Highlights
- Din Tai Fung at Scottsdale Fashion Square carries a month-long waiting list, signaling strong Valley appetite for premium dumplings.
- Le Âme Parisian Steakhouse at The Global Ambassador serves pan-fried pork belly dumplings with cherry moutarde for $19.
- Maple & Ash executive chef Cody Finch's lobster dumplings ($28) are finished tableside with a lobster bisque laced with Oloroso sherry.
- Clever Koi executive chef Brandon Jedd says the next menu change will add a birria broth option for the restaurant's short rib dumplings.
Din Tai Fung at Scottsdale Fashion Square is running a month-long waiting list, and three of the Valley's higher-end kitchens are now competing for the same appetite: the dumpling as a fine-dining centerpiece.
Le Âme Parisian Steakhouse at The Global Ambassador (4360 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix) is serving pan-fried pork belly dumplings for $19. Executive chef Jason Hua describes the dish as a French-Asian hybrid: "As Asian influences continue to shape the cooking of many great French chefs in Paris, we wanted to create a dish that is both refined and approachable." The dumplings arrive crispy side up; diners break them open with a spoon. The filling draws on two dozen ingredients, and the plate is finished with cherry moutarde and mustard crème fraiche.
Who is behind Clever Koi's dumpling program?
Asian-fusion concept Clever Koi operates two Valley locations and prices its short rib dumplings at $16 for a five-piece sharing plate. The dumplings sit in a lemongrass broth built with shiitake tare, gastrique onions, garlic oil, and togarashi. Executive chef Brandon Jedd says the next menu change will expand the offering: "We'll also be offering these short rib dumplings with a birria broth as an additional option."
At Maple & Ash (7135 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale), executive chef Cody Finch's lobster dumplings run $28. The filling combines lobster, Chilean seabass, egg whites, and ricotta; the dumplings are tossed in beurre monté and plated with basil and tarragon oil. A server pours lobster bisque, made with butter, heavy cream, housemade habanero sauce, and Oloroso sherry, over the plate tableside. Finch describes the dish as "French to its core."
Clever Koi's birria broth addition is expected with the restaurant's next menu change.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- Phoenix Magazine retrieved 02/09/2026 18:29
- fashionsquare.com retrieved 02/09/2026 18:29
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 02/09/2026 18:29. Every claim traces to a source.
