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Tag Archives: soup dumplings

Din Tai Fung (University District, Seattle, WA)

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Are you a soup dumpling fan? I sure am! On a recent trip to Seattle, I just had to try Din Tai Fung (DTF). The Hong Kong and Macau locations were awarded a Michelin star in 2014, but since we can’t just hop onto a plane to China right now, the Seattle location will do!

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Bar Seats available. 

 

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Soup Dumplings. Hot and ready even before menus were given!

 

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Dumplings. 

 

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Pork Chop Fried Rice. 

 

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Sautéed Spinach with Garlic. 

 

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Potstickers. So beautiful! Perfection. I could never make potstickers like these!

 

There was a bit of a wait of about 40 minutes on a Sunday afternoon, but the restaurant is located in an outdoor mall and you’ll receive a text/call whenever your table is ready. Once we got in, soup dumplings were hot and ready to serve even before we got our menus. SO worth the wait! They were delicate morsels of homey goodness. Refined but still made me feel at home…

We also ordered some Potstickers, Sautéed Spinach, Pork Chop Fried Rice, and Shrimp and Pork Wonton’s in Spicy Sauce. I really loved the Potstickers which were visually so perfect, you almost don’t want to eat them but when you do, they are SO good. My next favorite was the Wonton’s in Spicy Sauce. The Spicy Sauce wasn’t ridiculously-spiced…just a small kick. That sauce was sooo good with rice.

Was it well worth the wait? Indeed! I don’t get many soup dumpling choices in NOLA but everywhere I’ve traveled, I always fit in soup dumplings and these are one of my favs!

 

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Rating: 4.5/5 spoons
Din Tai Fung Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato




Joe Shanghai (Midtown West, New York, New York)

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Years ago, I went to Joe Shanghai, the Chinatown location, and experienced my very first soup dumpling. Since then, I’ve almost become somewhat of a soup dumpling connoisseur. I’ve enjoyed decadent and extravagant dumplings from across the U.S. (Yank Sing). I’ve had soup dumplings similar to Joe Shanghai’s too, but nothing compares to that first experience…that chewy bite bursting with a delicious and savory broth.

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Pork Dumplings. 

 

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Crab & Pork Dumplings. 

 

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Snow Pea tips. 

 

It’s been at least 10 years since my first and only time to Joe Shanghai and now I’m back. I’ve decided to try the newer location in Midtown, New York. It’s definitely cleaner and friendlier! My sister-in-law and I wanted a little tasting or mid-day snack and ordered the Pork dumplings and the Crab & Pork dumplings. Our server said his favorite had to be the Crab & Pork and I’d have to agree! The Pork seemed to be on the saltier side. The Crab & Pork was light, delicate and perfectly seasoned. Someone was  a little heavy-handed on the regular Pork dumplings that day, but it was still tasty. I always like a little veg with any meal so I ordered the Snow Pea Tips, which was perfect!

There are definitely other options when it comes to soup dumplings, but I’ll always love Joe Shanghai’s for that first bite!

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Joe's Shanghai Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Bao (East Village, New York City, NY)

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When I hear “soup dumplings” (aka xiaolongbao), I think of the first time I ate at Joe Shanghai in Chinatown, New York City. It’s been years since I’ve been there, but my first bite of soup dumplings was a memorable one. Now, I’m sure there are many variations and even better ones, but the initial discovery of the xiaolongbao is always memorable. When I didn’t know better, I would poke a hole and let some of the soup drain out to let it cool. Then I’d dap a little red vinegar onto it and some ginger then slurp slowly. Nowadays, I’ll top it off with some ginger with red vinegar and devour it wholly (just be sure it’s warm and not boiling hot before doing so).

In case you haven’t had this deliciousness yet, soup dumplings are a delicate wonton-like pouch filled with a nice, hot broth and a savory meatball. If you’re wondering how they get the soup inside, wonder no more. First, they create a gelatinous stock that’s then combined with a meatball. Next, it’s sealed and steamed. Out of the steamers comes perfect little pouches of soup-filled dumplings. Sounds easy enough, but it’s definitely a lot more intensive than that and that’s why I’m thankful for soup dumpling restaurants.

