- We're going to call this what, Dumpling Ding Dong?
- [Steven] We're not calling this Dumpling Ding Dong.
- We're not gonna call this Dumpling Ding Dong?
- [Steven] No.
- Ahhh
- [Voiceover] Three, two, one.
- Live and direct from Hollywood,
we're back at it again.
- We're gonna try to find the best dumplings,
the best soup dumplings in all of Los Angeles
- We're gonna play dumpling telephone.
- Where we go to different dumpling houses...
- [Steven] And then ask them.
- [Freddie] Where they like to eat dumplings?
- And that will lead us to another restaurant.
- Until we, ourselves, are giant soup dumplings.
- I'm expecting to be really full
'cause I'm a monster.
- I, have never really had a dumpling before,
I don't really know what to expect but I'm starving and I'm
stoked and Steven's gonna be our connoisseur for the day.
- Rubric, what are we doing for rubric?
- Broth, dough, how nice the pleats look.
- Meat tenderness!
- There's one obvious choice that we should go to.
- Start with the Mecca and end at the...
VOWherever they take us.
- We're going to a place called Din Tai Fung.
So this is the first stop on the
dumpling ding dong adventure.
- [Steven] Dumpling telephone!
You guys want any beverages?
Freddie have you ever had Boba?
- [Freddie] I have not.
- No! Boba's one of my favorite things.
They're like individual, little
like testicles in your mouth.
- This is ridiculous, Boba is not testicles!
(laughter) - I'm scared.
- Just go with it, let it flow, let it happen.
- I'm all like, what's the purpose of these things?
(scoffs) I like the tea.
- Okay, alright, it's a start.
- So here we have our sauces.
This is gonna be a house-made vinegar and a soy sauce.
Normally we recommend, for an optimal taste,
it's going to be three parts vinegar and one part soy sauce.
- [Steven] We should definitely compare, the pork between
different establishments, that's like the classic one.
- Is that the standard soup dumpling?
- Standard soup dumpling.
- Mmm, whoa! (laughter)
It's like, a little, baby,
mini soup, in one bite, whoa!
- When you eat the soup dumplings,
many people will do different things.
- I kinda just take a little nibble,
out of the side, pour out the soup,
drink it, and eat the dumpling after.
Feel free to do it however you'd like.
- [Colin] Let's see, I'm gonna use
Steve's bite a hole in it method
which I'm very suspect of.
De-juicing, the soup dumpling,
dipping in the vin, holy (loud bleep)!
- It's such a fun activity food.
The soup is just so good, it's just so good.
- The skin thinness allows me to
really enjoy the meat and the soup.
For the truffle dumplings, I do recommend
that you cleanse your pallet first, and then don't use any
dipping sauce for it, to get the full taste, okay?
- [Colin] Mmmm, okay. - [Andrew] There it is.
- I'm so happy!
- [Colin] Ohhhh!
- There's the truffle, okay, bye!
It's crazy, that, this is a real food.
- That was like, an out of body experience.
- Very umami, I felt like
a hobbit, putting that in my mouth.
- [Andrew] Yeah, definitely.
- [Andrew] What are those Steve?
- Yeah, what's happening?
- [Andrew] Where do we go from here guys?
- Din Tai Fung is like the obvious choice, but,
if you were not to eat soup dumplings here,
where would you eat?
- It's probably gonna have to be Mama Lu's.
- [Andrew] What kind of occasion sends you to Mama Lu's?
Like, when do you go there?
- When the line is too long here. (laughter)
- So, the next spot we're headed to
is called Mama Lu's.
- [Colin] Mama Lu's, get a dumpling,
eat it, do whatever you want.
- Din Tai Fung is like come here,
eat the dumpling, get out,
more people need dumplings.
- So here they call them
juicy pork dumplings, which I think is a better name.
Call me American, but I would
like a larger meat quantity.
- We ordered my fried coconut buns
so I am satisfied.
- [Colin] Oh look at you, you got it all over your face.
- [Steven] This is what you wanted Colin.
- [Colin] Is that the beef roll?
- [Steven] I didn't order it, they just gave it to us.
- [Colin] So much meat.
- [Steven] Chinese people have mastered,
the art of buns.
- I know a couple things about the art of buns,
depends on what type of buns we're talking about.
- Again, we did not order this,
but they just, put it on the house, spicy wonton.
- [Colin] This spicy wonton is unreal.
- They just started like, bringing out food.
- [Colin] Whoa!!
- [Steven] Oh my gosh!
- I think the Mama Lu's people
know what our game is and they don't
want us to go to another place.
They're trying to just shut us down
by giving us way too much food.
Already, these fell a little heavier.
- [Freddie] More meat perhaps?
- Cheers.
- [Voiceover] Feast mode, hunger squad.
- [Freddie] Mama Lu's has the lead
just with the environment and the fact
that they really want to take care of us.
- Meatier. - More wholesome
- [Colin] That's the Din Tai Fung and this is Mama Lu's.
- The pleats are very pretty also.
- [Steven] We ordered three things,
and look what they gave us.
- [Andrew] I am comin' around on these dumplings.
I think I prefer them to Din Tai Fung.
- I like the broth, but I prefer Din Tai Fung broth.
- It comes down to your broth preference.
- I like, absolutely love Din Tai Fung but,
I think this is my new go to spot.
- I thought both places we ate at today had great dumplings.
And that was the problem, is that
I ate too many dumplings at both spots.
- [Steven] Freddie, you ok?
- No, but yes.
- [Andrew] We can't go on, we ate too much.
- [Steven] God bless you soup dumplings.
- Feast mode, hunger squad.
Strikes again, I know how much
good, quality Chinese food and dumplings
mean to Steven so, to go on this journey with him
and the rest of my friends...
- [Colin] Steven, stop eating, you're gonna make me sick!
(laughter) - [Steven] It's all good.
- [Colin] I can't watch you eat anymore!
- Freddie is fully unresponsive, boy I am still sweating.
(laughter) Oh man.
- This is not as easy as it looks people.
- Yeah
- Just eat and be merry.
- It's not fun, eating all this food.
- We take this bullet for, the viewers at home
so that you don't have to, you're welcome,
yeah, exactly, you know, no apologies.