Even more Asian food, please

Are we reaching peak saturation of Asian restaurants in Baton Rouge?

Daruma Ramen recently opened on Government Street. Now Dumpling Hour, a Lafayette-based restaurant, has moved into the former Serop’s location on Corporate Boulevard.

But after eating at Dumpling Hour, the question doesn’t seem to matter. The restaurant has enough delicious items on its menu to make you want even more Asian food in town.

The restaurant offers a variety of recognizable dishes, along with a Best Stop boudin pancake that gives the menu an Acadiana accent. But the stars are the Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings.

They arrive six to an order. Get two orders, and you’ll have enough for two people to share.

Eating one requires a little care. Pick up the steamed dumpling and place it in a soup spoon. Prick the wrapper with a chopstick, then slurp the small amount of soup that drips into the spoon. Drizzle a little black vinegar over the dumpling and eat it.

Granted, you can drip vinegar on almost anything and make it taste sharp and tangy. We don’t consider that a problem. More vinegar generally means better food.

While you’re there, try one of the soups. Our egg drop soup began delicate and comforting. Then I hit it with a splash of soy sauce, making it considerably tastier.

The best way to do Dumpling Hour may be the way I did: with two childhood friends. Catch up on their lives. Give them advice they didn't ask for. Pass the dumplings around the table. Share the soup. Add soy sauce. Add vinegar.

Baton Rouge may be gaining Asian restaurants fast. Dumpling Hour argues we haven't hit the limit yet.