Most people head straight to Joe Shanghai for soup dumplings, but a New York local mentioned  another option and it was The Bao. It doesn’t have the same authentic asian feel inside as Joe Shanghai, but it’s much cleaner and more friendly.

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Seating. Empty house, but at an off hour (5:00ish on Sunday)

 

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Kung Fu Steamed Pork Xiao Long Baos. 

 

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Spicy Pork Xiao Long Bao. 

 

IMG_4550eChocolate Xiao Long Bao. Nutella. Banana.

 

I love the variety that The Bao offers. Actually, I haven’t even seen variety at any other soup dumpling restaurants that I’ve been to. We ordered the regular Kung Fu Baos, Spicy Baos (not the super spicy one), and the Chocolate Baos. The Kung Fu Baos were the perfect warm-hot temperature, which allows you to eat the whole bao in one bite without caution. Some restaurants, you have to be extra careful or even punch a hole to let the soup out first in order to let it cool. Here, you can easily devour the whole thing and just let it melt in your mouth! Next, we ate the Spicy Baos, which had a good kick. I can’t imagine ordering the Super Spicy Baos since the regular Spicy was perfect. I enjoy spicy, but I can’t imagine ordering the Super Spicy especially since spice is usually intensified with hot broth. Lastly, we had the Chocolate Baos, which I find really interesting. It’s like a bite of Nutella crepe! The bao has a slight chew like crepes and it’s stuffed with Nutella and banana. A perfect end to our Bao meal.

The service was good and the baos were delicious. My favorite part is the variety of baos. Usually, at a soup dumpling restaurant, we’ll order trays of the same baos. There’s nothing wrong with that, but a variety of flavors adds a lot of excitement to the meal. Honestly, I’ve never really seen different flavors at any other soup dumpling restaurants and that’s what will bring me back!

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Rating: 4/5 spoons

 

Click to add a blog post for The Bao on Zomato

Yank Sing (San Francisco, CA)

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Yank Sing is a fine dining Chinese restaurant that serves dim sum, which an assortment of steamed dumplings and side dishes. It’s very well-known and has recognition from the James Beard Foundation: http://www.yanksing.com/about-us/reviews/james_beard_09.html

At first glance to people who are unfamiliar with dim sum, it may seem strange as a breakfast/brunch option. Don’t worry, you’ll crave it for breakfast soon enough. It’s the perfect meal to bring families and friends together. It’s shared family-style so it’s no wonder large families gather for dim sum every Sunday! The dim sum at Yank Sing can be a bit pricey, but I’d pay for the quality and freshness that they put out. They also have a superb wait staff as compared to other more homey dim sum restaurants. I have nothing against the classic, small, hole-in-the-walls, but I don’t mind the extra customer service and food quality that Yank Sing offers.

Yank Sing has two locations and during my short trip to SF, I went to both…

 

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Soup Dumplings.

 

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Tofu Skin. 

 

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Xiu Mai.

 

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Savory Taro Puff. 

 

 

 

 

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Har Gow.

 

 

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Cheers!

 

The two locations are: the Spear St. location and the Stevenson St.. The Spear St. location is within a business building food court and it’s very nice. The Stevenson location is smaller and not as popular so you may not see as long of a line, but there will still be a wait. Food is consistent between the two.

So were there any notable dishes? Absolutely. The Soup dumplings. I first discovered these Chinese delights in NYC’s Joe Shanghai restaurant. It’s well-known for their soup dumplings and I can still taste my first bite. Unfortunately, New Orleans has no such thing, but I’ve discovered them in major cities like Houston and more recently in San Francisco. Yank Sing has one of the best soup dumplings I have ever had. The dumpling casing is so delicate and very similar to a won-ton. It holds the perfect temperature of soup and dumpling within. Once it’s in your mouth, it just melts…Be sure to add the ginger and red vinegar. It balances the flavors so well. It can be an acquired taste so start with just a touch!

Overall, excellent food and service.

Yes, the dim sum prices are pretty steep, but it’s worth a try! Honestly, I would just go to Yank Sing for a few orders of Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) and some tea. That would be the perfect meal right about now on this Sunday morning…

Foodie Tip: Get there earlier in the day for soup dumplings. They’ll run out if you’re too late!

 

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Rating: 4.5/5
Yank Sing on Urbanspoon
Yank Sing on Urbanspoon