Dim sum & bakery · Shanghai / Jiangnan
Xiaolongbao
小笼包 — Soup dumplings: pork-and-broth parcels whose "soup" is aspic melted by steam. Shanghai is the home ground, and the discipline of a good wrapper is measurable…
The trick of xiaolongbao is stock set with gelatin, chopped solid into the filling, then re-liquefied by the steaming basket. The etiquette follows: nibble a hole in the skin, sip the broth, dip in black vinegar with ginger, eat in one or two bites. Order by the steamer, not the piece.
Shanghai’s Nanxiang claim the original at the Yu Garden tourist house, while Wu You Xian earned a Michelin star for crab versions — roe, tomalley and combinations thereof, each with its own vinegar. In October to December, go crab.
Where to eat it
- Wu You Xian (Michelin-starred, crab xiaolongbao)
- Nanxiang Mantou Dian at Yu Garden (the original)
- Zhi Wei Guan in Hangzhou for the local style
Named tables that do it well
- Taian Table — Michelin 3 Stars
- Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet — Michelin 3 Stars
- Fu He Hui — Michelin 2 Stars
- Canton 8 (Huangpu) — Michelin 2 Stars
Routes that eat their way here
More dishes to know
- Hairy Crab (大闸蟹)
- Dongpo Pork (东坡肉)
- West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce (西湖醋鱼)
- Longjing Tea Shrimp (龙井虾仁)
- Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancake) (葱油饼)
- Shengjianbao (生煎包)