Everyone knows that you can’t skip out on xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, in Taiwan. While mega brand Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐 is most tourists’ go-to, locals have their other humble haunt: Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao 杭州小籠湯包.
Both restaurants have been listed in the Taipei Michelin Bib Gourmand, but the difference in shop interior & atmosphere is quite stark.
Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao is a family-run business born over 20 years ago. The owners (two brothers) were taught how to make xiao long bao by a Shanghainese chef. They now run the restaurant with their grandma, who visits local markets every week to carefully select fresh ingredients.
From what I understand, there is currently more than one branch. The famous one that people usually frequent is at Da’an. It is located in central Taipei next to National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
What to eat at Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao
If you thought the queues for Din Tai Fung are always long, you should see the ones at Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao.
We came at around 1.30pm on a weekday, and thought that it would not be too crowded by then. We were unfortunately very wrong! Groups of people still standing around waiting for their queue number to be called.
Do also note that it’s a no-frills casual restaurant, so there are also no fancy seats for you to wait.
We managed to get a table and place our orders at around 2pm, which is about a 30-minute wait.
The menu is quite extensive for a small casual restaurant. It’s definitely smaller than that of Din Tai Fung, but on par with other eateries like Tim Ho Wan.
Between the 3 of us, we ordered:
- Xiao long bao
- Mixed Vegetable and Meat Pot Stickers
- Marinated Beef Wrap
- Pan Fried Radish Cake
A lot of the dishes we ordered were pan fried (oops), and they all came hot and crispy.
However, the main star among them all was definitely the xiao long bao.
According to the Michelin Guide, the restaurant only uses the freshest pork hind leg cuts as the filling. There’s also no secret to the chewy dumpling ‘skin’, other than a simple mix of flour and water.
The hallmark of a good xiao long bao is definitely the soup it contains.
We found that the ones served at Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao really hit the spot. It’s not too salty and not too overwhelming. The pork meat tastes sufficiently fresh as well.
The best part? Every xiao long bao contains the right amount of soup that squirts out when you bite into the dumpling skin. The experience makes it incredibly addictive to bite into one dumpling after another.
I was definitely a little sad when we finished the dumplings much faster than we expected!
I didn’t find the pan fried radish cake particularly delicious, but the sticklers and marinated beef wrap were surprisingly good! Just note that you may feel a bit greased out after eating so much pan fried food.
Is it worth eating at Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao?
There is an unavoidable comparison between Din Tai Fung and Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao. While the former serves dishes that are a lot more ‘polished’, the latter serves filling fare that really satisfies.
The best part, of course, is that your wallet is pretty safe at Hang Zhou Xiao Long Bao. It’s very affordable – each of us spent less than SGD 10 for everything!
If you’re looking to get your fill of xiao long bao in Taipei without breaking the bank, this is the place to go to. It’s gained quite some popularity among tourists and still is a favourite haunt of locals, so the wait will be something to contend with!
DIRECTIONS
Address: No. 19, Section 2, Hangzhou S Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
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