Dumpling Darlings - what a catchy name for an eatery. The "d" alliteration certainly caught my attention as I strolled past.

The neon sign sang out to me and a gentle voice coaxed me to enter.

But, of course, one should never judge a book by its cover or, in this case, a restaurant by its name.

The casual eatery and bar opened less than a fortnight ago in trendy Amoy Street.

Located at the end of the street that is nearer Amoy Food Centre, it specialises in - you probably guessed it - dumplings.

It is a darling of a spot, surprisingly fun and delightful, with a fresh take on dumplings.

They come in six variations, which include the Original, made with minced pork collar and napa cabbage and served with julienned ginger and black vinegar; Spicy Sichuan, original dumplings drizzled with Sichuan vinaigrette instead; and Momo Curry dumplings, with a curried pork and charred cauliflower filling served with labneh.

Other dumpling fillings include Veggie Mandu, made with spinach, tofu, shiitake mushroom, gochujang and Korean pickles, and served with garlic aioli; Fried Pierogies, central European-inspired dump-lings with a filling of smoked bacon, truffle potato, caramelised onion, cheddar and a Sriracha crema dip; and Smoked Duck, chunks of smoked duck with shiitake, caramelised leek and hoisin mustard, dressed with balsamic vinaigrette and strips of pickled onion.

Priced at $7 or $8 a serving, depending on the type of filling, they come in a plate of five.

But what is really good value for money is the dumpling platter of 15, which is priced at $20.

In the platter, you get three of each type of dumpling except Spicy Sichuan, which is the best way to sample everything.

The dumplings have a nice sear at the base and the skins are thin.

Purists will like the original version - plump, juicy and flavourful.

The pierogies, which are deep-fried, are rich and savoury.

They are great with a cocktail or a glass of Young Master's Another One ($11 a glass), a session ale by Hong Kong craft beer brewery Young Master.

Among the other fillings, I also like the smoked duck, where the acidity of the pickled onion balances out the robust and strong flavours of the smoked duck dumplings. The balsamic vinaigrette adds a little tang.

To complement the dumplings are egg noodles with various toppings from braised mushrooms to pork ragu, from $5 a bowl.

The dessert dumplings, filled with cream cheese, poached pear, amaretto and vanilla bean, are worth a try if you have a sweet tooth ($8 for five). They are served with ice cream and honey.

• Follow Rebecca Lynne Tan on Twitter @STrebeccatan