This one is a meat lil chinese dining place right in the middle of a lane in flinders street.
We were three people and got a seat instantly de soite the restaurant being quite busy.We ordered dumplings,singapore an fried rice and a large steamed baramundi.Dumplings were fresh,made to order and tasted just perfect with the salty soy and viniger.The noodles and fried rice was perfectly seasoned and had good meat to rice/noodle ratio.
The star of the meal though was the Strand Baramundi.Perfectly cooker in salty fish sauce and complemented with leaks..This is a.must have for anyone who enjoy good fresh seafood..
Last but not the least,the themed decor adds to the overall experience.
Visite the place with Supratim Khan by suggestion of @Kamraan Ali Faisal
Best Vegetarian Pan Fried Dumplins in Town. Veg Noodles and Fried rice is also something to die for. Have been consistent quality for past 5-6 years since I have been going there
Christopher Alex Pavlidis Garkinis
+4
Interesting restaurant and is consistently good, sometimes very good. Dumplings, sichuan inspired dishes, noodles, spring onion pacake is very good, beef dumplings are great! Nice flavour... I have been a few times recently and will go again. Only issue in 90% of Asian restaurants, is an impersonal, rushed and rude service. This place, waiters are quite rushed yet are friendly and remember me every time I speak Mandarin or Cantonese to them, which is a good thing! :)
Service here is abrupt and without a smile. The decor looks tired and old. But you know what, the dumplings and food here ain't bad (as long as you aren't expecting fine dining), and pretty good value for the quantity you get. If going for lunch, make sure you go before 12 to beat the rush.
Amazing quantity for the price. Really exciting combinations of meat for the dumplings. The staff were very friendly. However the wait time is a bit too stretched.
The fried dumplings are the best in MLB and the Sichuan sauce is simply awesome❤️. Service can be a bit of a downer but the food makes up for it multiple times over
One of the few places that serve vegetarian dumplings. Not many places where one can get 15 dumplings for $10. I’ve had only dumplings here and they’re pretty good.
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J’s score 4.0 stars. J had a late solo lunch here on Wed 13th Feb – we have eaten here before (many moons ago). Service was friendly and efficient - the place clean, spacious and had a relaxed vibe (acoustics were good, so not too loud). Free Chinese tea was brought to the table. Only criticism 🙁 was that quite a lot of the more unusual dumplings were unavailable (as was the case on our previous visit)! Not sure whether that is typical, or a function of it not being the weekend or dinner time?
J had: Special vegetarian boiled dumplings ($10) > 15 big plump dumplings 😋. Thick green wrappers were nice (& not chewy). Filling was lovely - tasty shredded cabbage, dried shitake, carrot, something green? & something slightly crunchy?? Served on a special plate so they're not sitting in water, they went well with Chilli oil & vinegar. Great value 👍 (& filling - J brought home 5)!
Seafood combination beancurd (tofu) soup $5 > It also had snow peas, broccoli, big prawns, fishcake, crabstick, carrot, bok choy & lots of tofu. Lovely seasoning in the seafood stock & J enjoyed all elements of it 😋. A smallish (entrée) serve, but good value 👍! Overall, worth a third go...
Food 4/5
Service 3/5
Environment 3/5
Nice dumpling and really valuable for lunch. 15 dumplings for 10 to 12 dollars, enough for lunch and taste really good.
Leek, shrimp & egg dumplings - the best. My favourite dumplings out of all that I have tried in Melbourne. Very busy on Fridays and wait times can be 30-45 minutes for food to arrive, but generally quick delivery on other week days. A local favourite near my work place.
Went there today and I must say that it punches above its appearance.
1. Service is ad hoc but what do you expect for a Chinese restaurant that charges $9 for 15 dumplings - whooping value.
2. We also had oyster and garlic coated Chinese broccoli which was very tasty (and not single dimensional)
3. Salted Calamari was also tasty, crispy and well garnished with onion, chilli and onion
4. Also had the Xinglongbao which didnt dissapoint.
The also served hot tea on the table without any extra charge.
Good value, worth a go particularly around that area.
Wowee. This is the best place I've ever eaten at! i'd say I've had lunch here over 100 times over the past 7 years. I love the chicken and prawn dumplings! get them every time, literally. I have no idea what else is on the menu but the C&P's and the chilli oil are a match made in heaven! An all time partnership just like Lloyd & Lucas, Diva & Bossy or Hayden & Langer. Give it a run, thank me later.
I love this place, go here all the time. The vegan dumplings are amazing and you get 15 for $9. They have several other vegan dishes too: eggplant, tofu, greens. Definitely amazing authentic Chinese food. You cannot go a miss here.
I’m hooked with their steamed Shaolongbao. They are so tender and juicy, just like what I would expect from a Chinese restaurant. And Pan fried dumplings are so crispy and yummy! Highly recommended!
