Xiaolongbao, a classic Shanghai dim sum dish, has crossed the ocean and become hugely popular in Japan. The skin is thick or thin, steamed or baked, and the filling is pork, Shanghai crab, or even OX sauce? These five restaurants showcase the latest developments in this ever-evolving dish.
Jiyugaoka (Taizan Sheng Jian Ten Sheng Jian Tian)
- A specialty store for baked xiaolongbao, a Shanghai breakfast staple.
- Maintaining the local flavor, the bottom is baked until crispy and the top is steamed until chewy.
・Start with black vinegar. To change the flavor, add edible chili oil, Lokanma, which is made with Japanese pepper and chili pepper.
Daimon (Shina Hanten Shiba Daimon Main Branch)
・The skin is thick and the dumplings are so large they don't fit in one bite. These xiaolongbao are the epitome of Shanghai-style dumplings.
・The authentic version is served with a little black vinegar. If you ask, they will serve you Chinese black vinegar called "Zhenjiang Fragrant Vinegar."
・There is not a single part left over, even the Chinese cabbage underneath.
Mitsukoshi-mae (Shewanfu)
-The main dish is a ball filled with Shanghai crab meat and miso.
・The crabs are raised at the company's own farm in China. It is actually quite rare that no aquatic medicines are used during the cultivation.
-The specialty is a special noodle dish with Shanghai crab meat, which is made by mixing medium-thick noodles with a rich crab sauce.
Shinjuku 3-chome (Tensuirou Main Building)
・Seven pieces with a variety of colors and flavors. One has a carrot-colored skin and is filled with homemade XO sauce.
・Starting with the classic Xiaolongbao at the 6 o'clock position, please go clockwise. The sauce is a 1:3 ratio of soy sauce to black vinegar.
-You can enjoy cuisine from Taiwan, the place where the restaurant was founded, as well as Zhejiang cuisine.
Roppongi (Nansho Mantouten Roppongi Hills store)
-A branch of a long-established Xiaolongbao restaurant in Shanghai founded in 1900.
- The thinness of the skin and the beautiful shaping are the culmination of the skills of a top-class dim sum chef, of which there are only a few in the original country.
The filling is made from pork skin gelatin and minced pork simmered in soup. The clear soup is packed with umami.
