“My Gang Name is Dumpling Killer” — Guy Fieri Meets His Match at The Toasted Coconut
When Guy Fieri heard about a beach bar in the city with “dynamite drinks and a chef-driven menu,” he had to check it out. The Toasted Coconut bills itself as having “the dopest food and the most delicious cocktails,” and after watching their pork dumplings get made from scratch, it’s clear they’re not messing around.
This spot is the brainchild of Martin, Sarah, and their team — longtime restaurant veterans who worked together behind the bar for years before striking out on their own. Sarah’s official title? “Captain of the ship,” which Guy immediately suggested should go on the USS Flavor Town.
Pork Dumplings: A Masterclass in Layers
The pork dumplings at The Toasted Coconut aren’t your average pot stickers. The team starts with ground pork butt, then does something genius — they boil fat back, mix it with stock, and puree it to add extra moisture and flavor to the filling. That’s the kind of technique that separates good dumplings from transcendent ones.
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The sofrito that goes into the filling is equally thoughtful: a mix of red and green apples, onions, ginger, tamari, sesame oil, white pepper, and mushroom seasoning for what they described as “nice umami.”
But the real stars might be the condiments. The tare — a vinegar-based dipping sauce — starts with toasted white peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, and bitter orange juice, then gets water, tamari, and brown sugar before being strained into what Guy called a “fragrant soy.” There’s also a Chinese black vinegar sauce with mushroom seasoning, and a fragrant red chili oil made with star anise, cloves, cassia (Vietnamese cinnamon), black cardamom, Szechuan peppercorn, dried orange peel, sand ginger, and bay leaf. Guy declared it “the official motor oil of Flavortown Raceway.”
Homemade Chili Crisp That Changes Everything
When Guy learned they make their own chili crisp, he was all in — “I am a chili crisp fiend. Teach me how to make it.”
The process involves frying shallots until they hit “GBG — the golden brown goodness,” then doing the same with sliced garlic and ginger. The chilies are a murderer’s row: chili de arbol, guajillo, pasillas, and cascabel. Hard spices like flat cardamom, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, and ground cumin get toasted and ground with salt, sugar, mushroom seasoning, and black pepper. Everything comes together with the infused oil streamed in at the end.
The dumplings themselves get a simple wrapper of AP flour, salt, and hot water, filled with the pork mixture, boiled for three minutes, then pan-seared. A splash of water creates the simultaneous fry-and-steam that gives them that perfect crispy bottom.
Guy’s Verdict
Watching the dumplings finish in the pan, Guy couldn’t contain himself: “If you understand how much I love dumplings, this is like purgatory waiting for this to happen.”
When he finally got his hands on them — topped with chili oil, tare, chili crisp, fried garlic, fresno peppers, and scallions — the verdict was emphatic: “It’s umami mommy dynamite. It’s rich. Chili crisp is perfect, perfect. You need the fresno because there’s so much boom boom boom going on.”
After demolishing three dumplings in a minute “in the name of science,” Guy channeled his father: “Like my dad used to say, it’s not if I want more tacos, it’s do I need more tacos. I understand now, Dad.”
For more Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives adventures — like the Short Rib Pappardelle in Delray Beach or learning Tips on How to Make His Bacon and Tomato — check out our full restaurant directory.