Really delicious Hot & Sour soup and Chicken Dumplings. Will definitely visit again to try more. Food arrived quickly. Service was good too.
Little Bit Of Everything
+3.5
Dumplings are delicious and great value for your money. We ordered chicken and prawn along with crab meat dumplings. For dishes with rice we got spicy chicken giblets with leek. Love their flavours and quick service. They have skewers which has to be minimum two if you want to order, freshly made to order.
Yummy dumplings. Can't go wrong with their pork dumplings especially.. lunch wait can be quite long some days! Staff are friendly and helpful.
Great, and great value, dumplings and plenty of authentic Chinese (offal) dishes on the menu. We ordered the relatively conservative honey chicken, rice, pork and crab dumplings and prawn pancake. The steamed dumplings were divine. They do them steamed or fried and also have a wicked fried spring roll, which is like a flat dumpling. The pancake was a bit plain but soft and light and best supplemented with some soy or chilli sauce. The honey chicken was tasty and well cooked, but there are many more interesting dishes on the menu if your tastes are more adventurous. The decor is basic but (just back from Flinders Street) it has the authentic atmosphere of a really bustling Chinese diner. The neon sign at the front and the lack of marking (where's the name?) add to the feel of it being a hidden gem.
Chicken and prawn dumplings, yum my favourite with soy and hot chilli sauce, very busy lunch venue but food is good and fast. Dumplings huge selection on their menu.
This place does large serves of delicious vegetarian dumplings (or any dumplings, I just like the veggie ones the best) for a really reasonable price. The venue isn't very roomy, but the atmosphere is nice and the service has always been fantastic. I've been coming here for over 6 years and the quality has always been great.
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“It's a rainy afternoon, 1990. The big city. Geez it's been 20 years. Candy. You were so fine.”
OK so it wasn’t 1990, because people in Australia for the most part had no idea about dumplings in 1990. It was actually 2017, but it was raining and it was in the afternoon. It really did feel like what The Dear Luncher imagines North East China to be. Chaotic. People everywhere, every table full. Plates of dumplings going left, right and centre. The Dear Luncher and three other companions managed to get a table despite all the chaos. Ordered were some chicken/prawn dumplings, beef/onion, spring roll pancake, chicken wings and chicken noodles. Everything seemed a little slap dash and dishevelled but it all still worked out. Tables were still dirty when we sat down but in all honesty it was so chaotic, they are forgiven. The dumplings were not the best ever experienced, but they were good enough. Lightly fried, keeping the casings still a little soft and the insides were well formulated. The Dear Luncher enjoys the fact that this venue serves the very large bottles of Tsing-Tao as well.
A good place for your Chinese needs in the non-China-town part of town.
It can take a long time for food to come out during peak hour. Like most cheap dumpling places, the feel isn't overly clean. But the food is very good! I come with work friends often
A good dumpling spot if you can't make the trek to China Town.
Working in south bank, it's difficult for me to make my way to China town so it's great to have a spot like this not too far away.
My colleagues and I managed to score one of the private rooms upstairs, which provided a relaxed setting. The service left a bit to be desired.
The dumplings were excellent. The xiao long Bao was fantastic and the Shanghai pork were big and fluffy.
A great combination of delicious food and exciting banter.
The dumplings are traditional Northeastern dumplings. Yummy, yummy. However, other dishes are very average. Nothing stands out. DO NOT order the hand made noodles with seafood and mushroom source!!!!!!!!!! It's terrible....
I eat here often, have done for years.....Pretty much since they opened the doors NECF could be relied on to provide consistent quality meals. This was particularly evident with some of their signature dishes. My favourite has always been the Spiced, salted squid (SSS)......that was until my last three visits. At first I thought maybe it was just a bad one off, the second time I casually mentioned it to staff, like " Hey, the spiced salted squid is lacking spice!.....and salt!!"
So now it's happened on a third consecutive visit. Apparently they have a new cook....who is a bit light on with the flavours....I'm worried if they don't fix this, I'm going to have to go elsewhere....The SSS was the KFC of Chinese food.....now it's just another Red Rooster. Please fix this NECF.
Food nice, service nice , reasonable price . Is a right placed to hangover for dumpling ^^ it's great . Recommend the prawn dumpling and also the fried calamari it's awesome man !!!!
I have been visiting this joint which located in the heart of the city for over 6 years, I have introduced dumpling lovers to this place much to their satisfaction. The taste, menu prices and quantity of food has remained the same over the years. Good taste and generous quantity makes up for the slack in service that I have experienced at times.
