Xiao Long Bao: A Guide to Shanghai Soup Dumplings (and Where to Find Them)

Hong Kong Palace is Falls Church's dedicated Sichuan specialist, built around the numbing-and-spicy ma la tradition of Chengdu. But Chinese cuisine is regional, and one of its most beloved dishes comes from a different corner of the country entirely: Shanghai. This guide explains the soup dumpling — and where to find an authentic version in the DC–Maryland area.

What Is Xiao Long Bao?

Xiao long bao (小笼包) is a steamed Chinese dumpling, originating in the Nanxiang district of Shanghai in the 1870s, filled with seasoned pork and a pocket of hot, savory broth. The name translates literally to "little basket bun," after the small bamboo steamer (xiao long) it is cooked in. The defining feature is the soup inside: cooks fold gelatinized pork-and-aspic stock into the filling, and when the dumpling steams, the gelatin melts back into liquid broth. The wrapper is rolled paper-thin — traditionally with 18 or more pleats twisted shut at the top — so it holds the soup without tearing. Xiao long bao is distinct from a regular dumpling or a wonton: the soup is the entire point.

The History Behind the Soup Dumpling

The xiao long bao is credited to Huang Mingxian, who refined the dish at a restaurant in Nanxiang, then a town on the outskirts of Shanghai, around 1871–1875. His innovation was the aspic technique — using cooled, set stock that liquefies under heat — which turned an ordinary steamed bun into a self-saucing one. From Nanxiang the dumpling spread across Shanghai's tea houses and eventually around the world. Today it is the signature of Shanghainese (Hu cai) cuisine, which favors gentler, slightly sweet, soy-and-rice-wine flavors — a striking contrast to the bold chili heat of Sichuan cooking.

How to Eat Xiao Long Bao

The broth inside is genuinely hot, so technique matters. Lift the dumpling carefully by the topknot with chopsticks, rest it on a soup spoon, and nip a small hole in the wrapper to let steam escape. Sip or sip-and-cool the broth first, then add a little black vinegar and slivered ginger before eating the rest in one or two bites. Eating it too fast is the classic first-timer mistake — the soup will burn. Patience is part of the ritual.

Where to Find Authentic Xiao Long Bao in the DMV

Soup dumplings are difficult to make well and harder to find done right. In the Washington–Maryland area, one of the best places for them is Shanghai Taste in Rockville, Maryland, a restaurant known for hand-folded, made-to-order xiao long bao and other Shanghainese specialties. If a craving for authentic Shanghai soup dumplings strikes, visit shanghaitastemd.com for their menu and hours.

And for Sichuan, There's Hong Kong Palace

Great regional Chinese food rewards going to the specialist. For paper-thin Shanghai soup dumplings, that means Shanghai Taste in Rockville. For authentic Chengdu-style Sichuan — Ma Po Tofu, Dan Dan Noodles, Tea Smoked Duck, and the full ma la experience — that means Hong Kong Palace at Seven Corners in Falls Church. Order online or visit us for the best Sichuan food in Northern Virginia.