Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)

When you find yourself in New York's Chinatown, besides the fun street shopping and knock-off you-name-it, scout out Joe's Shanghai Restaurant for soup dumplings. A friend recommended this culinary experience and we will be back for sure! You will find Joe's at 9 Pell Street between Mott and Bowery. It's a very small, one-way street and it's easy to miss. In this rather compact setting, the seating is sort of family style for smaller parties.

From Joe's Shanghai Restaurant:

Xiao Long Bao or "Little Dumplings from Basket" was originated from Nan Xiang, a suburb of Shanghai. Their perfectly symmetrical shape, resembles a pagoda.

These tender pouches, "little dumplings", are freshly made to order. They arrive at the table in piping hot bamboo steamers. Each plump dumpling contains a little pork meatball surrounded by a delightful meaty broth.

To prevent burning one's mouth and to savor the dumpling, the preferred method of consumption is to bite off a little piece of the doughy wrapper, suck the broth with a "slurp", then eat the rest.

There are two variations available at Joe's Shanghai - crab meat and pork meat. Each basket is freshly made to order, so don't forget to order your Soup Dumpling upon arrival at your table. Otherwise it might be a long wait.

A cartoonist, Robert Zimmerman, had drawn "Soup Dumplings: A Survival Course" comic strip that was once published in the newspapers. It comedically depicts the hazard of eating a fresh, piping hot dumpling. Although a little extreme, the danger of burning one's mouth is no different from the dangers of enjoying a hot cup of coffee.