I have been coming here with my work colleagues for 4-5 years and must say the dumplings are as good as any you can get. Other food I have tried has also been of a very good standard. The dumplings are fresh, tasty and cheap. Unfortunately this place continuously lets us down as service is really not up to scratch. Too frequently the food is late coming out or they get our order wrong. Again quite often in a group someone may eat their meal before someone else has got theirs. Communication with the staff is sometimes tricky having to repeat yourself often. There is a tall solid gentleman there at the moment who must be related to the owner otherwise I cannot understand why he is allowed to work there as he doesn't seem to like dealing with people. So, why do we go back......the dumplings are that good!!!
Great for a night out with a big group with large table arrangements upstairs suitable for up to 16 people. Food is tasty, quick and cheap and it will satisfy all dietary requirements. Not to forget it's also byo ;). So definitely worth a visit with your mates!
A cheap and cheerful restaurant. Really good value for money and the dumplings are quite good. I'd go for the pan fried dumplings first but steamed are ok too. Try not to look too closely at the plates and glasses, they were all quite dirty. It's byo and a good place for a Friday night dinner with friends.
Came here for dinner yesterday and ordered kungpao chicken. It was good, i like the taste and it came with decent portion with plenty of nuts. The chicken was cut into tiny pieces which is a bit odd for me but again its still overall a good experience. I dont mind trying their other dishes next time.
Dumplings are the best I've ever had.
> Best Taste
> Best Price
> Best Quantity
This place is the yardstick against which so many other Chinese restaurants I visit fall well short.
Great chilli oil, tea on the side, BYO with a bottle shop next door or help yourself to one of their cheap Tsingdao's and you're set for the night!
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Can't really think of any negatives! Wow, that might be a first. Listen, here's the deal. I love the destination dining with high end ingredients as much and anybody else. When we go to Europe on vacation prior to leaving the first thing I do is buy the latest Michelin Red book and pick a three star based in the city we are visiting. But I gotta report, I love the type of place I went to tonight, just as much, if not more than the white table cloth experiences.
Not joking, there is a 'grandma-esque' looking woman behind a glass window in the forward section of the kitchen to the left of the cash register making the dumplings by hand as the orders come in. Like literally looking out at us as we eat the fresh dumplings to see if we are liking the food. No joke, I almost took a picture of the menu to show how inexpensive the selections are. Everyone says Melbourne is an expensive dining city, and rightfully so, but they haven't discovered this place. The pork and crab dumplings were my favorite tonight. Quality handmade fresh food that is extremely easy on the wallet. It was awesome!!! This was my second visit and I already want to go back for a three-peat!
Ok, maybe they should take down the small mini Christmas tree by the front window with the odd looking little Santa under it that looks like it was put up a decade ago. But hey, the lights still work on the tree. 🎄
Fantastic dumplings, nothing fancy, basic steamed and fried dumplings like they should be! Can be a little crowded, you may be seated with others you don't know on the table, but this just adds to the atmosphere.
one of my favourite dumpling places in melbourne. the go to dish is the chicken and prawn dumplings, where my preference is the steamed option. I think their chilli oil is what makes this dish great too. I've also tried the pork pancakes which are delicious too. Dont expect great service, but you go to this place for the dumplings and forget everything else.
Was shown this place by an old gym friend who works across the road after we did a lunch catchup here.
Keep in mind there are two dumpling places next door to each other, I have been to both and both are very similar in price and quality. The service is lacking a little here but it's still comparable depending on which place is busier.
If you are craving dumplings, this place has really cheap dumplings both steamed and fried in large batches of 12 which makes it easy to share amounts a small group.
I came here another time with some work colleagues and we ordered 12 pork buns (Xiao Long Bao's), 12 fried chicken and pork dumplings and 12 fried beef and onion dumplings with a serving of spring rolls.
The dumplings were great value for money and were very tasty especially the XLB's which had a tasty juice when bit into.
Good food, great service, cheap prices! What else can you ask for! Hearty northern chinese dishes which are mouth wateringly delicious. We tried the pork and picked cabbage dumplings, hand made noodles with eggplant and a side of Chinese broccoli with garlic sauce. 👍
Cheap and cheerful dumpling restaurant known for its dumplings. Decent servings at reasonable prices. Dumplings are served either steamed or pan fried. I recommend having the dumplings pan fried as the flavours stand out a bit more.
The salt and pepper squid was a pleasant surprise. The batter was nice and light with the right amount of spice.
This place serves up great dumplings at very reasonable prices. The leek shrimp and egg dumpling is a personal favourite. You can choose to have them either steamed or pan fried but I always find having them pan fried makes them taste just that little much better.
I've been frequenting this restaurant for a few years now and would happily take anyone here especially after they renovated. The food is really good for the price. It's simple but really flavourful. Their dumplings are quite flavourful and the chinese broccoli in oyster sauce is simply yum! It's not just oyster sauce but mixed with garlic sauce which just takes the dish to the next level. Staff is polite, english is probably not their strength but they are warm and welcoming. Would happily recommend the place.
