A Little Bit of Madness is Key: The Story of a Dumpling

Graphic artwork on the ceiling of Mad Dumplings tells the story of the restaurant’s origins. Photo credit Briana Bao

 The new Asian fusion restaurant Mad Dumplings in Irvine’s University Center is unique from the inside out. Let's explore the world of Mad Dumplings like its founders would: the novel fillings, the intricate wrap, and the savory sauce that combine to create a unique culinary delight. 

The most savory part of a dumpling, the filling, is the rich story behind the creation of Mad Dumplings. New York College friends Fen-Yi Chen and Edwin Lee both started off on different career paths. However, after years pursuing ordinary careers, the duo decided to fulfill their dream of “putting whatever [they want] in a dumpling.” 

Mad Dumplings founders Fen-Yi Chen (left) and Edwin Lee (right) blend traditional dumpling recipes with various cuisines to create original dumpling comfort food fusion. Photo credit Briana Bao

Both growing up in dumpling-eating households, Chen and Lee sought to break the stereotypical image of the traditional Eastern Asian dish that usually consists of ground pork and some vegetables. They said the key was simply the wish “to put two good things together” and “just doing something different for [themselves].” 

Mad Dumplings was first introduced to the public in the form of a traveling food truck that touted revolutionary menu items like the Fried Chicken and Longanisa Dumpling. After winning numerous culinary awards and appearing on Food Network, the pair eventually found their way to Irvine’s very own University Centerearlier this year. Although not visible at first sight, the filling of a dumpling (the story of the restaurant) is most definitely the most essential part of a dumpling.   

The eye-catching outer shape of their dumplings is Mad Dumplings itself. University Center holds the first Mad Dumplings brick and mortar store. 

“Although it is a smaller plaza, there is a diverse demographic of people and foodies,” says Edwin Lee when asked about this choice of location. 

As one enters the store, the left-hand hallway screams for attention. The walls along the hallway showcase a vivid mural of what looks to be pages of a journal. This kaleidoscope of colors uses seemingly random placements of illustrations to tell the intricate story of Mad Dumpling’s origins. 

“In New York, when a building is newly constructed, many people put posters up,” explains Chen. “When it needs to be furnished these posters are then ripped off, creating overlaps of different pieces.” 

The mural created by these pages depicts the New York roots of the owners, their California-based food truck, their favorite flavor of dumplings, and a quote from Food Network celebrity Andrew Zimmerman. Overlapping and building off of each other, the pages are a representation of the mixing and recreating that goes into the menu of a fusion restaurant. 

Not only does the decor of Mad Dumplings overlap and build to create something beautiful and inspiring, but its flavors do the same. 

On a recent visit, graduate students Annie Grover and Breanna Bowers remark that while they were usually unsure about trying new foods and prefer authentic cuisine, Mad Dumplings’s Vintage Dumplings and Rice entree is pleasantly surprising. 

UCI grad students Breanna Bowers (right) and Annie Grover (left) weigh in on the dumplings at Mad Dumplings. Photo credit Briana Bao

“This is a very welcoming introduction of Asian foods,” says Bowers.  

Bowers also notes that she plans to “try every single flavor, going in order” of the menu. 

“Developing a dumpling flavor for our menu is more than just about what the filling is inside,” states Fen-Yi Chen, co-founder and CEO of Mad Dumplings. “It is about how it looks outside as well.”

Each Mad Dumplings dumpling features a special signature sauce that is unique to itself. The owners consider a special influence in their lives to be its own secret sauce that led to Mad Dumplings’s success: co-founder Chen’s sister. 

Looking up at the restaurant's ceiling, one will see many paintings of faces looking down. These paintings belonged to Jing Chen who passed away about three years ago. She was a great supporter of her brother’s dream and the creation of Mad Dumplings. 

The love Chen has for his sister is found throughout the restaurant. The Mad Dumplings logo is supported by the Chinese character 晶 on its side, which is Jing Chen’s first name. On the mural, this character is also shown repeatedly, symbolizing Ms. Chen’s never-ending love and support throughout the story of Mad Dumplings’s rise to success.

Find Mad Dumplings at University Center (4213 Campus Drive in Irvine). The restaurant is open everyday from 11AM-11PM