Stashed away in a tiny, nondescript strip mall on a part of that
indistinguishable stretch of asphalt called Mission Boulevard lies a Northern Chinese eatery with 
arguably the most authentic traditional type of cuisine east of 
San Francisco.
House of Dumplings, off of Appian Way and Mission Boulevard in Union City, serves up traditional Northern Chinese fare, which in lieu of a comprehensive dissection of the Eight Great Traditions of Chinese
cuisine, means more emphasis on dumplings and noodles over the Central 
and Southern tradition of rice-based dishes. Keeping in line with that pedigree, the restaurant serves up delectable handmade dumpling 
and noodle dishes and a variety of special dim sum small plates that 
are hard to find in the Chinatowns and Panda Expresses of the Bay Area.
The restaurant is well hidden between those strip-mall staples: a hair 
salon and a liquor store.  However, its bold “House of Dumplings” red-lettered sign beckons to the observant and hungry southbound Mission 
Boulevard traveler.  Any doubts to the authenticity of the food or the 
quality of the eats may be assuaged if one notices that the clientele
is predominantly Chinese.
The mostly sparse interior is warmly painted, with helpful pictures 
featuring the appetizers posted on both sides, and a small lunch 
counter located near the doorway.  A glass countertop gives diners a 
glimpse of the dim sum and noodles prepared for the day and available 
for takeout or dine-in.  In all, the restaurant seats about 26-30 
people.
The wait staff consists of a single person–owner Karen.  Her 
friendly, inviting demeanor is attentive, unhurried and possibly the brightest spot of the restaurant aside from the food.  Guests unfamiliar with the menu can expect a helpful suggestion or 
recommendation—and for beginners or non-adventurous types, rest 
assured that nothing gets too extreme.
Standouts on the menu include the special dim sum items like the onion pancake (a Northern Chinese and Chinese Muslim staple) and the
Shanghai soup dumpling, which is easily one of the restaurant’s best dishes. Also known as xiao long bao, care should be taken when 
devouring one of these pork dumplings, since, as the title suggests, hot broth fills the inside and can be something of a shock when bitten 
into. However, the flavor is hard to match.
Beyond the dim sum, the traditional dumpling dishes are all handmade 
and quite satisfying.  Jiaozi, or steamed dumplings, are the standard, 
and include vegetarian, seafood, beef, lamb and pork varieties. 
Guotie, more commonly known as pot stickers or gyoza, are also 
available. The restaurant’s noodle dishes, including the familiar 
chow mein, are predictable but competently executed, but the less 
common ones like bean paste noodles (zhajiang mien) are a welcome 
diversion from ordinary Americanized Chinese food.  And the previously 
mentioned appetizers get a nod for creativity—fresh cilantro and bean 
noodle, fresh tofu with green onion and sesame oil, and five spicy 
marinated beef are fresh, pleasant precursors to the heavier main dishes.
While the food is a pleasant surprise, the prices are even more surprising: nothing on the menu exceeds $6.95.  Don’t miss House of 
Dumplings—if you’ve taken a drive down Mission towards Fremont anytime recently, you’ve been overlooking a hidden gem.