I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that I wasn’t aware of the new branch of Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings opening in Westfield Montgomery Mall until my friend Jim proposed a visit. What’s more, he’d been there already.
“The pork chop soup is very good,” he said.
“But didn’t you get the soup dumplings?” It’s right there in the name.
“We’ll get them on this visit,” he said. Darn tootin’ we will.
To be fair (to me), they were only two weeks into their soft opening. Nevertheless, there was a 30-minute wait for a table at lunchtime on a weekday. (They weren’t taking reservations.) Jim had been there on Saturday; although he had to wait then, he didn’t expect to on a Tuesday. Silly him!
This outpost is the furthest south for the chain, founded in Flushing, New York in 2006. They are proudly “Michelin Guide Recommended,” and they deserve it. When we were there, a high proportion of the patrons were Asian; many, like the folks we became acquainted with during our wait in line, having eaten at the New York branch in the past, were anticipating dumplings. And, indeed, most tables were adorned with at least one steamer basket of the house specialty.
Food
There is a full menu as well as a large assortment of dumplings, ranging from the familiar (potstickers) to the exotic (durian puffs). I had a terrible time deciding what to order. “One of everything, please!”
We decided on two orders of Soup Dumplings (Abalone, and Crabmeat and Pork), those Durian Puffs, and Braised Pork Meatballs, Shanghai-Style.
Everything comes as soon as it’s ready. We were willing to forgive a certain lack of pacing since it was so soon after opening, even though the meatballs hit the table well before the puffs, and the dumplings a few minutes after; but soon enough we couldn’t complain because our mouths were full.
I ordered the durian puffs because I’d never seen them on a menu before, but they were unremarkable custard inside flaky pastry – nothing special. The meatballs were delicious – tender, well-flavored meat under a tangy, slightly-sweet sauce. (My only request would be: just a ladle more sauce, please!)
As for the soup dumplings, they had the proper proportion of soup to solid; the abalone was a touch too bland, but the crabmeat and pork was perfect: the pork did not overwhelm the crab, but complemented it beautifully. And the mildness of the abalone could be remedied by adjusting proportions of ingredients with the mix-it-yourself dipping sauce tray on every table.
Entertainment
That sauce-mixing exercise can occupy a few moments of waiting for your dumplings. So can watching the delivery robot roaming the dining room laden with bamboo steamers.
A cute digital face appears on the screen when it’s not registering the table it’s bound for. We had encountered one of these robots in a conveyer-belt sushi joint about a year ago. They seem to be a popular novelty.
If you are lucky enough to be seated in the large dining room, you will have a good view of the open kitchen. Alas, we were off to the side. When Nan Xiang starts taking reservations, I expect they will honor a seating location request; meanwhile, we counted ourselves lucky to get a table after our appetite-sharpening wait.
And our neighbor appreciated the Instagrammable dumpling assortment in rather garish colors.
Nanxiang Westfield Montgomery
7101 Democracy Blvd Suite
2350 Bethesda MD 20817
Open Hours
Everyday 12:00 pm – 8:00pm
Walk-In Only During Westfield Soft Opening
