From April 2006 Dirt Cheap Eats
This small North Rockville carryout is a fine standby for the usual Chinese-American fare, but the menu of "Mama's dumplings" is really special. Mama is co-owner Rita Lee, the soft-spoken woman behind the counter. When she's taken your order, she'll head back to the kitchen to make and steam or fry the dumplings. Excellent varieties include beef with celery and Chinese parsley; Mama's special, stuffed with pork, shrimp, chives, and Napa cabbage; vegetable; and shrimp with chive. They're $5.95 to $7.50 a dozen. You'll find a good selection of bubble teas too, from a soothing honeydew to a tangy lemon-kumquat ($2.63 to $4.15).
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
