KINGBURG KITCHEN

The waitress tried to kill the hippo.

I went to Luscious Dumplings last Friday at 7pm just to find out that they were out of dumplings! People weren't kidding about getting there early. Hmm...maybe I need to overnight it, right outside of LD's to try their Deluscious Luscious Dumplings?

Well...at least there was Kingburg Kitchen across the street. The interior looks like it could have once been a Hotdog On A Stick place or some fast food joint w/ its red/white tiles and its red booths. The circle ceiling part is painted baby blue with glow-in the-dark star stickers...trippy.

I really wanted to try their noodles, but I just stuck to my mission: dumplings. I ordered the boiled pork dumplings, cabbage & pork fried buns, and scallion pancakes. Free hot tea. The scallion pancakes came out 1st. As Pete S pointed out, they are "dry, like cardboard dry," but I would take them over Dumpling Master's greasy scallion pancakes any day. And then I waited 20 minutes...for the poisonous dumplings.

After one dumpling, I thought it was ok, but then there was a tingling sensation in my throat and my stomach started to feel sick and then I cut the 2nd dumpling in half and knew why...the waitress was trying to kill me. The dumplings had shrimp in it!

She knew that I was allergic to shrimp! As you can see from their menu, there are only (4) kinds of Fried Buns. I told her I was allergic to shrimp and needed option #1 to be substituted with a pork fried bun. I didn't realized that the ingredients were mixed together, so she told me to get the Cabbage and Pork Fried Buns as the Vegetarian buns were sold out...and I guess they didn't have the Pork w/ Leeks...? She lied and pretended that she didn't know that I was allergic to shrimp. I DESPISE LIARS. She was like, well you order the pork dumplings. Again from their menu shot, you can see that there are 6 different pork dumplings! It's her fault for not asking me which ones; she works there and is familiar with the menu. Now, one may say it's partially my fault for not telling her which one, but I did instruct her that I was allergic to shrimp. Fuck, any dumplings without shrimp would have made me happy...and safe.

Now had she admitted that she fucked up because she was starring at the sky ceiling, spacing out I would have given Kingburg Kitchen 3 stars. Had my order been right (w/out shrimp), I would have given 'em 4 stars.
Once I got my boiled pork/leek dumplings (another 20 minute wait) I can see why people like Kingburg Kitchen's dumplings. They're 100x's better than Dumplings Master.

I am curious to try their beef noodles...I know that doesn't have shrimp, maybe next time--maybe...

The service was slow because there was only (1) cook and (1) waiter/busser. Prior to the waitress' plot of killing me, we got along; it was ashamed that it got ugly. Total was around $16 (not including tip) and a scratchy throat.

To all restaurant owners, please instruct your waiters to get the orders right--especially when dealing with food allergies!

Address: 715 W Las Tunas Dr San Gabriel, CA 91776
Phone#: (626) 282-2386
Rating: 2 out of 5

Photo credits: Mike L (top and 3rd photo) and Spencer Y (menu photos)
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