Shanghai is the birthplace of the xiaolongbao; a steamed dumpling prepared in bamboo baskets, and there are hundreds of different places to find them in the city, all ranging in quality and price. The best local xiaolongbao in my book? Ling Long Feng (LLF). It's a bit of an institution in the city, and they finally opened a second location in a mall nearby my place (all good restaurants in Shanghai have at least one of their restaurants in a mall). The dumplings are delicious. The pork melts in your mouth, and the fatty soup inside is luxurious (for lack of a better word). It's the consistency and price that make LLF such a wonderful place to get the real deal; 13.5RMB/$2.60 for ten. It's probably the best bang for your buck in the city.
xiaolongbao 1 by
Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr
xiaolongbao 2 by
Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr
xiaolongbao 3 by
Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr
xiaolongbao 5 by
Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr