Dinesty Dumpling House

SOUP DUMPLINGS: TAIWANESE OR SHANGHAINESE?

Dinesty Dumpling House is a local restaurant chain that serves a mix of Shanghainese and Taiwanese dishes. Its best-selling steamed soup dumplings have a claim to fame in both regions. Although no one knows for sure where the first soup dumplings were made, it is widely believed that they originated in Nan Xiang, a country town in the outskirts of Shanghai. But their global popularity, some say, can be attributed to Taiwan’s Din Tai Fung. The Michelin-starred restaurant chain is world-renowned for its obsessively detailed xiao long bao – pleated precisely 18 times and weighing exactly 21 grams before steaming.

CORRECT WAY TO EAT XIAO LONG BAO?

1. Use your chopsticks to gently lift the dumpling by its top knot and place it on it a soup spoon.
2. The soup will be scalding hot so give it a few minutes to cool. If you absolutely can’t wait, nibble off the top or poke a hole in the side to create a release valve for the steam.
3. Drizzle a bit of black vinegar (usually served with thin strands of ginger) onto the spoon or into the top.
4. Slurp through the top or, as some prefer, put the whole dumpling in your mouth and pop it like a balloon. Your call.

FREE DUMPLINGS

Dinesty Dumpling House offers many types of dumplings, but the xiao long bao is the most popular by far. And loyalty has its rewards. Every time you order a basket of soup dumplings, you can receive a stamp on Dinesty’s dumpling points card: 10 stamps = 1 free basket.