Casa Pei+, the small place in Chamberí where they prepare the dumplings that Huawei executives adore

Guiyue Pei (32) attends the room diligently and effectively.

She's been doing it for four months and it seems like she's been doing it all her life.

At the tables, they ask her for recommendations before ordering: "

," she explains in wonderful Spanish.

It is 2:00 p.m. and the tables at Casa Pei+ begin to fill up with diners.

Here she does not reserve, but the fame of her dumplings has spread like wildfire and the wait at the door does not seem to matter much despite the cold.

Located at number 34 Espronceda street, this minimalist and charming Chinese-Korean home cooking venue hides an interesting family history that starts with his grandparents, who immigrated to China from Korea.

"When we lived in China, my mother made the dumplings at home."

They're easy to make, but it wasn't something they ate every day either, says Pei, as they call it in confidence.

The fried wontons with Korean style sauce (sweet spicy/soy sauce).

When Pei and her mother Junghwa Park arrived in Spain 15 years ago, cooking was a way of

to their country.

"First my father came to work and then we did."

She was then 17 years old and had a fairly limited level of Spanish.

"I wanted to study Design, but he didn't give me the grade."

She finished with the degree of optometrist optician at the Complutense University, although her passion for design has never ceased to cultivate her.

"I worked for five years in an optician. When my shift finished, I was always looking for plans in Madrid. I liked to discover cool cafes, exhibitions...".

The coffee thing also has her chapter in this story.

His mother regularly made dumplings at home and soon began to receive orders from abroad.

At first she worked by word of mouth.

"

".

Among them, the workers and managers of Huawei in Madrid.

"We would go to the offices in the Las Tablas neighborhood to bring them their orders."

Then they began to consider starting a business.

Until the Covid arrived and ruined everything.

One of the Casa Pei + soups.

After the pandemic, they did not resume that client list.

"My mother at first was not clear about setting up a restaurant, but little by little I was convincing her."

In February 2022

, in May they found the space and, after a few months of reform, four months ago they opened Casa Pei+ (made by mom), where the design, of course, bears Pei's stamp.

The philosophy, as the name indicates, the same one they followed at home.

"All done with care by us".

At the end of the room, Pei's mother and another woman make the dumplings and soups.

From 12:00 to 20:00 hours not for the activity.

"Everything, except for a couple of things that we bring from abroad due to lack of time, we do it here: kimchi (the fermented cabbage that is the basis of Korean cuisine that is also sold to take away), the soups, the doughs..." .

The dumplings are made daily.

They have

", also homemade.

There are dumplings with pork and Chinese cabbage, with vegetables and tofu, with shrimp and pork... "We make six different fillings. The only thing we don't have is chicken, because in China you don't eat too much."

Soups, such as noodles and wontons, already have a legion of fans.

"Our idea is to bring out a special dish a month."

The local of Casa Pei+.

Dumplings share the limelight with coffee.

"In Korea there are many beautiful cafes with quality products."

If the dumplings are delicious, the closing of the menu is not far behind.

"It seemed original to me to mix coffee and our fusion cuisine. I bought a second-hand coffee machine from Hanso, one of the leading places that works with specialty coffee in the capital," she says proudly.

To accompany it, mochis and a payoyo cheese cake from La deseada (José Abascal, 53).

"It was something typical of here and they are also very good friends of ours."

Dumplings and (good) coffee never went together so well.

Address

: Espronceda, 34. Average price: 20-25 euros.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more