02 Apr “Better than the day before”
Lil Dumplings menu continues to evolve
The difficult times that have hit local restaurants due to COVID-19 guidelines on dining room closures have certainly affected the Fishers Test Kitchen food hall. But while the dining area in the adjacent Sun King Brewing facility is empty for the time being, Sun King remains open for carry-out orders, as does the Lil Dumplings global street food stand.
At Lil Dumplings, customers can still stop in for carry out, call in an order or use the Toast TakeOut app for online ordering with pick-up available at the outside window. GrubHub also delivers Lil Dumplings fare.
Lil Dumplings offers carry-out window pick up.
Lil Dumplings chef/owner Carlos Salazar, who quickly pivoted in mid-March to focus on carryout and delivery orders, says that he appreciates the continued support from regular customers.
“We’re hanging in there,” he said recently. “The learning process is going through it day by day, listening to customers, listening to what they’d like, what they didn’t like or what they expect from us.”
As one of the area’s top young chefs while at Rook in downtown Indianapolis, chef Carlos has always changed up his menu regularly. He has continued to do that at Lil Dumplings, especially now, when business is focused strictly on carry-out orders.
He has added waffle fries with a togarashi seasoning, popular beer-battered cod steam buns and a Sunday-only ramen special that often sells out. He is also taking orders for carry-out Easter dinners.
His goal with such menu additions is always to keep improving.
“That’s why I love changing the menus,” he said. “I feel like your next menu should be better than the last. It shows growth. It shows that you’re listening. It shows that you’re willing to change. I think what you’re doing the next day should be better than the day before.”