It's back. After a six week involuntary hiatus, Dumpling World is now open again, providing endless hot dumpling soups, tea eggs, pork buns and noodles.

Hobart's only dumpling specialty restaurant opened about 18 months ago, with mixed reviews, by Chinese migrants Helen Zhao and Matthew Ma.

However a recent spate of heavy rain caused the roof to cave in, causing extensive property damage. The owners of Dumpling World have been forced to pay for the building repairs, even though they rent the premises, and the repairs are the landlords responsibility. The owner tells me that the landlord refuses to answer her phone or return messages. There was an article in The Mercury about this. Not a lot happens in Hobart, so the weather is pretty big news.

Because of this selfish, shonky landlord (please step forward) poor Hobartians have gone without their weekly (and sometimes twice weekly) meal of superb house-made dumplings. I for one will gladly venture to Collins street for many a lunch break in the coming months. There goes all that money I had planed to save by packing my own lunch.

Dumpling World is also home to the original tea egg ($2 each), which prompted me to learn to cook my own.

Dumplings are available steamed and fried: pork, chicken, vegetable and seafood. I forgot to write down the price but I recall they were quite inexpensive.



There is a good selection of vegetarian options, both for noodle and dumplings.

There are also some new options on the menu, like a Japanese style chicken curry with rice ($8), Chinese buns ($3.50 each) and shaomai ($5, 3 pieces).

I almost always order the dumpling soup ($9) which comes with your choice of dumplings and either laksa or chicken soup. My soup today (top picture) was excellent, as always. Plenty of dumplings, crisp bean shoots, grated carrot, red onion and a spicy complex laksa, not too creamy or rich, just perfect.

The serves are large, and the ingredients are fresh. I would even go so far as to say that being closed for six weeks has fostered improvement. The owners work behind the counter and in the kitchen, I always like to see a family involvement in a business, it has a nice warm fuzzy feel.

On the downside, there are no toilets. Although the staff are very apologetic about it.

It would be great if the dumplings were available to buy uncooked to take home and freeze for later.

It is unfortunate that the owners of Dumpling World have the landlords they do, but I am grateful they have reopened, even if at their own expense. I hope they take their landlord to court and sue for damages, they deserve better.


Dumpling World

3/138 Collins st Hobart
Ph: 03 62241830
Dine in and take-away
Mon- Fri 11.30-10
Sat 12-late
Sun closed