One thing that we Asians cannot get enough of are dumplings. We are sure that everyone can agree that these delicious little blobs of joy are one of the best things that have come out of our Asian cuisine.

When we heard about a new stall located along Amoy Street that is solely dedicated to dumplings, we knew that we definitely had to check it out!

From interesting flavours such as Momo Curry to fusion dumplings such as Fried Pierogi, Dumpling Darlings is definitely an interesting place to check out if you’re a dumpling lover.

Hidden away in a little crevice at Amoy Street, Dumpling Darlings is almost hard to spot amongst all the other colourful stalls that line the street. We soon found it after spotting their adorable neon light sign in the shape of a dumpling.

They have both an air-conditioned dining area as well as a small al fresco portion. The interior was quirkily decorated and looked like a modern oriental Japanese bar. The entire space was incredibly small and intimate, so it makes for a perfect place for a date!

Before we got our food, we were served a complimentary vegetable appetiser. We ordered their lunch set meal which was S$16 per set. Each lunch set comes with your choice of noodles, 5 dumplings as well as a drink.

For drinks, we opted for a Longan Osmanthus Pu-Erh and a Grapefruit Thyme Strawberry Tea. The drinks were incredibly satisfying to drink, especially on a sweltering hot day.

For the lunch menu, we were given a choice of Miso Mushroom Noodles, Braised Pork Noodles or Sichuan Pork Noodles. We opted for a bowl of Braised Pork Noodles and Sichuan Noodles and we were pleasantly surprised by how it turned out.

The noodles for both dishes were delightfully springy and had just the right amount of chewiness to it. The Braised Pork Noodles was coated in a delicious, savoury sauce that had chunks of pork in it while the Sichuan Noodles came with a lovely, tangy sauce that was not too spicy.

Finally, we have the star of the show: the dumplings themselves! There were a number of interesting flavours such as Fried Pierogi, Spicy Sichuan, Smoked Duck, Momo Curry and Veggie Mandu.

The Original dumplings had a lovely, crisp underside that gave the dumpling a nice crunch when bitten into. The ratio of filling to dumpling skin was just right and it was filled with a generous amount of juicy minced pork collar.

The Smoked Duck dumplings were definitely interesting. Each dumpling was filled to the brim with chunks of chopped-up moist, tender smoked duck.

Dumpling Darlings
44 Amoy Street
Singapore 069870
Tel: +65 8223 9249
Mon to Thu: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10.30pm
Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 2am
Sat: 6pm – 2am
(Closed on Sundays)
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Established in 1989, Jing Hua Xiao Chi started in a shophouse along Neil Road and has garnered a strong following over the years for their delicious dumplings and other authentic Chinese dishes.

Its newest outlet at Palais Renaissance is a casual chic Chinese restaurant that serves a concise and inexpensive menu, making it a good place for an intimate business lunch or a casual dinner date.

The must-order dish here is definitely the Little Juicy Steamed Pork Dumplings (S$5 for 4pcs, and S$8.80 for 8pcs) which are always served piping hot with a rich soup that bursts with flavours as you bite into them.

We have had many good red bean pancakes but the restaurants version – Crispy Red Bean Pancake (S$10.50), is a golden deep-friend masterpiece that was fragrant, crisp and just overall delightful. The pretty huge portion is also good to share between two people or in a group.

Another exciting must-try dish here is the Chinese Pizza (S$10.80), and it is aptly named so. This spin on a traditional Italian delicacy could not be more different than what it was named after. The ‘pizza’ is a flaky crust stuffed with generous fillings of meat and vegetables.

You can also dig into the best-selling Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Sauce (S$6.80). This bowl is portioned in a way that you still can have some sides here without over-stuffing yourself.

Jing Hua Xiao Chi
390 Orchard Road
#B1-04/05 Palais Renaissance
Singapore 238871
Tel: +65 6733 8231
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Xiao Long Baos are essentially mini soup dumplings originated from Jiang Nan China and served in bamboo baskets; in our words, little dumplings of happiness. It is a widely coveted dim sum dish in many Chinese restaurants and has won countless hearts with its hearty soup base tucked within the confines of a thin skin. A pretty Xiao Long Bao, thereafter known as XLB, is one that is sealed with multiple exquisite folds around its crown.

Many restaurants have since tried to perfect their own version of XLB, with a varying use of ingredients and preparation methods. Most of them have since started to use alternative ingredients to fluff up their XLBs up to stand out from the crowd.

In this guide, we share 8 Xiao Long Baos in Singapore that we love, and we hope you love them too!

#1 CRYSTAL JADE KITCHEN

Crystal Jade is a household name and is no stranger to any Singaporean. Their motto of serving food with exceptional qualities and offering excellent customer service has garnered the love of many, even extending to the younger crowd. The signature XLB is consistently wrapped in a neat manner, and in it encompasses pork filling and an exceptional broth. Savour the every burst of delight with shredded ginger and vinegar.

Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road
Singapore 238872
Tel: +65 6238 1411
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Orchard

#2 DIN TAI FUNG

Located at most shopping malls with snaking queues during the lunch and dinner hours, Din Tai Fung has made its name known as the restaurant serving the best Xiao Long Baos. This Michelin-star awarded restaurant is all about serving authentic Chinese cuisine, with an open kitchen showcasing the chefs perfecting every edible masterpiece. Their coveted Xiao Long Bao (S$9.80 for 10 pieces) comes with steamed chicken broth, and you might have noticed that every table of diners will definitely order a basket or two.

Serangoon Nex
23 Serangoon Central, #B1-10/11/12
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 6634 7787
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat to Sun: 10:30am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Serangoon

#3 IMPERIAL TREASURE 

Imperial Treasure prides themselves in serving Chinese food of fine standards, and it is our all-time favourite. The restaurant has a modern and elegant look to it, offering an extravagant dining experience to the crowd at reasonable fine dining prices.

Their Xiao Long Bao (S$7.80 for 6 pieces) is finely crafted by their master chefs, retaining the rich and authentic flavours of the broth beneath the thinly rolled xiao long bao skin.

Marina Bay Sands, The Shoppes Atrium 2
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore 018956
Tel: +65 6688 7788
Mon to Sat: 11:30am – 10:30pm
Sun: 11am – 10:30pm
Nearest MRT: Bayfront

#4 JING HUA XIAO CHI

This restaurant is not only popular with Singaporeans but has also established itself in Japan and Italy. With three outlets in Singapore, the Chinese dishes at Jing Hua Xiao Chi are lovingly prepared with ingredients sourced from Chinatown wet market, and curates their menu to suit the local taste buds.

Their famed Little Juicy Steamed Meat Dumplings are affordably priced at S$5++ for 4 pieces, perfecting the little goodness with equal proportions of pork, soup and skin that is set to wow the crowd.

390 Orchard Road
#B1-04/05 Palais Renaissance
Tel: +65 6733 8231
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

#5 PARADISE DYNASTY

You would have seen so many photos of this 8-coloured Xiao Long Bao (S$14.80) by now. Paradise Dynasty plays their XLBs up with a plump parcel of meat and soup fillings – Cheese, Crab, Ginseng, Sze Chuan, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Garlic and Original – that melts away in the mouth.

1 Harbourfront Walk, #03-08A Vivocity
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6378 8103
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Habourfront

#6 SHANGHAI REN JIA 

Tucked at the foot of an HDB flat at Ang Mo Kio, Shanghai Ren Jia has a menu of dim sum dishes, and has perfected its Xiao Long Baos (S$6 for 5 pieces) so much so that they do not serve vinegar or ginger slices with it. They believe that with their dumplings made only with the freshest ingredients and with a soup filling infused with ginger, any condiment is unnecessary. Indeed, the full burst of flavours suffice to make us happy.

BLK 151, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5
Singapore 560151
Tel: +65 6368 6927
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio

#7 SHIN YEH

Shin Yeh is home to authentic and well-cooked Taiwanese dishes with its intricacies of preparation that focuses on the most minute of details. Its restaurant is furnished with a huge space that is ideal for hosting family gatherings, events and parties with a wholesome dining experience that is sought after by many.

Their Xiao Long Bao (S$4.80++) brought about a taste of Taiwan and wowed us with its almost translucent skin and very rich broth, best eaten with sliced ginger and vinegar.

Liang Court
177 River Valley Road, #02-19
Singapore 179030
Tel: +65 6338 7337
Daily: 11:30am – 4:30pm, 6pm – 10:30pm
Nearest MRT: Clark Quay

#8 YE CHUN XIAO JIANG NAN

Ye Chun Xiao Jiang Nan specialises in Jiang Nan cuisine as well as its hand-pulled noodles. The restaurant stands firm on its beliefs in serving traditional cuisines, and the menu is relatively well-priced.

Their Xiao Long Bao (S$4.80 for 4 pieces) stood out from the crowd with silk-like skin and pork filling marinated with an array of herbs and spices.

Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-181/182
Singapore 039594
Tel: +65 6333 4038
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest MRT: Promenade

When it comes to the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore, most people will usually think of Din Tai Fung, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, or Nan Xiang Xiao long bao restaurant. Along the sleepy Neil Road at the intersection of Chinatown & Maxwell Food Market, there’s a very popular place that serves good xiao long bao? Try to search for Neil Road, and Google will actually prompt “Neil Road Xiao Long Bao”, or “Neil Road Qun Zhong”.

