MANY of the eateries in the new WestQuay extension are new to Southampton but are well-established businesses.

One exception is Dumpling Dumpling which has parked its van “Vinnie” on level two of the £85m complex.

It is a new business started by husband-and-wife team Natalie and Dan Stirrup from the Isle of Wight who gained their taste for dumplings while working in China.

Natalie, 29, who studied psychology at the University of Southampton, met Dan when they were on an English teaching course in Bournemouth.

Both the went to teach in the Guangxi province of China where making and eating dumplings is a way of life.

Natalie’s fondness for the food gained her the nickname Dumpling among her students.

After two-and-a-half years in the far east the couple returned to the UK with the aim of adding dumplings to the array of fast food available at outdoor events.

They spent more than year researching the market and testing out recipes on friends before starting to sell their wares at small shows on the island.

“Street food has really taken off and we are concentrating on doing one type off food really well,” said Natalie, who has given up her job in sales and marketing in marketing for an engineering firm to concentrate full-time on the dumpling business.

“It’s my mission to put every possible different flavour inside a dumpling,” she added.

Dumpling Dumpling’s menu includes dumplings filled with chilli con carne, barbecue pulled pork and, hoisin duck as well as sweet alternatives such as a chocolate and Nutella filled dumpling.

While at Westquay Natalie and Dan have been asking public what they would like to see in a dumpling and this resulted in a very successful Chicken Kiev dimpling.

She believes their unusual offering helped them secure a short term spot at WestQuay.

“I think we attractive to Hammersons (WestQuay’s owners) as we were doing something completely different from anything else here,” said Natalie.

She said business has been good and their initial month’s stay at the pitch has been extended to January 23.