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Shanghai Dumpling King Doesn’t Diasppoint By Aprille Espinueva Mmm… dumplings. For some, this means those frozen dumplings that you buy at the market and eat at home. But for those of you who know what good xiao long bao is (Shanghai steamed dumplings or “soup dumplings”), Shanghi Dumpling King won’t disappoint. For only $4.95 you get 10 dumplings served in a steamer along with a dipping sauce combination of soy sauce, vinegar and ginger slices. Each dumpling has a thin but sturdy flour wrapper, and is filled with meat or vegetable filling, plus a pocketful of flavorful hot soup. My particular favorite is the pork and scallion filling, which is soft and practically melts in your mouth. Eating these dumplings is not so easy for the inexperienced, though. To eat them, you have to be careful not to tear the dumpling skin when peeling them off cabbage bedding (used to prevent the dumpling from sticking to the wooden basket used for steaming), unless you want to let all the soup out. Then you place the dumpling on a Chinese soup spoon, add the dipping sauce if preferred, then pop them in your mouth. I learned to cool them off a little though, because of many experiences with a burned tongue! The vinegar and soy sauce complement the succulent flavor of the dumpling, which in combination, can be quite addicting. They also offer other dumplings like pan-fried dumplings and other authentic dishes, such as the Soy Braised “Lion Head” Meatballs ($6.95), Fried Noodles Shanghai Style ($4.95), Stir Fried Rice Cakes ($5.75), or sweets such as the Rice Dumplings with Wine Fillings ($3.95) or Red Bean Paste Pancakes ($2.95). Most of the portions are generous but may be oilier than what you’re used to. Don’t expect too much for service and ambiance, but then again, what matters is the food. It also may help if your companion (like mine) is familiar with Chinese to help you with ordering, but it isn’t a problem if you aren’t. Next time you’re in the Richmond district, make a trip and be sure to check out this place. Shanghai Dumpling King Aprille Espinueva is a first-year pharmacy student. | ||
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