The Lonely Planet Guide refers to Qun Zhong Eating House as the #433 out of 625 Things to do in Singapore. Are the Steamed Pork Dumplings there really so good?

If you are a superficial or lazy person like me, chances are, you’d have walked past Qun Zhong Eating House a dozen times without noticing it. The place doesn’t look very impressive from the outside, and there’s always a long queue during peak hours.

Before coming here, I heard about the reputation of the ‘service’, or rather the lack of service. Stepping inside, most of the staff were rather grumpy and appeared to be in a hurry. We were actually quite afraid to ask them for water. Okay to be fair, it wasn’t that bad. I asked for water nicely, and they gave it to us without much trouble.

The Xiao Long Baos from Qun Zhong Eating House were much bigger than any of the dumplings that I had before. And it was for a very good reason. They held a lot of soup within the seemingly-thick folds of the steamed pork dumpling ($7 for 7). It literally gushed out when I took a nibble of the xiao long bao.

Is this the best Xiao Long Bao in Singapore? I can’t answer that, but if you like a meaty and thick steamed pork dumpling, with lots of soup, Qun Zhong’s Xiao long bao is definitely the one for you. We also had the Pan Fried Dumplings ($8 for 10), and together with the 7 xiao long bao, and a bowl of zha jiang mian – it was really a lot of food for the two of us.

Other than the Zha Jiang Mian (noodle with minced pork & soya bean paste), Qun Zhong Eating House also serves a variety of Beijing cuisine and food like the Chinese Pizza, Steamed vegetarian dumplings and Hot & Sour noodle.

If you still have room in the stomach after eating the xiao long bao, Dim Joy is just across the street. For desserts, there’s Flor Patisserie, Once Upon A Milkshake and Patisserie Glace nearby.

Restaurant Review
Qun Zhong Eating House
21 Neil Road Singapore
Tel: +65 6221 3060

An oasis of blue, with a glimpse of gold. Royal China. There are places which you will proudly recommend to your friends when they want suggestions for food, and I raved about the best dim sum before. Indeed, my fond memories of the exquisite Chinese-tapas still lingers in my heart. My perennial return was long overdue.

But perhaps it was my mistake not to check with the restaurant before going, that I didn’t realise they had a special dim sum menu for the Chinese New Year period. With just a selection of 12 different dim sum, all priced at $6.80++ instead of the normal price, I did feel being rip-off, but that’s Chinese New Year for you, and it was my fault for not checking beforehand.

In place of the usual red roe on top of the steamed minced pork dumpling with abalone ($6.80++, usual price $4.80), we had tiny abalones instead. Right, the siew mai was up to standard, but I’ll not say the same having pay two dollars extra for the tiny abalone on top.

From the outside, the steamed prawn dumplings with black moss ($6.80++, usual price $4.80) looked the same. The exotic ingredients kicked in with the addition of black moss (fa-cai), an ingredient that is never missing from Chinese New Year menu. I certainly understood the significant of the auspicious ingredient, but I must admit that there wasn’t any enhance in the flavour of the har gau.

The Crispy prawn rolls with sesame ($6.80++) was one of the item which I did not try before, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. Fundamentally prawn roll with mango, fried crispy with the sesame stuck on top. A dip into the mayo dressing completed the whole taste.

My love, the Baked barbecued pork puff ($6.80++, usual price $4). Royal China’s rendition was very good, with golden butter flaky skin and juicy red char siew. The only problem, this was exactly the same without any addition of “exotic ingredients” and I had to pay almost three bucks more for it.

Total bill was $43. 90 for 4 dim sum, 1 appetiser, and of course the other charges. Was I disappointed by the second visit? Certainly, counting by per piece, it’s close to $2.60 each, even more expensive than Yan Ting. But you can’t fault them for the quality in dim sum, it’s just that I’m sore over paying more than usual for my char siew sou. Will I go back again? Certainly, I still have good impression of them even though this was a bad experience.

And one more thing which I was not pleased about. For those of you who had been there, you’ll know that in their middle seating area, it used to be square tables with the nice white chairs. But they had removed them, and placed round tables with ugly brown chairs instead. I presumed this was done to increase the seating capacity,  but the different furnitures was certainly not pleasing to the eyes, and the seating arrangements were not comfortable at all. After checking with a friend who went after the cny period, it seems everything is back to normal.

One thing’s a definite. We will find out the next time I revisit the place.

Royal China
1 Beach Road
#03-09 Raffles Hotel
Tel: 6338 3363