LA’s Latest Dumpling ‘Experience’ Proves We Still Haven’t Reached Peak Instagram Thirst

LA has already had a Museum of Ice Cream, a Cheat Day Museum, a Candy Museum, a “Disgusting” Museum, and numerous pop culture-themed pop-ups filled with colorful sets, props, and backdrops. It has to be all in the name of Instagram, because why else would someone dress up, smile, and hang out in a colorful set of food-themed rooms?

The latest “museum”-style food experience comes to Row DTLA on December 3 called “Dumpling & Associates” from Tim Zheng, whose company ZJZM puts together multiple rooms of giant dumplings, bowls, neon signs in a 5,500 square foot space. Dumpling & Associates will offer a giant garlic to swing on, a pool of dumplings, and an “anti-gravity” (what does this mean?) kitchen all with “Insta-savvy millennials in mind.”

Dumpling & Associates

Why dumplings? Zheng says he, “wanted to create a space where people could connect with the art and connect with each other at the same time.” The early bird price starts at $25 per person while the general admission price jumps up to $32 once those early tickets are sold out. Reps say they will offer samples of real dumplings (like one or two) inside the experience, while they promise to have some food trucks such as Bling Bling and Steamy Bun selling fresh dumplings on site. Those food truck dumplings aren’t included with the tickets.

And since taking pictures with all this dumpling paraphernalia will likely get one craving some actual, edible dumplings, here’s two handy guides on where to eat them in Los Angeles. Need some quick recommendations? Try the Korean dumplings from Dumpling House in Koreatown, or You Kitchen in Alhambra.