In the Dough Zone

7/7/15 ink, colored pencil

Some friends have been raving about a Chinese restaurant in Bellevue called The Dough Zone. Everything on the menu is some kind of traditional dim sum dumpling or noodle dish made of flour, which meant that Greg, a gluten-free guy, wouldn’t be able to eat there with me. So when I happened to have an appointment on the Eastside, I took the opportunity to stop in at the Dough Zone for lunch.

I was offered a choice of a table or a seat at the bar facing the kitchen. Of course, you know which I chose! Three people worked efficiently in the tiny space to spread filling onto the wrappers one at a time, assemble them into dumplings and place them into round steaming baskets or pans.

I had fully intended to sketch my meal – truly, I had! Yet somehow, as soon as my two types of dumplings (some steamed and some pan fried) were placed in front of me, I scarfed down several and ruined the presentation. Light, delicate, savory – the best Chinese dumplings I’ve ever had! Sorry I can’t show them to you (but their online menu includes photos).

7/7/15 inks, colored pencil

To make amends, I sketched my teapot and cup. Oddly, even though the restaurant is Chinese in every way (not “fusion” as many Asian restaurants are these days), the cups had Japanese writing on them. And the small pot, made of something like cast iron, was so heavy I could barely lift it!

I’ll have to find another excuse to cross the lake again someday so I can have more of those dumplings. I could vow right now to sketch them next time, but what are the chances that you’ll ever see them sketched?