Kat's 9 Lives

On my way to AYCE shabu I happened to stumble across Kingdom of Dumpling. Might I say that I don't think I have ever been to Parkside in SF, but there is always a first for everything. Both Ms. Lin and I were starving for dinner and had our mind set on AYCE shabu but this secret hole in the wall caught my eye. It was a cold night and the windows were all steamed up. They have about 10 tables and they were packed so if you don't want to wait they have another shop just for take out on Noriega. Of course we immediately pulled out the phone to see the reviews and people were raving. I had to go in for a peak and once I stepped in... I wouldn't and couldn't leave without ordering a bunch of stuff!
They have a small white board on top with all the specials written there and they all sounded really tasted. Unfortunately I had to give up some stuff because this was not going to be my dinner. At first I was just going to buy an order of dumplings and chive pockets but my greed got the best of me and I wanted more.
Everyone there was very friendly and inviting. They were very nice and brought out trays of their hand-made dumplings. After looking at the xiao long bao, xlb, I almost caved and sat down for dinner! I love xlb, but that will have to be saved for another night. They were all perfectly hand-made and beautifully strewn out. I did inquire about purchasing for home and I believe it is available but a word of caution... be sure to read their site on the proper techniques on how to cook their xlb and dumplings so that none of the flavor will go to waste.
For the night I decided to try Pork and Shrimp Dumplings with Green Chives, $6.45. While we were waiting for our order, we looked around at other tables and agreed that they really know how to cook their dumplings. You can taste whole chunks of the shrimp mixed in with the pork in each bite.
One of my favorite snacks is the Green Chive Pocket but I think they might have called it pancakes here. Either way it is a nicely kneaded dough filled with a savory combo of clear noodles, egg, chives, dried shrimp, and tofu. The pungent flavor of chives emanate through each bite. Usually these are pan fried to give the outer dough a little crunch/bite, which really adds another level of texture to the ensemble.
While looking over the menu I got curious if they have a typical breakfast roll that I like to eat. Normally it is just called a beef roll where a more translucent pancake is used to roll and hold slices of marinated beef paired with fresh slices of green onion then topped off with hoisin sauce. Not sure which item I ordered, but ended up with Beef in Sesame Biscuits. It was similar to the beef roll I was thinking of except the carbohydrate used. Instead of a soft pancake it was a crispy and flaky sesame biscuit. Still it was flavorful and great for on the go.
Were you thinking I gave up AYCE shabu? HA HA If you know me, the answer is NO! I chomped down many bites and gathered myself up to continue on for "real" dinner. The left overs did come in handy because we ran out of time before our flight back to So Cal and they were easy to eat for lunch! I will be back to try more, but to be honest I like Luscious Dumplings more but then again it is for their pan-fried ones so not quite the same. =p

Kingdom Of Dumpling
1713 Taraval St
San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 566-6143