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

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