BOBO'S NOODLES & DUMPLINGS

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑

Sushi Bar

Standout Dishes: Beef Pancake Rolls; BBQ Buns; Mapo Tofu; Sweet Rice Shu Mai

From the moment you step inside Bobo’s Noodles & Dumplings, you know you’re in for a special experience.

That’s because you’re greeted by a small army of cooks at the front counter, all forming dumplings with their hands. Each plump package is crafted as a present, just waiting to be delivered and unwrapped at the table. And much like a kid on Christmas morning, guests are in for a thrill.

Ironically enough, however, it’s some of the non-dumpling dishes that shine the brightest at Bobo’s.

Located at 14th & Cuming, Bobo’s brings to life a passion that owner Jian “Peter” Pan has long had for Omaha: a dim sum concept with noodles, soups, dumplings, and buns that Omaha hasn’t seen. The menu has a vast array of shared plates, buns, fried rice, dumplings, and noodle soups, along with a few desserts.

The staff, many of which are Pan’s family members, are exceedingly friendly and are happy to help one navigate the menu. There’s a lot to choose from, and for the most part, the execution is at a high level.

The star of the show are the four signature dumplings, tightly wrapped pillows of savory goodness. And if you want to try them all, Bobo’s presents the Dumpling Roulette (pictured in the header photo).

This platter presents all dumpling options—Vegetable, Shrimp & Pork, Chicken & Corn, Pork & Chive—plus Shrimp, and Hot and Sour. They’re all good, but the filling/wrapper ratio leans a bit heavy toward the latter. The dumpling itself is pleasantly chewy, but most of the fillings don’t stand out from one another. The standouts are the pork options, which have a delectably savory filling.

The best of the dumpling options are the Pan Fried Pork Buns, filled with ground pork and savory soup that (and I mean this in the best way) taste like a Runza with a crispy bottom. The pan fry adds brilliant texture, and the pop of warm soup with the ground pork is a home run.

The Sweet Rice Shu Mai are a completely different type of dumpling, but similarly craveable. The chewy, cup-shaped wonton, is stuffed with sticky rice, Chinese sausage, and corn, giving it a savory/sweet combo with just a touch of spice.

The BBQ Buns are a bit dough forward, but they’re pleasantly bouncy, and the sweet pork inside is absolutely delightful. If there were more pork inside, this dish could be a showstopper.

Despite the restaurant’s name, the two best dishes I’ve had are the Beef Pancake Rolls and the Mapo Tofu. The Pancake Rolls consist of soft, savory pancakes that are rolled with beef, cucumber, and lettuce, then lightly fried to develop a wonderfully crispy exterior. They’re delicious on their own, but dunking them in the spicy mayo makes them one of Omaha’s better appetizers.

Mapo Tofu is a dish Omaha needs to see more of. The chunks of tofu are velvety smooth and absorb all the rich, oily flavor of the spicy chili sauce, which brings a pleasant numbing heat. Ground pork adds flavor and fat, while ginger brings some warming spices to the platter.

Noodles are part of the restaurant’s namesake, and they make a grand entrance in the Beef Noodle Soup. The chewy, slurpable eggs noodles are thick and have a great consistency, and the broth is deeply aromatic and rich. The bok choy is cooked to a wonderful tenderness, and though the beef brisket is a bit fatty, it has good flavor.

The Szechuan Chicken is very close to being an excellent plate. The battered gives the chicken bites a nice savory flavor to go with the hot, tangy Szechuan seasoning, and the peppers and onions are sauteed very well to extract their natural sweetness. The only problem is the quality of the chicken, which is a bit tough and stringy. It’s still an excellent plate, as the flavors are worth some additional chewing.

Among the best shared plates is the Spicy Cucumber Salad. The cucumbers have great crunch, and the dressing has subtle savory notes and a pleasant amount of sweetness and acidity. The longer it sits on your palate, the more you feel a pleasant heat start to build. The plate comes with close to 30 pieces, and good luck not finishing them all.

This is the type of restaurant that encourages exploration. With so many different types of dumpling, shu mai, and buns, you would need several visits just to work your way through the roster of filled carb-y packages.

But, despite the name, don’t be afraid to sample the non-dumpling dishes at Bobo’s. This downtown Omaha restaurant is no one-trick pony, and some of its dishes outside the wrapper are where it truly shines.