Momos, a type of steamed dumpling shaped like half-moons, are one of several highlights in Gorkha’s expansive menu, which spans Nepal, India, and Tibet. Co-owner Rashmi Bhattachan sold these Nepalese delicacies at the Mill City Farmers Market long before founding Gorkha — and more lately her newest outpost, Momo Dosa — so naturally, her tenure comes through in each momo’s meticulously pleated skin wrapped around juicy patties of turkey, veggie, or bison, all sourced from local farms. Served with a bright tomato chutney, they’re enough to make a meal.

Gnocchi’s can — and often do — veer into gummy territory. Not in the capable hands of Isaac Becker, one of the Twin Cities’ reliable treasures. His gnocchi holds a pillowy chew and is a terrific vehicle for a floral (orange) and nutty (cauliflower) sauce that’s redolent of a sticky marmalade. Rich yet somehow weightless. And hauntingly flavorful.

Like at Jessie “Jun” Wong’s Szechuan, in Roseville, the noodles, dumplings, and buns are all made from scratch, in-house, so gossamer and pliant skin is expected from the three options (all $12) currently on her menu at Jun, her trendier outpost. But what sets these Szechuan dumplings apart is that slick chili broth — with a subtle heat that crawls over your tongue then across your lips — weightless yet somehow deeply aromatic. Best to consume on-premise.

Gyoza is a humbler offering among the envelope-pushing, Japanese-Italian fare at Kado No Mise’ sister eatery. And folding foie-gras into a dumpling certainly isn’t novel — due credit should be given to Anita Lo, who famously incorporated the prized liver in soup dumplings, a dish that remained on her restaurant’s menu for 17 years before it shuttered — but it’s a welcome delight. And like the best gyozas we’ve had, Sanjusan’s are encased in a skin that’s crisply burnished on the bottom and softly pleated on top.

What to make of an old-school dim sum parlor that also casually offers Hunan, Sichuan, and Thai staples? No matter. Yangtze’s traditional Cantonese small plates remain a stronghold, and its har gow, or crystal shrimp dumplings, are nearly textbook. Said otherwise: whole chunks shrimp bound by glossy and delicate (yet chewy) wrappers, sized conservatively. Offered only offered during lunch, on weekends.

There’s plenty on offer at Dumpling for good reason; its namesake staples are sturdy and well-constructed, so you won’t go wrong with almost anything on the menu. A must-order is the Falafel Dumplings, which are filled with chickpeas, onions, jalapeño, parsley, cilantro, and cumin and accompanied by a coolly refreshing tahini mint sauce. Not strictly traditional, but harmonious and comforting.