XI Home Dumplings has opened its doors in Blossom Street in Shoreditch.
The concept comes from 27-year-old restaurateur Wenjun Xiang, who was born and raised in the bustling port of Dalian in Northern China.
XI Home serves a range of over 20 authentic, handmade dumplings, alongside tea pairings, cocktails and detox juices.
All dishes are freshly prepared by chefs from Dalian, chosen by Xiang, and guests can watch the dumpling action from the glass-panelled open-plan kitchen.
For breakfast – from 8:30am – diners can enjoy dishes such as Chinese pancake with sausages, bacon and eggs, twisted bun with pork mince and a range of fresh detox juices including matcha power (pineapple, spinach, banana, apple and matcha powder), super green (spinach, avocado, apple, lime, basil and spirulina), passion storm (passion fruit, papaya, pineapple, peach, guava and aloe vera) and cherry berry (sweet cherries, strawberries, black currents and banana).
For lunch and dinner, dumplings step into the limelight.
Classic combinations include spicy pork, pork with fennel, beef with spring onion, open-mouth king prawn dumplings and the signature jade lobster dumpling – a family recipe handed down from generation to generation.
Other fillings include abalone, black cuttlefish and sea cucumber dumplings, each handmade and served simmered, steamed or fried.
Alongside the dumpling menu, sits dishes including a pork soup bun, sliced beef and ox organs in chilli sauce, stir-fried liver with chives and bean sprouts, steamed cold noodles and the XI Home signature wonton soup.
Tea pairings are also available including a Four Season Oolong Tea and an Oriental Beauty Tea, together with a concise cocktail list featuring Lychee Gimlet and a Brandy and Osmanthus tipple.
For dessert, guests can feast on Dalian specialities such as crispy milk curd and steamed sticky pumpkin cake.
Dishes range from £6.50 to £18 and the entire menu is available for takeaway and delivery, plus a XI Home chilli oil can be purchased to take home.
The design, courtesy of creative agency Blacksheep, pays homage to the Dalian region of Northern China and its fishing heritage, the restaurant features a giant neon lobster on the ceiling and the walls are decorated with wave-like patterns and vibrant Chinese lanterns.
A modern colour scheme of vibrant reds and industrial greys sit alongside violet blues reflecting the port’s vibrant energy and Shoreditch’s dynamism.