Taste of Shanghai, Hurstville

Dumpling time again as we make our way into Hurstville's Taste of Shanghai which is also the group that runs the hugely successful Shanghai Stories 1938 down Chatswood.

You're given a little glimpse of all the dumpling action at the windowed store front where you see multiple veterans gunning out the little pockets of joy. Still... there's only so much that can entertain you whilst you wait that hour for a table to be free so you're best keeping preoccupied with something else.

Spicy Crab Meat Xiao Long Bao 7.8

Xiao Long Bao is almost like a requisite when you go to one of these eateries. You can't leave without having it. They're really really good as well; nice thin skin, soupy insides and nice meat filling but it needs a bit of ginger on the side. What little crab meat is in there, it's all real. If there was a xiao long bao eating competition here, I'd happily win it, hands down.

Marinate Chicken in Chinese Wine 8.8

Chicken of some sort is also always mandatory and it's done quite nicely here with non-fatty skin and a cold moist meat. Warning: drink the 'soup' at your own tasting peril, it has a wicked boozy kick which I should have expected. Duhhh... DRUNKEN chicken, silly me.

Lebanese Cucumber in Garlic and Vinaigrette 7.8

We order a side of lebanese cucumbers (cause y'know... vegetables... healthy) that's dressed in a wonderfully aromatic, chilli, garlic and sesame oil.

Spicy Beef Belly Noodle Soup 11.8

Beef noodle here is a definitely the highlight of the meal. Nice chewy noodles (which leaves me to suspect that they are hand made on premise or though I could be wrong) with really soft tender beef brisket bathe in a warm and hearty beef broth with a really nice chilli hit. 

Pan Fried Pork Buns with Sesame 9.8

Xiao long bao's big brother, Shen jian bao, is wonderfully done here, all pretty with the distinct layers of the frying caramelisation on the bottom and the soft bun on top. The tasty filling comes with the requisite soupy inside and it's just really delicious.

Grilled Onion Pancakes 6.8

Carbs, carbs, carbs and more carbs continue with another common Shanghainese feature: crispy green onion pancakes which are crispy, of course, and non oily.

Stir Noodle with Shrimp and Shallot 10.8

In the spirit of generosity, my mum goes ahead and orders more, well knowing that we won't be able to finish it. First round of the second order is a bowl of shrimps and noodles, a nice little carb load filled with filled with shallots.

Deep Fried Chinese Milk Bun 6.8

Deep fried chinese milk dough is a guilty pleasure that one can't resist. They're soft in the inside and they've got this crispy glass-like layer on the outside and when dunked in condense milk becomes such a simple delight.

Sesame Taro Pastry 7.8

They look like spring rolls but they're actually nice and crispy taro rolls and ends the meal on a sweet note.

I really really don't get the 36 percent rating on Urbanspoon, I really don't. But hey, it's only 11 votes. Service is exactly what you'd imagine from a dumpling eaterie, not exactly the most welcoming bunch but very fast and efficient when it comes to service. That 'fast' and 'efficient' label, however can't be applied to the table waiting times in which you can expect to wait for a table for 30 minutes to an hour. Still, besides the slightly steeper pricing (around 20 percent more compared to other xiao long bao eateries), there's so much variety and consistency when it comes to the food that you won't mind coming back and waiting that little bit extra. 


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Posted in: beef, chicken, dumplings, shen jian bao, Xiao Long Bao