Zen Dumpling Orlando: The Go-To Soup Dumpling Spot

We always get the cucumber salad when we come here, just something light and refreshing to snack on while waiting for the more substantial dishes. But this side dish is a bit boring. It isn’t really spicy like it claims and just tastes of diluted soy sauce. I would prefer more spice, some garlic, sesame oil, something to make this palate cleanser more interesting.

One clever way Zen Dumpling distinguishes each type of soup dumpling is by dyeing the peels different colors. We started with the truffle soup dumplings because I think the flavor pairs really well with pork and rich broth. Is it real truffle? Very unlikely, but it still tastes fragrant and has that intense earthy smell that comes from real truffles so it is good enough for me. The soup is abundant and flavorful in each little morsel and some ginger slices pair nicely to cut through the richness.

This was good too. I really like the addition of seafood flavor in my dumplings and it added an extra layer that pairs well with the porky base. If you want a more oceanic flavor the crab and pork has a stronger taste, but I find it personally overwhelming. All the soup dumplings are done well across the board. The filling is tender and the peels are just thick enough so they don’t burst open but thin enough where each bite doesn’t feel like eating steamed bread.

These were surprisingly good. I usually never order beef dumplings because it seems like an odd filling choice from the traditional Chinese dumplings I am used to, which are more pork dominant. But this was done well. The beef filling wasn’t overly beefy or gamey and the filling was tender and cohesive like a well-mixed meatball. The dumplings were big and had a lot of juice inside too, almost like their own mini soup dumpling.

My wife ordered this and thought it was pretty good, but I found it very average, like something slightly above the instant or frozen beef noodle soup kits you find at the Asian grocery store. The broth was light and not that flavorful, tasting similar to pho with cilantro and green onions swimming in there. The noodles were also overcooked and didn’t have much texture. They were generous with the amount of beef slices though.