First Look: China Blue Dumplings and Baos Tries to Spice it Up

The northwest corner of Coit and Park in Plano is overflowing with Asian restaurant and shopping choices, and the newest entry into this crowded field is China Blue Dumplings and Baos. It's a place so new that the operating hours are still fluctuating and evolving, and there is no official social media or web presence yet. The limited Yelp reviews, however, are good, and there has been some buzz on local foodie sites, so we motored out there one day for lunch.

Currently, the somewhat limited menu offers some appetizers, dumplings, noodles, “Chinese Food” and fried rice. One might guess that the “Chinese Food” menu section would be dishes such as kung pao chicken or General Tso and the like that are expected by those weaned on American takeout in North Texas, but actually it’s Chinese food (no quotes) — more traditional fare such as fish with Chinese sauerkraut, spicy crispy pork intestine or dry pot cauliflower.
We are still on a pan-fried bao kick, and apparently everyone else is, too, because there they were on the menu. We opted for the spicy variety, which came four to an order, and with the (black) sesame seeds on top instead of underneath. Still, they were more than serviceable, with a bit more color than usual thanks to the scallions. Did they deserve their “spicy” moniker? Hardly.
This was followed by an order of soup dumplings. The xiao long bao arrived at the table in a bamboo steamer, and the dumplings had thankfully cooled down a bit, making them much easier to eat. No fear of that first bite squirting scorching hot soup filling which, truth be told, often lessens the enjoyment of the dish a bit. Temperature-wise, then, these were great; flavor-wise, a bit middling.
Next up, we stayed with the theme and ordered the spicy wonton. This was a generous serving, wonton simmering in a dark, slightly oily broth and garnished with cilantro. They were fine, but one of us has been spoiled by mom’s cooking as a child and has a high bar for wonton that really has yet to be reached. Was it at least spicy? Hardly.
Finally, we selected spicy cabbage (we weren’t going to give up) and the house special pork. Both were good, but the cabbage was perhaps a bit expensive though generously served. It had a good flavor that, while not full-on wok hei, still offered a nicely complex flavor profile. Was it spicy, though? Let’s put it this way: It was consistent with the other spicy dishes we’d sampled.
The house pork was probably the highlight of the meal: tender, juicy pork stir-fried to a great level of doneness, seasoned with a mélange of flavors that was hard to pin down. The dish included a bunch of green peppers… probably shishito, but, of course, of the mild variety. Still, the one dish that did not claim to be spicy was probably the spiciest of the lot and definitely something we’d order again.

To sum up, it's well-prepared food whose spice level perhaps underperforms, but spice isn’t everything. If you can nail down when they’re open (you might try calling first), this is worth a visit. Contrary to high hopes many had, this is not really an alternative to Wu Wei Din for those wanting some more traditional authentic fare.

2001 Coit Road, No. 135, Plano. 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday; closed Monday.