Restaurant: Mama Lu’s Dumpling House
Location: 50 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 | (310) 855-1234
Date: September 30, 2025
Cuisine: Chinese
Rating: Solid Cantonese Comfort
Mama Lu’s Dumpling House occupies a nondescript stretch of La Cienega in Beverly Hills, the kind of place you might drive past a dozen times before curiosity finally pulls you in. It “used” to be Capital Seafood, which we’ve eaten at dozens of times, but recently the Lu’s people bought it out and well… didn’t change much.
The new name promised dumplings, but the menu turns out to be a sprawling compendium of Cantonese classics, the sort of dishes that all the SGV Cantonese banquet rooms have — as Capitol did before this.
This was a Hedonist dinner, the kind where you order half the menu and pass plates around a lazy Susan while debating the merits of each dish. The group was enthusiastic, topping up glasses and comparing notes as each course arrived. It’s the best way to eat Chinese food—communal, chaotic, and convivial.
Mama Lu’s doesn’t aim for innovation or Instagram-worthy plating. This is comfort food executed with care: the dishes your Chinese friends grew up eating, prepared the way their mothers made them. The menu spans cold apps, seafood, poultry, pork, and of course, dumplings. It’s the kind of place where you come for familiarity, not fireworks.
Crunchy smashed cucumbers—garlicky, bracing, and loaded with MSG in the best possible way. Actually a nice version. The kind of dish that wakes up your palate and primes you for what’s ahead.
Jellyfish—slippery, crunchy, faintly oceanic. A textural adventure for those willing to embrace it.
Scrambled eggs with shrimp—plain on the surface but expertly done. Silky curds folded around tender shrimp, the kind of dish that reminds you how good simplicity can be when executed right. This was a very good version.
Steamed king crab was solid. Not as good as the Array 36 version—that one still reigns supreme—but still great. Sweet, delicate meat with just enough richness.
Ginger scallion crab—again, pretty good. The aromatics cut through the richness, each bite bright and clean.
Typhoon style lobster was okay. Not a standout, but serviceable.
Pseudo Peking duck—fine for that variant. This is the simplified version, sans the ceremonial carving and thin pancakes, but it delivers the essential duck experience: crispy skin, tender meat, sweet hoisin.
Buns to accompany the duck—soft, pillowy, essential.
Boiled ugly chicken—it was actually a good version of this dish, but I never love it. The texture is too slippery, too austere for my taste. Still, I respect the craftsmanship.
Pan fried dumplings—crispy bottoms, tender wrappers, juicy filling. Solid work.
Fried pork chop—chewy and very delicious. One of the night’s standouts. The crust shatters, the meat inside stays juicy, and there’s a savory depth that keeps you reaching for more.
Greens—garlicky, bright, essential for balance.
King crab fried rice—studded with flakes of crab, each grain distinct and lightly glossy. A luxurious finish to the meal.
The fried rice arrives in its own speckled carapace, a pale-gold mound of pearly grains stippled with ivory flakes of crab and emerald shards of scallion. Each rice kernel stays distinct, lightly toasted, threaded with the sweet brine of the sea.
Xiao long bao were solid—delicate wrappers, hot broth, tender pork. The kind of dumplings that remind you why this place has “Dumpling House” in its name.
Mama Lu’s isn’t going to rewrite the Cantonese playbook, and it doesn’t try to. What it does offer is solid execution of familiar dishes, the kind of meal that satisfies without demanding too much attention. The fried pork chop and scrambled eggs with shrimp were standouts, while the crab dishes—though good—didn’t quite reach the heights of Array 36. The dumplings lived up to the name, and the communal vibe made the whole experience feel convivial and warm.
If you’re craving Cantonese comfort food in Beverly Hills, Mama Lu’s delivers. Just don’t expect fireworks—expect competence, care, and a menu that feels like home cooking elevated just enough to make it worth the trip.
