XiaoLungBao (Soup Dumplings), Shanghai, China

XiaoLungBao, literally known as Soup Dumplings are small steamed buns originated from Eastern China. Its name is commonly believed to be derived from the way it cooks in a small steaming bamboo-made basket (AKA "XiaoLung" in Asian community).

I tried this local delicacy in one of the most famous places in Shanghai known as ChengQuangMiao (城隍庙) , a traditional district with many shops and stores selling authentic Chinese street food, sourvenirs, traditional handcrafted and many more...

What lured me to satisfy my 2 hours of lining up with extremely tired legs (I held my pee too!) was the loaded information from well-known traveler magazines, advertisement, TV shows (to name just a few of sources), all give good ranking that this XiaoLungBao is one of the Top 10 local snacks you must try if you are to mention you'd visited Shanghai. So, I determined to try it before I left Shanghai!

Finally, 2 hours had gone! I managed to witness the skillful XiaoLungBao Shi Fu and Shi Niang how they made such saliva drooling food - invisible fast folding fingers filled up small bun with chopped meat demonstrated by the Shi Niang, whereas the Shi Fu was "non-stop" pressing small pieces dough with his lower palm into thin slices.

Food time! I was so dissapointed when I first bite the skin of XiaoLungBao and hoping the melted soup burned my tongue but all this never happened. It was not tasty at all simply because its thick flour-made skin and dried meat filling making it loses the supposed-to-have original texture - a mouthful of soup melted from the essence of meat when you "enjoy" it.... Can someone recommend me where to sample a really thumbs up XiaoLungBao in Shanghai?