Geelong's residents are going into the new year even more spoilt for choice in restaurants.

On Little Malop Street, a dumpling showdown is taking place. On the southern side of the street is Bahjong, from the owners of Baah Lah Dining in Geelong West.

The name is a riff on the game of mahjong; the fitout draws on Asian hawker stalls and retro Western diners.

Twelve unorthodox dumpling fillings include lamb and cumin with yoghurt, plus curry beef, and potato and chive.

There are also prawn and squid har gau served with a squid ink emulsion, pork wontons with aromatic broth, and a sweet custard dumpling.

Across the road, Drunken Dumpling is offering a contemporary but slightly less playful menu for 22 diners in an elegant space featuring cement-rendered walls and black furniture.

The restaurant is the sibling of Sober Ramen, two doors up, owned by Alex Pan, Nathan Johnston and Linson Lin.

Among the menu options are jiaozi (pleated dumplings) filled with wagyu, chicken or steamed vegetable, and pork pot-stickers.

Snacks include poached oysters and spring onion pancake, while larger choices are drunken chicken with aged Shaoxing wine and goji berry, or Taiwanese braised pork with rice.

The concise wine list is heavily slanted to riesling but there are also cocktails, and plans for drinks using Chinese herbs and flowers.

Bahjong: open Wed-Sat 5.30pm-late and Thu-Sun noon-3pm, 82 Little Malop Street, Geelong, 0411 795 390, bahjong.com.au

Drunken Dumpling: open Mon-Tue 11.30am-2.30pm and 5pm-9pm, Fri-Sun 11.30am-9pm, 83 Little Malop Street, Geelong, drunken.com.au