Chinese street food makes for a winning menu at Handmade Dumplings & Noodles

Photograph by Martha Williams

It’s a dark and stormy night as we pull into a tidy Publix shopping center in suburban East Cobb, home to a new hot spot for authentic Chinese. Shining like a beacon is the neon sign for Handmade Dumplings & Noodles. From the parking lot, we take in the view of the modest dining room, the ordering counter, and the bright overhead menu.

Inside, a colorful food mural lines one wall, popping with hand-painted images of oversize menu items. Though spare, the place feels cheery and modern, with pale-yellow pendants, black metal-and-wood tables and matching metal chairs. It’s bustling but not crowded: Gal pals exchange belated holiday gifts as they slurp hot and sour soup; one gentleman sits hunched over his coconut chicken curry; a woman in sweats rushes out with many orders of spring rolls. The vibe is friendly, yes. Fancy, no.

Among the first folks whom customers meet are co-owners Wei Wei Jiang and Jiguo Jiang, two friends with family ties. Both grew up in China. Wei is from the Yunnan province and came to the States for college and to pursue a tennis career (she still coaches and sports Head-brand T-shirts). Jiguo is a restaurant industry veteran and is from the Hebei province.

“This concept is very close to our hearts as it is what we grew up eating,” says Wei. She works the front of the restaurant, greeting customers and taking orders. Jiguo is the head chef, working with a small crew, including his wife, Xian Ju, head dumpling and noodle maker, and their daughter.

The open kitchen turns out Chinese street food favorites (Sichuan fried rice, hearty noodle dishes, and dry-fried green beans and eggplant) and some 1,000 dumplings a day. Our favorite was the pan-fried chive, pork, and shrimp dumplings. The plump morsels come 10 to an order for just under $11. Special noodle dishes include beef, pork, or vegetarian Grandma noodles. The wide noodles are light and, oh, so fresh that they glide. They’re prepared “mild spicy” with a mix of veggies and spices. The Cumin Beef Grandma Noodles are flavored with Napa cabbage, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, numbing pepper, and chili flakes. As good as they were that first night, they were even better as leftovers. Over-ordering is strongly encouraged.

This article appears in our April 2025 issue.

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