After some exhausting Boxing Day shopping and traversing the thousands that had descended into the city, lunch was much needed. Unfortunately Mugen was closed and meant a planned cross city walk to Ikkoryu for ramen. However enroute a very "Melbourne" laneway appeared and my eye was caught by a sign - "Shandong Mama Mini". I had heard rave reviews about the dumplings but had never made it there. This seemed a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the previous (mis)fortune. There was only one other person eating here in the middle of lunchtime and so I didn't have to experience this new fad of queuing.
Black soy milk was something I'd only previously tried at Seoul Soul. The Korean version seems a bit stronger in flavour and more preferred by me. The sauces were standard soy and vinegar, homemade chilli oil (which I bought some as a KK gift) and the garlic chilli sauce that comes with Mackerel Fish dumplings (which is an exceptional sauce of chilli, vinegar and heavy garlic).
- Mackerel Fish dumplings (fresh fillet mixed with coriander, ginger & chives into a mousse-texture filling) $12.8 for 7 - delicious roll-shaped dumplings with a great textural contrast of soft mousse filling, chewy top and crisp fried bottom;
- Little Rachel Seafood dumplings (prawn, calamari, salmon, chives, cabbage & sesame oil) $10.8 for 7 - nice dumplings with the salmon standing out more than the prawn or calamari;
- Stewed Beef Shank Bun (with coriander, peanuts & toasted sesame) $4.8 - beef was soft and seemed braised in masterstock. The bun itself wasn't the best as it seemed a little firm and not that soft and bouncy;
- Wasabi spinach salad $8.5 - blanched leaves and stems mixed through with a small hit of wasabi. A little expensive but if you want a vegetable dish this is a decent option.
I can see why the Mackerel Fish dumplings are the most well known here. I can also see why the chilli garlic sauce is so strongly advertised in the menu. Both are exceptional. I'll come back again for those, to try other varieties of dumplings, the pork belly bun (just to see how the pork compares with all the rest) and fried chicken wings. Without having looked yet, I wonder how much extra variety the mothership has?