Dumpling Night at et al. Tulsa
By: Abigail Chow
Dumpling making is ingrained in my blood. The skill has been passed down for generations within my family line. What’s even more ingrained in our souls is dumpling eating. From chicken and shrimp dumplings to the new vegetable dumplings on our family menu after my dad became vegan, my family's diet consists of 30% dumplings. This past Thanksgiving, instead of the traditional meal you see in most American households, my mother’s side of the family decided to make wontons together.
There’s something about coming together around a table, carefully spooning filling into wrappers, folding each packet of edible gold into perfection, that makes a dumpling so much more satisfying than any other dish. However, this task takes time and skill. As we approach the winter season, I am in search of a restaurant that will provide a similar “homemade” factor for days I don’t feel like making dumplings myself.
On a rainy Wednesday night, I attended et al.’s weekly pop-up, Dumpling Night, at Foolish Things Coffee Downtown alongside two of the most experienced dumpling connoisseurs I know - my brother and my dad. As we tasted selected dishes off the Dumpling Night menu, I rated each dish based on price and taste.
As my family and I walked into et al., we were immediately struck with a cozy and hipster ambiance created by the friendly staff and upbeat music. Many young millennials and couples surrounded us as chatter filled the air. It felt like how I imagine Google cafeterias to be: tidy yet spunky with a course of delicious food and a side of networking. The parking was conveniently next door, unlike most downtown restaurants which require drivers to parallel park or use a parking garage. Across from et al. was a wonderful view of downtown. The added drizzle of the rain added the right aesthetic for the night.
Chef Colin Sato, lead chef of Dumpling Night, welcomes guests at the register.
Walking up to the register, I was greeted by the lead chef for Dumpling Night, Colin Sato. Knowing we came for the hand-folded pork and chive dumplings and the mushroom dumplings, Sato suggested we also try the karaage (Japanese fried chicken), kimchi miso spicy pork udon, and a side of green beans. Along with that order, my brother got the milk tea and Dad got the okonomiyaki fries.
Review
Milk Tea (dairy milk)
Milk Tea (dairy milk) 16oz: 4/5
Price: $4
The milk tea was served perfectly chilled and brought me back to Sunday afternoon boba runs. It tasted like a standard milk tea with a slight note of black tea and creamy texture. Although I wouldn’t say the milk tea had anything special, it was a perfect non-alcoholic kid-friendly drink to complement the other dishes at a reasonable price for milk tea.
Karaage (gf) (Japanese fried chicken): 4.7/5
Price: $9
The first bite of the karaage was exciting. It had a well balanced flavor with a slightly tart marinade and a tinge of spice. It was the best fried chicken that I’ve had in a while. The breading was light and crispy without being too oily. The meat itself had a slight kick, salty taste, tender texture and the right amount of fattiness to it. The side of ponzu sauce that came along with the karaage was light, salty, slightly sweet with a hint of lemon, perfectly complementing the thick cut of fried chicken. Although the karaage isn’t my top fried chicken to get in town (compared to the Korean fried chicken in East Tulsa), out of the limited amount of karaage I’ve tasted in my life, I’d say this was the best. The price is well worth the dish and if you’re looking to try a different variant of fried chicken, this is a great way to start.
Japanese hand-folded Pork and Nira (garlic chive) dumplings: 5/5
Price: order of 6 dumplings $9
Each dumpling was generously full of the filing with the garlic chives adding a pungent umami flavor to the tender pork. The dumpling wrapper was perfect - bouncy, silky, and a crunchy bottom with a perfect golden crisp. In Taiwanese, there’s a phrase called “QQ” that replicates the sound of “chewy” or “bouncy” textures. The dumpling wrappers really took the home run on my rating with their “QQ” texture. The light sauce glazed over the dumplings resembled a traditional vinegar based dumpling sauce - tart, sweet, and salty. It had a slight kick with a colorful orange red yellow hue from the red pepper flakes. Although they aren’t my grandmother’s dumplings and the price is a bit much ($1.5/dumpling), overall, the dumplings had the homemade factor I have been desperately looking for.
Japanese hand-folded Mushroom and Bamboo dumplings
Japanese hand-folded Mushroom and Bamboo dumplings: 5.2/5
Price: order of 6 dumplings $9
The Mushroom and Bamboo dumplings surprised me in the best way. I normally don’t like bamboo, growing up picking out bamboo from dishes and refusing to eat my congee (rice porridge) with the ingredient, but this dish must be my exception. The bamboo perfectly complemented the mushroom. The filling had big chunks of al dente mushroom and pungent bamboo which formed a light umami flavor. The dumpling wrappers had the same “QQ” texture as the Pork and Nira dumplings which really made this dish one of my favorites. I added the extra .2 points for how surprisingly delicious the dumpling was. Although it’s a close call between the two dumplings, if I had to choose, the Mushroom and Bamboo dumplings were my favorite dish of the night.
Kimchi Miso Spicy Pork Udon: 4/5
Price: $11
The udon noodle was soft, thick, and held the soup like a coat. The light broth had a strong miso flavor with a slight kick of spice and ginger along with freshly cut spring onion and bits of seaweed. Although it was hard to pick up the ground meat, the pork was well seasoned, savory, and umami. The kimchi had a good pickle to it with a classic sour and salty flavor. Like the udon, the enoki mushroom was soft with a nice bite to it and held the soup well. The star of the dish was the egg and although I didn’t get to try it, my brother said it was perfectly poached and came apart in his mouth. Despite everything tasting well together, given the price, I wouldn’t say this is my first choice to try off the menu. However, I wouldn’t be discouraged by my rating to try this dish.
Okonomiyaki Fries (gf): 5/5
Price: $7
Although it wasn’t the homemade factor I came in looking for with the dumplings, the Okonomiyaki Fries kept me craving this dish all week. Based on all the fries I’ve eaten in Tulsa, I honestly think this might be the best version. The fries were what I like to call “diner fries,” crispy exterior with white fluffy interior, with a perfect surface area level crunch to carry the creamy mayo and sweet tonkatsu sauce while still retaining its crunch. On top of the fries were fresh shreds of ginger, spring onion, and the most breathtaking topping: bonito (tuna) flakes which danced and waved in the air that held a light tuna fish taste.
Gomae green beans
Gomae green beans (v): 3.7/5
Price: $5
The Gomae green beans were simple and crunchy. The black sesame sauce had a nutty and strong soy sauce taste to make up for the bland green beans. If you’re looking for something fresh to munch on, this is the side for you.
Final Thoughts
As the night ended, I recorded everyone’s “worth it” dish. In the end, my brother said it was the Pork and Nira dumplings, but was struggling to not say the egg from the udon, and my dad said the green beans because it was healthy, but later admitted the fries were his favorite. From the “QQ” dumpling skins to the surprisingly well complemented mushroom and bamboo, my “worth it'' dish was the Mushroom and Bamboo dumplings and honestly, I think I’ve found my lazy-day dumpling replacement.
To find more information about et al., you can check out their website, etaltulsa.com, or Instagram, @etal.tulsa.
