Yuen Kee Dumpling 袁记云饺 is a popular chain that started in China and has become viral in Singapore for some time.
The brand is known for serving fresh dumplings and wantons made daily by hand, with generous fillings and a variety of flavours.
When Yuen Kee opened its first Singapore outlet at Fortune Centre, it quickly drew attention for its open kitchen and long queues.
There is also another stall at NEX Food Junction (Google reviews not that fantastic though).
The staff work behind a glass window, folding and stuffing each dumpling so customers can see the whole process.
The space was cramped though, with barely enough room to wait comfortably.
Diners had to squeeze into small tables, and not quite a place to have a leisurely meal.
The menu looked straightforward. You choose between dumplings, wantons, and noodles, though the self-service kiosk would stumble some due to its many options and sub-menus.
Starting with the dumplings, you get options like Shrimp and Vegetables Pork Dumpling ($10.80 for 12, $9.80 for 10), Chives and Pork Dumpling ($8.80 for 12, $7.80 for 10), Celery and Pork Dumpling ($8.80 for 12, $7.80 for 10), Corn and Pork Dumpling ($8.80 for 12, $7.80 for 10), and the Family Feast Assorted Pork Dumpling ($8.80 for 10) if you’re the indecisive sort.
Curious about the hype, I went for the signature Shrimp and Vegetables Pork Dumpling ($10.80) swimming in their clear soup.
The dumpling skin was thin and a little chewy, holding the pork and shrimp filling, which came through with a mild sweetness and a clean, almost delicate taste.
The dumpling filled me up and did the job. Not bad, but it did not have any memorable flavours that truly jumped out.
The soup was clear, not oily, with a simple and slightly salty flavour. Not extraordinary, almost like a background to the dumplings.
If you’re in the mood for wantons, there’s the Shrimp and Crab Roe Pork Wanton ($10.80 for 10), Pork Wanton ($8.80 for 15, $7.80 for 12), Corn and Pork Wanton ($8.80 for 12, $7.80 for 10), and a Family Feast Assorted Pork Wanton ($8.80 for 10).
I ordered the Shrimp and Crab Roe Pork Wanton, which seemed to be the most popular item.
The dumplings looked promising, plump and filled to the seams. The skin was on the thinner side and held up well, but the filling, while fresh, lacked a strong, distinctive flavour.
When I tasted them, the experience was fine but the ‘wow’ factor never arrived.
The “viral peanut sauce” was a thick, creamy blend with a strong nutty flavour, mild sweetness, and a touch of savoury chilli oil.
It coated the dumplings well and gave them a smooth, rich finish. I preferred this bowl overall.
The noodles were firm and springy, but the sauce was plain, and the meat sauce was too little and dry to lift the taste.
For what it was, Yuen Kee Dumpling delivered fresh dumplings and good portion sizes for the price.
Still, the combination of cramped space, waiting time, and flavours may not be enough to bring people back to the queue.
If you’re passing by and there’s no line, it might be worth for a quick dumpling fix.
Yuen Kee Dumpling 袁记云饺
Fortune Centre #01-10, 190 Middle Road, Singapore 188979
Opening Hours: 9am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
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tampine mal kopitiam central yuen ke dumpling we are located at morn 11 am finish after 2 pm
Just went to the new store at Parc point Lvl 2. This is my 4th time eating there. There is a disappointment today as after I got my order and wanted to take their spicy chilli sauce (the usual) to eat with my dumplings then I realised itz changed to another type of chilli sauce. I tried the 1st mouth with this new changed sauce but itz not nice at all. I prefer the earlier ones which they started off with coz itz very spicy and nice with the dumplings.
For this time I not so sure whether I going to patronise this dumplings store next time with the old chilli sauce gone from the side for dipping. Hope the mgmt can do something about this. Coz I believe a lot of customers will have the same thoughts.