I had the pleasure to attend a high school classmate's wedding in Shanghai in December 2015. Shanghai has always been a place of utmost fun and cheap eats for me ever since I worked there in 2009. Perhaps it was the circumstances then, but to me, Shanghai is particularly memorable. A lot has changed since then, especially with the Expo 2010 that ushered a lot of renovations throughout the city. Nonetheless, the memories remain, as well as the hole in the wall places that lie fondly within my mind.
Two of those places are restaurants that serve only one type of food - buns. One of them is steamed, while the other is fried. Both versions contain copious amounts of juices within. In the States, these are colloquially classified as dumplings. But that word just butchers the intricacy of these morsels as the same word describes everything that comes in a wrapper, from dim sum to glutinous rice balls. For the local however, these are very much distinct food items, with each boasting its pedigree of excellence. As for me, it is a no brainer. Each restaurant simply serves the best in class food item in the world.
The steamed buns are, in fact, soupy buns, or xiao long bao (小籠包) in Chinese. They are by first freezing the filling, encasing it separately in a thin wrapper, and steaming the bun. The wet heat draws out the water and fills the cavity within with the soup. I have had many renditions of this ubiquitous item, yet they all fall short to those from Jia Jia Tang Bao (佳家湯包), including the ones from the Michelin-recognized xiao long bao chain Ding Tai Fung (鼎泰豐). For the local, it is just obvious why the version from Jia Jia Tang Bao is superior. First, they are cheaper. Back in 2009, the pork-only version costs 8 RMB for a dozen. Since then, the price has appreciated to 15 RMB for a dozen as of the time of this review. Yet, that is still a lot less than 50+ HKD for half a dozen in Hong Kong. But more importantly, the quality is a lot better. The buns are hotter and contain more soup. And finally, this shop in Shanghai offers the most indulgent of versions, steamed buns filled purely with crab roe. They are undoubtedly cholesterol cocktails. But that succulent and fragrant flavor is just too exciting to pass up.
Pork-Only Steamed Buns (純鮮肉小籠包)
The staple item from the menu. These small bites come in a dozen with copious amounts of steam as soon as the platter lands. Biting into them, the buns are piping hot with a generous helping of soup which is hearty, meaty and full of flavor. The skin is very thin, almost ethereal, just thick enough to contain the meat and the juices. Meanwhile, the meat iis well-kneaded too as I can delineate the bits of lean and fatty pork in my mouth. Everything just comes together. So fresh, and the flavors are so concentrated I do not find the vinegar necessary. Such a perfect item for the winter. Needless to say, I inhaled them.
Crab Roe Steamed Buns (純蟹粉小籠包)
While the pork-only version is the best-selling item in this chain, the crab roe stuffed buns are the champions for me. These are not for the feint of heart as they pack quite a bit of cholesterol. These xiao long baos come in half a dozen and are around four times pricier than their meat-only cousins. Nonetheless, they are bigger, fatter, plumper and just ooze out yellowish goo. Delicious. Picking it up with the chopsticks, the texture is wobbly, evidence that the interior is all soupy goodness. Just like the pork buns, the skin on these are just as thin. But the thing that crowns this version is the molten crab roe soup within. There is just so much more liquid, so much that I can pour out two spoonful worth of unabashed, umami-rich, yellowish soup. As the restaurant does not skimp on the ingredients, the crab flavor is just so unctuous and intoxicating. Truly superb. Most definitely the best xiao long bao I have had, ever.
As far as fried buns go, Xiao Yang Sheng Jian (小楊生煎) is now one of the most popular food brands around town, popular amongst both locals and ex-pats alike. Back in 2009, I still remember this shop's dingy, humble storefront on Huang He Lu (黃河路). Through a span of half a decade, it has since expanded into many locations and cornered many eateries within expensive department stores. Gone is the nondescript logo and in its place lies a glitzy, hip banner. What used to be a buy-and-go stall is now an actual sit-down restaurant. The menu has expanded too and now includes items such as noodles and soups. But despite the refurbishment, how does the quality of the food hold up?
To test, I picked their most popular item, the original fried buns. Originally priced 1 RMB per piece, these buns are now 2 RMB per piece and come in a set of four. 100% price hike for sure, but I am not complaining. For those who are not familiar, sheng jian bao (生煎包) consists of a meat ball wrapped within a bready wrapper. The buns are then fried on high heat in a gigantic cast iron pan. The extreme temperature fries the exterior and steams the meat within concurrently, releasing its juices.
Fresh Pork Fried Buns (小楊生煎包)
And after all these years, these are still very decent. The bread is delectably thin, browned, and crispy without being burnt. Biting into them, there is plenty of steam coming out, a good sign that the buns are rather fresh. There is also plenty amount of flavorful, sweet and meaty soup too. The meat itself, however, is slightly mushy as a result of the mincing. Nonetheless, its soft texture contrasts well with the crispy exterior, all tied together with the umami-rich soup.
After all these years, it is certainly heart-warming to see that the places I love once still hold true to themselves and produce quality products, despite the rapid pace of expansion and modernization happening around the shops. Simple food and simple joy. This is a rare sight indeed, one that is certainly etched in my memory. And here is to hope that this will not change for the years to come. （2015/12/16）