Dim Sum · Steamed
Ugly Dumpling Pork Dumplings.
Six classic steamed pork dumplings — the dim sum counterpart to the soup dumplings. Pork and cabbage filling in a thin wheat wrapper. $9 for 6 is the best per-dumpling price in the dim sum section.
Dim Sum · Steamed
Six classic steamed pork dumplings — the dim sum counterpart to the soup dumplings. Pork and cabbage filling in a thin wheat wrapper. $9 for 6 is the best per-dumpling price in the dim sum section.
If the soup dumplings are the star of the Ugly Dumpling menu, the pork dumplings are the reliable foundation — the item that shows you whether a kitchen understands the basics of dumpling craft. Six hand-folded dumplings, each sealed with a tight pleat, steamed in a bamboo basket until the skin is just translucent and the filling is cooked through.
The filling is seasoned pork and napa cabbage: a pairing that has been the standard for steamed dumplings across northern China for generations. Napa cabbage contributes moisture and a subtle sweetness that balances the savory pork. The seasoning is clean — ginger, soy sauce, scallion, and sesame oil — nothing competing with the pork itself.
At $9 for six, the per-dumpling math is $1.50 — the most efficient way to eat at Ugly Dumpling if sheer volume is the goal. These are served with a side of black vinegar and ginger for dipping, the traditional accompaniment for steamed dumplings throughout China.
Per full order (6 pieces). Estimates based on standard recipe; actual values may vary.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 360 |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
Allergens: Wheat, Soy, Pork.
At $1.50 per piece, pork dumplings share the top value spot with chicken and vegan dumplings (all $9 for 6). The shrimp dumplings come in at $1.83/piece and shumai at $2.50/piece. For a filling, protein-rich dim sum order, pork dumplings deliver the most food per dollar in the section.
Pork and cabbage dumplings are the baseline of the entire dumpling universe — if a kitchen makes these well, everything else they do with dough and filling is likely worth trying. The pork dumplings at Ugly Dumpling serve as the quality benchmark, and the clean, well-balanced flavor speaks to the kitchen's fundamentals.
Each dumpling is individually pleated and sealed. The thin wheat wrapper cooks to a just-translucent finish that holds without tearing when you pick it up with chopsticks.
Ground pork and napa cabbage is the most balanced of all dumpling fillings — the cabbage adds moisture and sweetness, the pork provides the richness. Seasoned simply so the protein leads.
Served in a bamboo basket directly from the steamer, the same format as the soup dumplings. The bamboo absorbs excess moisture, keeping the wrappers perfectly tender rather than waterlogged.
