i have lived in Shanghai for 12 years, and the city holds a special spot in my heart. In my opinion, Shanghai is one of the greatest food city in China and one of the greatest in the world. Much like Hong Kong, there is a wide range of food ranging from the very cheap (50 cent jian bings (Savory pancakes)) to the hyper expensive (Jean-Georges anyone?). While I no longer live in Shanghai, there are nights when I do miss the fantastic food Shanghai has to offer – big bowls of slurp-able noodles, 10 RMB fried rice at the side of the streets, mystery ‘meat skewers, smorgasbord of dumplings…If there is one food item that Shanghai is renowned for, it is the xiao long bao (soup dumplings). Each one expertly shaped and wrapped, they are little delightful parcels of meat, broth and pastry skin. But while xiao long bao is now famous all across the globe, thanks to the Taiwanese chain Ding Tai Fung, it’s cousin, the sheng jian bao (pan fried soup buns) remains relatively unknown outside of China. But flavour wise, sheng jian bao trumps xiao long bao’s all day every day. This is due to the fact that the yeasted bun is sturdy enough to be pan fried, giving it a more complex flavour, texture and dimension. The difference between the two can be explained with one simple anology: if xiao long bao was a dainty, feminine girl, sheng jian bao would be its daring, sexy cousin, clad in leather leggings, red heels and hoisting a whip in her hand. The crisp of the pan-fried base, the boiling hot soup encased by a thin, chewy casing, it is so dirty but so delicious. Sadly, Hong Kong rarely does Shanghai food right, and I never got to rekindle my fond encounters with my beloved sheng jian bao… until I stumbled into Cheung Hing Kee in Tsim Sha Tsui.
I have had terrible plates of food pretending to masquerade as Shanghai food in Hong Kong, and I would be lying if I said that I was totally confident when I made my order – there simply have been too many traumatic experiences. But once I saw that the reassuring white figure that was the Michelin mascot, my worries were cast aside immediately. While Michelin may not be the best judge on where you want to eat for dinner, it is a great judge of quality. And once again, damn them, they were right. I was transported back to Shanghai as soon as I bit through the paper thin pastry and was instantly splashed by the boiling broth inside (word of advice: be VERY careful when biting into them). It was so rich, so hot and oh so good. This store nailed everything, from the oiliness of the broth to the crisp of the pastry and the tenderness of the pork filling. I rarely say this, but for one fleeting moment, even with a scalded tongue, I felt at bliss.
Sure, there is a huge price difference between my 5 RMB ones in Shanghai and these (HK$32 for four). But they are seriously worth it. Bite into one, get burned, and you will thank me later.
Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai Pan Fried Buns, Shop 6A, G/F, 48 Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Wong Eats Hong Kong 