Best Thing I Ate This Week: Hot and Sour Iberico Pork Soup Dumplings From Mott 32

The weather has officially turned, maybe not for everyone but I—a California native—am now finding it cold enough that I’ve yanked my jackets out from the back of the closet and yesterday both lunch and dinner consisted of soup. Autumn is here, baby, and despite the mourning of my fave summer ‘fits, it means ushering in the cozy deliciousness that is fall cuisine. Earlier this week I ate something that set the tone for my fall soup-witch vibe—but no, it wasn’t a bowl of soup: it was Mott 32’s hot and sour Iberico pork Shanghainese soup dumplings.

Of course, this was not my first foray into the steamy world of soup dumplings—far from it. But the soup inside these little packages was truly everything I was looking for. They were of course, incredibly hot, which makes for not-so-great photos but really, really good eating.

The flavour is intense and excellent: it’s spicy, tangy, silky, and Mott 32’s version of soup dumpling has a deep savoury quality, thanks to its generous filling of Iberico pork—a special type of acorn-eating, free-range pork found in the south of Spain and Portugal.

These soup dumplings take everything I love about hot and sour soup and concentrate it down to its truest essence in a convenient two-bite format. I could eat all four that come in an order, but because of the intensity of the broth, you might get away with just eating one. But you really won’t want to. 

Sure, these special soup dumplings can be eaten in spring and summer—but the heat (both flavour and temperature wise) felt cozy, the opulent-yet-moody interior of Mott 32 felt oh-so autumnal and they’re orange, too—perfect for spooky season.

The hot and sour Iberico pork Shanghainese soup dumplings are available on Mott 32’s dim sum and à la carte menus, so any time of day you get a hankering, they’ll be waiting for you. And don’t forget the black vinegar: it makes all the difference.

Mott 32
Address: 1161 Georgia St.
Website: mott32.com