Jade Dumpling and Noodle House
Wally Lien, For The West Side Newspaper
A long while ago, I fell in love with dumplings. Every culture has its own version. One of my staple dishes to cook and to eat is chicken and dumplings – a savory, fluffy ball of dough poached in a wonderful chicken sauce. Of course there is the empanada from Mexico, and the pierogy from Poland. Italy’s version is the wonderful ravioli. India weighs in with the samosa. In Asian cultures, the dumpling is a divine gift to the palate. Everything from gyoza, potstickers and wontons.
While Salem has some wonderful Asian restaurants, none have tackled the dumpling. There is a great dumpling joint called the “Dough Zone” that I first encountered in Seattle years ago. Every trip to Seattle since has involved at least two visits to the Dough Zone. The restaurant is a chain, and one opened on the riverfront in Portland a year or so ago. I have been waiting for someone to serve local patrons a nice variety of dumplings, and finally that hope has materialized.
Jade Dumpling and Noodle House is located at 285 Liberty Street NE,. Ste 116, which is on the ground floor of The Forge at the corner of Liberty and Chemeketa, across from the old Penney’s store. They open at 11:30 a.m. and close at 9:30 p.m., everyday except Tuesdays. You can reach them by phone at (503) 755-9888. The order link is www.order.mealkeyway.com, however, it was not functioning as of this writing. Do not rely on the Jade Dumpling website either, as it refers to their sister restaurant in Eugene, and may not be accurate for the Salem site.
The space is newly remodeled, and features tables and booths with an open concept. Jade features popular traditional dishes like soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), spicy wontons, hand-rolled buns, and noodle soups. Since this is a dumpling column, I will skip over the several other menu pages with rice and noodle dishes galore. As I glanced at the plates of other diners nearby, some of whom went with non-dumpling dishes, their plates looked delicious and inviting as well.
Dishes can be prepared to order, depending on the level of spiciness or numbing you desire. Note that “numbing” refers to the amount of Sichuan Peppercorn added to the preparation. The reference to Sichuan is to a province in central China, that is often also referred to as Szechuan. Ask your server for more info on the level of heat you desire. Jade suggests 1) spicy and numbing; 2) spicy without numbing; 3) numbing without spicy; or 4) neither spicy or numbing.
No visit can be fully satisfying without an order of Xiao Long Bao, which is a soup dumpling. Soup, you say? Yes, I say. The dumpling is steamed, and when you bite into it the soup jumps into your mouth with the shrimp or pork that makes up the filling. It is a wonderful surprise and a delightful addition to the dumpling. Soup dumplings come in either pork, spicy pork, or a combination of pork and shrimp. The price for the soup dumpling depends on what protein is ordered, but runs from $14.99 to $17.99 for an order with eight dumplings.
Also available is an order of eight pan-fried pork dumplings, or six pan-fried pork or vegetarian “bao,”which, in this context, is a fluffy pillow of light, white, bread-like dough wrapped like an open sandwich. The pan-fried pork bao runs $14.99, while the other options are $13.99.
Steamed dumplings are also available and delightful. Options for the protein are pork, chicken, veggies, or sichuan pork. These run $12.99 for six dumplings. The vegetarian version is a dollar less.
Straight up dumplings come in a service of 10 dumplings. Prices range from $12.99 to $14.99. Options include: pork and napa cabbage; pork, shrimp, and chives; beef; chicken; and vegetarian fillings.
Jade dumplings are typically served with traditional Chinese dipping sauces, such as a soy sauce blend or Chinese black vinegar, and sliced fresh ginger. For those who like more heat, spicy varieties and wontons are often served in or alongside a house-made chili sauce.
Wontons are one of my favorite types of dumplings, and the star of the show at Jade is the shrimp wonton in chicken broth with spinach and green onions. The broth is hearty and full of wonderful aromas, the wrapper is thin and delicious, and the shrimp sumptuous. An order of 10 of these is only $13.99, and make up almost a full meal on their own.
There is also a pork version of the shrimp wonton, as well as a traditional pork wonton in a spicy sauce.
Steamed dishes come out in the traditional bamboo steamer, while other dishes are served on a variety of plating. All dishes are designed to be eaten family style.
We had our first dining experience at Jade on an early Sunday afternoon, thinking it would not be busy. I was pleasantly surprised. We were seated immediately, and there were a couple of other empty tables when we arrived. By the time we departed however, there were eight folks waiting to be seated.
The place was clean and well appointed, as would be expected for a brand new restaurant. It was well lit and laid out. I particularly liked the lineup of Chinese masks on the wall – a nice touch. Staffing was adequate, and our service was timely and informative. My only issue is with the parking. There is little on-street parking, so plan to use the parking garage and take the elevator down to Chemeketa Street.
Jade Dumpling and Noodle House stands out not only because it is the first spot dedicating a portion of its menu to dumplings, but also because the food was outstanding. Whether you have never had Asian dumplings, or like me, eat them whenever offered, give Jade a try. I think you will come back over and over again for the wonderful and tasty variety of dishes available there.