Shengdong Dumpling House

Review

Shengdong Dumpling House sits on Fifth Cross Street in Dongshi, in the snack area beside Dongshi Elementary School, and reports say it has been operating locally for about 40 years. Dongshi has plenty of dumpling shops—several on a single street—and Shengdong is the one most often named. It opens for only about two hours at lunch and two in the early evening, which is why seats are famously hard to get.

There are two fillings, cabbage-and-pork and shrimp, the latter being the same pork filling with a whole shrimp added. Articles describe wrappers of medium thickness that stay springy and intact after boiling, and a sweet, juicy pork filling that is good even without sauce; with the house chili sauce it gains more aroma and a little bite. Braised sides come in generous portions, with tender, well-seasoned beef shank and pig's head skin, and the five-flavor eggplant is soft without turning mushy and well balanced in salt. Prices from 2018 for reference: five-flavor eggplant NT$50, tofu strips NT$40, small hot and sour soup NT$40, beef shank and beef tripe NT$100 each, braised egg NT$10 and pig's head skin NT$50.

Most feedback praises the dumplings and braised dishes, with the pork dumplings especially recommended. One blogger bluntly found the tofu strips too bland without added soy or chili sauce, and the small hot and sour soup quite sour, though loaded enough for two. The biggest complaint is the crowd: on holidays a long queue forms before opening, and seats fill the moment the doors open.

A 2018 report lists hours of 11:20–13:30 and 17:00–19:30; recent sources still say about two hours per session, but exact times vary slightly. It closes on Tuesdays, so check before going. The menu includes phonetic guides. Sources say nothing about parking or payment; on holidays arrive 20–30 minutes early to queue, or go on a weekday.

Good for anyone cycling, strolling the old streets or heading into the mountains around Dongshi who wants a solid noodle-shop meal. Two people can share two plates of dumplings (one pork, one shrimp), braised beef shank and five-flavor eggplant, plus one small hot and sour soup.