I love dumplings. Well, most of them. I’m okay with wantons (I love the fried ones though), but I really dislike shui gaos (Cantonese) (I think they’re called sui jiao in Mandarin, but I can’t be sure).
But I totally adore the gyoza/guotie and the xiao long bao.
[The Xiao Long Bao]
So, two weekends ago, we went to feast on these flour and meat concoctions at a Beijing-themed high tea.
While not as pretty as Din Tai Fung’s or as tasty as Crystal Jade’s, our Lao Beijing xiao long baos were definitely good. Each tiny parcel was delicately folded; its warm skin quivering ever so slightly as the steam from its juices escaped, giving off a lovely savoury scent.
I have a ritual of sorts: Pick a bao up gently with my chopsticks and place it on my soup spoon. Nibble and bite off a tiny portion, creating a small hole. Suck and drink up the delicious juices. Then, place ginger slivers soaked in Chinese vinegar onto the dumpling, bite and savour.
That day, we had two servings of xiao long bao between us. That’s 16 pieces haha!
Included in the semi-a la carte buffet was a variety of Beijing-style noodles (dan dan mian and other la mian varieties), guotie with different fillings, and jiaozi (not very nice).
At the buffet table, there was braised mushrooms, shao mai, onion pancakes, Yunan ham, desserts and so on.
As expected, we ordered mostly from the a la carte menu.
When we asked for the bill, the waiter, possibly from his observations of our enthusiastic devouring of them dumplings, suggested we sign up for the Tung Lok (Lao Beijing is part of the Tung Lok group) membership card, which offers discounts and stuff for future visits. To his surprise, we declined. We figured we don’t and probably won’t dine at Tung Lok restaurants often enough to make it worthwhile.
The damage came up to about $18 per person, after taxes. Really quite a decent price to pay for the quality of the food and the quantity we ate. Although, if I can make dumplings like her , I certainly won’t be eating them outside of home!
Lao Beijing
#02-11/12 Novena Square
Tel: 6358 4466
OR
#03-01 Plaza Singapura
Tel: 6738 7207
{High Tea buffet available on weekends and public holidays only.
2.45-5.15pm (4.45pm last orders)
$15.80 ++ per person (adult)}
By Esther Au Yong
Reprinted by Request
