Comments on: To go please

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:59:08 +0000

Flamingo, 小笼包 actually means “small steamer bun” – steamer and dragon are pronounced the same, but the xiaolong long has an extra radical meaning wicker or plant over it.

I am hurt by that Wiki entry: Shanghai’s food, yes, accumulates from the history of its immigrants – largely Jiangnan but also a lot of Russian and French and etc. But like its language it has its own unique reinventions and interpretations.

By: flamingo

flamingo — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:32:37 +0000

I think xiao long bao glosses to “small dragon dumpling”

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:29:45 +0000

Good point Nancy. However, I’ve been to a few restaurants that looked crummy but the food was excellent. Maybe the xiao long bao there is the only standout but I have yet to visit the place so I’ll reserve my opinion for now.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:09:33 +0000

I checked out the reviews on the Shanghai Dumpling restaurant before going out there and I’m glad I did. While a few people enjoyed their experience, the majority of reviewers found the restaurant filthy and more than one found the food unfit to eat. I don’t mind taking Internet opinion with a grain (or two) of salt but several bad reviews are a red flag and any note that a place is really dirty is an immediate turn off for me. It’s too bad because I was looking forward to further exploring of the food of Shanghai. Maybe the museum cafe can feature a few fusion dishes when the show opens in February?

By: Gary Soup

Gary Soup — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:33:45 +0000

I’m a Museum member who also has a passion for the city of Shanghai, which I have been visiting regularly since 1992. Consequently, I am very much looking forward to the Asian Art Museum’s celebration of Shanghai next year.

Since you expressed an interest in Shanghai eats, you might like to read an article I wrote on Shanghai “small eats” for a guidebook. It’s at http://is.gd/5hyfJ. I also have some Shanghai photo essays on Flickr which reveal my obsession with the food of Shanghai. You are welcome to peruse them and use any as you see fit (all my photos are Creative Commons licensed). My 2009 Shanghai photo set is at http://is.gd/5hyJb, my 2008 set is at http://is.gd/5hyMM and older photos of Shanghai are scattered elsewhere in other sets.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:29:19 +0000

Don’t let your move to the East Bay stop you from making that trip to satisfy your xiao long bao craving. I think it’s called a department lunch meeting.

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:29:01 +0000

Wow, 17 years of chasing good xiao long bao gives you instant credibility Gary Soup. I pass by Shanghai Dumpling King sometimes and this place is always packed. This was also featured in Check Please Bay Area so it must be really good.

By: cristina

cristina — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:19:25 +0000

Since moving out of San Francisco and to the East Bay some months ago, one of the things I miss the most is living around the corner from Shanghai Dumpling King. Where or where will I satisfy my xiao long bao cravings now?

By: Gary Soup

Gary Soup — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:01:33 +0000

Bund Shanghai has decent xiao long bao, but the best in San Francisco, in my judgement (and i’ve been chasing down good xiao long bao on both sides of the Pacific for 17 years) are at Shanghai Dumpling King on outer Balboa.

http://is.gd/5cwl8

By: tuscanycat

tuscanycat — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Thanks for the restaurant tip Nancy. I’ll check it out.