We sat at a table by the door and there was only a tiny gap between the side of the table and the wall making it very difficult to get past. They over-charged us for corkage (there were 7 of us, they charged us for 8 and only 3 had wine). They don't do split payments which was a real pain because we needed to split it 4 ways. We told them we needed to leave in 40 minutes and they said that'd be fine but the food took too long to come out.
So why am i rating them 4/5?
Because for $11.50 i got 15 very tasty Vegetable dumplings and a soft drink. Next time i'll make sure i sit upstairs, have plenty of time and check the bill before i pay it, but there will be a next time because for $11.50 i;ll happily put up with the rest of it!
Outstanding dumplings - the rating is for that, not the service which is very no-nonsense Asian efficiency. Recommend ordering early as they have been known to ignore you after a few minutes and you can end up waiting awhile to get someone's attention, especially if seated upstairs away from the main bustle. Renovated fit out is nice too - looks and feels a lot less dingy than it used to.
North East China Family is a decent Asian restaurant with good dumplings, meat and rice dishes. The prices are reasonable and nothing out of the ordinary for similar restaurants of this kind.
The service that I experienced during my time here was good and the food arrived in a timely manner.
North East China Family has always been one of my go to dumpling houses. But with it's latest reno, refreshed menu and new tasty delights, this dumpling house has moved up on the list. . The decor is still traditional Melbourne dumpling house style - lots of plastic table and chairs, all cramped into a small space. However, the revamped furniture definitely gives the place a lighter and brighter feel than what it once had.
Melbourne Epicurean Juror
+5
Best dumplings in Melbourne at North East China Family in Flinders Lane. A great friend took me out for lunch today & I wasn't disappointed - the best dumplings I've ever had. We chose 2 varieties of large dumplings (20 in all) & we both feasted well leaving both plates empty. They were served steaming hot within 10 minutes of ordering & were just so flavoursome. Service was excellent by polite & friendly uniformed young ladies and the eatery was spotlessly clean. By 1pm it was packed & customers had to go upstairs to be seated, another a sign of truly great food. I'll definitely be returning soon. Phill Jury (food critic & writer)
Really great food, good service! Dumplings were amazing as stated by other users. Will definitely be visiting again!
Best Dumplings in Melbourne. Steamed veg are a winner
Love the dumplings. Chicken and prawn dumplings....im so addicted these! probably the best dumplings ive had in Melbourne so far! the chilli oil with the soy sauce mixed and dipped by the dumplings is so mouth watering! Whoever has been here will probably agree on this too...and also I wont talk about the service as the dumplings are really good
Best Dumplings with the poor service. I have tried countless dumplings all over Melbourne and this place never disappoints in terms of flavour and quantity. Have tried seafood dumplings, vegetarian, leek shrimp and egg but my favourite, and seems to be majority of their customers favourite is the chicken and prawn dumplings. You get 15 good size dumplings which are packed with flavour, i love them! However the service is a major let down. Sometimes I have watched my friends receive and finish their dumplings while im still waiting or we are seated in the room where they havent bothered to turn on the Air conditioning. I still go though despite the service because of the flavoursome dumplings.
Food is fantastic!!. Just around the corner from work, North East China Family is always a favourite among many for one reason - their food is fantastic.
Normally, we order take out and bring it back to the office but today we went to the restaurant to experience the cosy atmosphere.
Friday lunch - a packed restaurant. With 9 of us there, we had 6 dumpling dishes, 4 fried rice plates and drinks and we were out (VERY full) after just 45 mins. The dumplings are amazing.
With a packed restaurant, service can always be difficult at the best of times. However, as English is not the first language of many of the staff at the restaurant, it can be difficult for both parties understand each other.
But, if you can see through the language barrier, the food is fantastic and the ambiance is great. Highly recommended. Best dumplings in Melbourne!
Yum dumplings, pity about the service. I like this place, its not the best dumpling place but the chicken and prawn dumplings are great. There are lots of dumpling varieties too. Its a good cheap eat. The service is horrible. Like literally terrible. You need to really actually stand up to get the attention of anyone and even then they may ignore you.
Order the Kung Pao Chicken was very delicious, will be back to try other dish, friendly customer service, came back the next day order pork dumplings was really delicious, just an update the seafood soup is very nice but Maple Topu with rice was very salty and hard to eat didn’t finish it after 2 bites they didn’t charge for the Maple Tofu which was nice and very good customer service I order the pork dumplings was amazing.
We ordered the fried veggie dumplings and veggie fried rice with no egg, added tofu. It was soooo delicious. Very friendly service. Dumplings could have been a little crispier but the taste made up for that, and they seemed quite busy with online orders too. Very reasonable price :) Will definitely come back.
Very delicious handmade food to affordable prices
There are quite a few authentic dishes on the menu that bring back darling memories of NE Chinese food culture. Reasonably priced. Noisy kids on the second floor add to the family restaurant vibe.
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