From cheesesteak dumplings to Thai chili bowls, Lee’s Dumplings and Stuff puts a twist on tradition

Gally Lee grew up in a working-class immigrant family in New York City. He started cooking at the age of 10 to feed himself and his three siblings while his parents worked.

While first it was a necessity, cooking eventually became a passion. In May 2024, Lee opened Lee’s Dumplings and Stuff on North Front St. in Kensington, a place where his culinary skills and love for Asian cuisine come together.

The takeout restaurant, located on Front St. near the York-Dauphin station, is where Lee strives to serve creative, high-quality food that working families can access. From hand-folded dumplings to vegan rice bowls, every item on the menu reflects Lee’s upbringing.

He leans on shelf staples like anchovies to fuse comfort foods from countries across Asia, including Thailand, Japan, China and  Korea, with his own signature spin. 

“We basically just try to cook with a ‘no borders’ mentality,” Lee said. 

The full menu includes dishes like chili garlic noodles with edamame and tofu and the shitake soy mirin udon noodles with a sunny-side up egg. There are specialty dumplings, like the Philly cheesesteak dumplings, made with sharp cheddar and provolone cheese, and the pan-fried pork, shrimp and kimchi dumplings. Lee’s also offers gluten-free and vegan options like the Thai basil chili bowl made with sweet potatoes and kale.

Every dish is made with fresh ingredients, Lee said, and cooked in olive oil. His goal is to keep relatively healthy food options accessible to the community.

“We try to just make working-class food at working-class prices,” he said. “We try to keep everybody's health in mind, because we got to eat it too.”

In the storefront’s glass window, a neon logo of a panda holding a dumpling and a sword grabs the attention of passersby. The seating space is limited, but the waiting area offers a bench, a high-top table with stools facing the window, and warm lighting, along with Asian-inspired art. The open kitchen allows customers to watch the cooks prepare their food.

Lee loves his customers and said he has had mostly positive experiences owning a business on Front St. He said the restaurant has been received well by the community, which shows in his online ratings.

“We're floored by it,” he said. “It's especially touching because we're in a socio-economically challenged time, so when people extend that much love to us with their hard-working money, it’s just like wow.”

While business is steadily growing, he said, there are, of course, still challenges to running a restaurant in an area heavily affected by the open-air drug market. Some of his customers have shared that they usually avoid the neighborhood aside from picking up food from Lee’s.

Lee cleans the sidewalk in front of the restaurant every morning. He added signage and lights to make the area more welcoming. He believes that, given time and effort, people will open up and feel more comfortable coming in.

Wilson, who declined to share his last name, is one of the line cooks at Lee’s. Before he met Lee, he said he struggled with drug addiction in Kensington. Once they met 12 years ago, Lee helped him through his recovery, taught him how to cook, and eventually hired him. 

Wilson credits Lee for not giving up on him and is grateful for the opportunities he’s offered. 

“He always stayed on me. It’s a blessing,” Wison said.

For Lee, community support is essential. So is originality. He’s proud to offer his take on traditional dishes. 

“It’s what separates great chefs and great restaurants from run of the mill, ordinary restaurants,” he said. 

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