Dirt Cheap Eats 2008: China Bistro

Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Ann Limpert , Cynthia Hacinli , Kate Nerenberg , Rina Rapuano

China Bistro

755 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-294-0808

Cuisines:
Chinese

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Rockville

Price Range:
Inexpensive

Dress:
Informal

Noise Level:
Intimate

Reservations:
Not Accepted

Best Dishes
Beef dumplings with celery and Chinese parsley; Mama's special dumplings; vegetable dumplings; shrimp and chive dumplings; bubble teas, such as honeydew and lemon-kumquat.

Price Details:
Dumplings, $5.95 to $7.50 per dozen.


 

Reader's Rating:
No Reader Reviews

It would be easy to feast on house-made dumplings all afternoon at this Chinese storefront. The plump little bundles, hand-rolled and filled with out-of-the-ordinary stuffers, come a dozen to a platter ($7.25 to $8.25). Try Mama’s Special—a mixture of pork, shrimp, chives, and napa cabbage—or the herby pork with dill or shrimp with chive. There are 12 varieties on the regular menu, but keep an eye out for worthwhile specials such as the pork-and-pumpkin dumplings. Bubble teas ($3 to $3.95) go well with the salty, savory morsels, and the cold plates in the glass case—such as a toss of edamame, tofu, and Chinese spinach ($2)—are good, too. Though the standard Chinese fare on the menu is ordinary, the chopped-pork-and-Chinese-mushroom-topped Beijing Noodles ($6.95) is a sleeper hit. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

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