Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao 中国拉面小笼包 - Michelin Plate Awarded Stall in Chinatown

Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao (中国拉面小笼包) is one of the many stalls located in Chinatown Complex Food Centre – the largest hawker centre in Singapore. Having won the Michelin Plate, this is yet another item to cross off my list of things to try. If you are not sure what a Xiao Long Bao is, it is a Chinese Steamed Soup Dumpling filled with stuffings such as Minced Pork. What makes Xiao Long Bao different from a typical dumpling is when you bite into its thin delicate dumpling skin, a flavourful soup would pour out.

We visited the store during a weekend and as expected, there was a long queue attested to its popularity. Thankfully, we did not have to queue for long as we went when they had just opened – the wait time was only around 15 minutes. All the orders are freshly made by hand, and you could watch them make the Xiao Long Bao and dumplings while queuing.

What we had at Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao (中国拉面小笼包)

Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao’s menu includes Xiao Long Bao, Dumplings and even La Mian Noodles.

Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Mini Buns) ($7)

Though they increased the price of Xiao Long Bao (10 Pieces) from $6 to $7, it is still one of the more affordable ones. While the skin of the Xiao Long Bao is not the thinnest one around, the saving grace is definitely its well marinated minced pork fillings. There is no “right” way to eat the Xiao Long Bao, but my favourite way would be to bite a small hole at the side of the dumpling, let the broth pour into the spoon, dip the dumpling in the vinegar sauce, eat the dumpling and lastly savour the broth. The broth had a mild sweetness to it, which is quite addictive.

Hong You Chao Shou (Szechuan Spicy Wanton) ($6)

Their popular items would be the Xiao Long Bao and Guo Tie (Pan-Fried Dumplings), but we decided to give the Hong You Chao Shou a try! Known as Szechuan Spicy Wanton on the menu, this dish is a plate of boiled dumpling drenched in a sauce that consists of Vinegar, Chili Oil, Chili Sauce and sprinkled with coriander. The Hong You Chao Shou dumplings (10 pieces) were silky smooth, and like the Xiao Long Bao, it had a generous amount of minced meat stuffings. Soaked in the tangy and spicy sauce, every bite was satisfying.

Over the years, Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao has seen an increase of pricing on their menu. Perhaps due to rising rent and ingredient costs, or its popularity. At only $7 for 10 pieces of Xiao Long Bao and $4-5 for a bowl of La Mian, it is still much more affordable as compared to the more well known franchises and restaurant chains. For its price and standard, I will definitely be back again if I am nearby.