rd and 24th, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 6th, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 7th and 8th, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 14th and 15th. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23rd and 24thWest Coast Craft will have a special holiday sale from local artisans for their winter craft fair leading up to the holidays. The craft fair is located at the Fort Mason Center and will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 23rd – Dec. 22nd The Great Dickens Christmas Fair at the Cow Palace is celebrating its 40th anniversary with […]
Above the law
Above the law Source: missionlocal.org
