Auntie Chang's Upscale Dumpling House

Interview by Jun Wang     Written by Elise Krentzel

Location:  2621 S Shepherd 290# Houston, TX 77098-1515
Cuisine: Hunan, Sichuan, Americanized Chinese cuisine

Capacity: 80

Offers: Dine-in, Take-out, delivery

Signature Dish:  dumplings, Mango Chicken, Fire Cracker Shrimp

Year of establishment: 1995 (took over in 2006)

Phone: 713-524-8410

Not a typical place for the 'ladies who lunch' although one might get the idea that society belles and debutantes out for a day amongst the hoi polloi would certainly mark down Auntie Chang's in their Blueberrys or iCals. Perhaps the up and coming theatrical, arts and performance crowd have been staking their claim to this serendipitous locale. And all that just by first impressions?

When you enter Auntie Chang's you're in for a treat. Get ready to feel whimsical. White sheets draped tent style wave their way across the ceiling. Small little colored bulbs in a multitude of shades bring a festive mood without devolving into kitchen. A long dragon whose middle vein is alit in green neon is parked along the back wall of Auntie Chang's. It looks like it's about to jump out of the two dimensional realm onto your table. One side of the eatery is awash in fully encased glass from floor to ceiling, allowing light to pour in. On another wall is a hand painted mural in the primitive art style of Rousseau. A cliff with typical wooden Chinese houses, a mountain, the farm fields below it all lend an air of authenticity. Garnet colored tablecloths draped from the tables while a gun metal grey carpet accents the color scheme. The remodeling of Auntie Chang's was a project that owner Gang Du sunk his teeth into with great fanfare in 2006 when he took over the restaurant. There is capacity for 80 patrons in a space of 3,000 square feet.

Picking a Winner

Mr. Du chose the location because of its rapid influx of big city tenants, from San Francisco and Los Angeles; growth has not slowed in this part of the country. Driven by the market potential, he foresaw a chance to capitalize on the potential customer base.

Seeing may be believing however, Du was not about to sit on his laurels. After the takeover he methodically developed an advertising campaign hitting local newspapers, TV and various publications. He also actively participates in food events including samplings. The purpose of the ad campaign was to remake and rebuild the image of the restaurant to attract new customers. A secondary aim was to restore the restaurant into a spotless, modernized decorated venue. The Houston Journal and Houston Press are just a few of the media who have favorably reviewed the new and improved Auntie Chang's.

Dumplings and More

Like its namesake, dumplings are the mainstay at Auntie Chang’s. Served as an appetizer, the bite-sized steamed dumplings are made with hot water dough which is one of building blocks of Chinese cooking. Using boiling water gives the dough greater elasticity; it holds its shape better. Making the dumpling wrappers calls for specialized skills. The wrappers are all hand made at Auntie Chang’s and are neither too thin nor thick. Sometimes, at other restaurants, one finds very thick wrappers which drown out the taste of the fillings. This is not the type of dumpling one finds at Auntie Chang's.

Fillings are of impeccable taste. A thin and unleavened outer skin holds in the succulent goodies (often minced pork) and savory broth. Auntie Chang’s gives the customers options. The stuffing varies from pork, chicken, beef, shrimp and vegetables. Apart from the ordinary dumpling sauce, there are various sauces served here: ginger, chili, green pepper that is made with spicy jalapeno, mustard, sweet soy and a syrupy pineapple sauce. The dumplings are served piping hot. They are undoubtedly reasonably priced at $5.00 or $5.25 for a portion of 8.

Customers rave about the mouth watering dumplings. Here's what some have to say: “This is my favorite spot in Houston to have dumplings.” “They have all types of dumplings and every imaginable sauce. Some make me faint with such anticipation.”

Another comment: “Their dumplings are tasty, and they avoid the common gluey or fall-apart problems seen at lesser dumpling houses.” “I've had all of their vegetarian dumpling offerings, each was reasonably flavorful and reasonably priced.”

The restaurant sells dumplings over 100 orders a day.

Mr. Du surmises, “Dumplings, to a certain extent, serve as a culinary ambassador to America. They are a profound way of promoting Chinese culture.” Some customers he informs us are curious to learn how to make them. Mr. Du however is so far, not offering cooking classes.

Yet there is life after dumplings. On the menu of Hunan, Szechwan and Americanized Chinese offerings come some original inventions of the house. For example, the owner found out that customers have a slight preference of fruits and something spicy. Mango Chicken was created to meet their wishes. The tangy sauce made with freshly chopped mangos delivers a fruity hint to the dish. To fulfill the craving for a jazzier spicy dish, he created The Fire Cracker Shrimp. The shrimp is cooked with jalapenos to give it a burning fiery sensation. Texans are renowned for their love of spice.

Hi-Tech Hi-Touch Management

The owner's golden rules consist of four points:

1.     Be nice to your staff. The owner Gang Du knows how important it is to keep a stable team. He boasts a loyal team who have supported him for years. “Staff is a great asset. I value and appreciate their efforts.” To show that appreciation, he provides benefits such as high pay, bonus and the occasional vacation.

2.     Motivate your staff. “Happy working” is what Gang Du advocates and tries to instill in the mindset of all that work for him.  Atmosphere is created by the joint efforts of all staff members. Learning the advantages of each person and making full use of their potential has proven to work very well.

3.     Hold regular staff meetings to discuss routine problems.

4.     Have an online ordering system to boost sales. It's an ideal choice for time constrained people. Also Wi-Fi. Customers can work while they eat.

Other service tips that Mr. Du hints at: “I always tell my staff that customers are their boss, as they rely on customers to earn tips. Luckily, they are knowledgeable and attentive and take good care of the customers. Each one gets to know the customers’ requirements. That makes for good interaction.”

“Our restaurant stands out in another way,” adds Mr. Du.

“We participate in many Chinese festivals with a traditional Lion Dance. On Chinese New Year’s Day, we give Lucky money samples to our customers, heralding an auspicious beginning.” In this manner Mr. Du helps augment their knowledge of Chinese cultural traditions.

Higher Educational Background

Mr. Du was a finance major before he switched to management in the USA. He has worked in several companies in various positions. At some point he decided to indulge his enthusiasm in the restaurant industry by applying his other passion for management. As his business is a small enterprise he has rooted his expertise by developing systems that are efficient and appropriate to the size of his operation.