SMW Seeks Soup Dumplings In TX For Delicious Time

October 22, 2007 10:08 AM

Are there any restaurants in Texas where I can get Chinese soup dumplings?

When I lived in NJ, I'd make a trip up to Chinatown for soup dumplings at Shanghai Joe's.

When they opened up a companion restaurant mere blocks from my apartment in New Brunswick, NJ (Shanghai Goodies) I would get soup dumplings and crispy salt-and-pepper eel every week.

When I moved to Arlington, TX, I found plenty of places to get bubble tea, but no places that do soup dumplings! I mentioned this longing to some friends who lived in Austin, and they said they were sure there was some place that did those... but they couldn't remember.

My Google-Fu has failed me, so I'm hoping the hive mind can help me out. Anybody know anywhere in Texas I can find these again? Bonus points for one in the DFW area.

Triple word score if said restaurant also does crispy salt-and-pepper eel.

posted by ShawnStruck to food & drink (6 answers total)

I've never heard xiao long bao called soup dumplings before, but any shanghainese restaurant should serve them though.
posted by mphuie at 10:21 AM on October 22, 2007

It looks like Shanghai does them, and a couple of other places are mentioned in this thread. I don't know about the eel, though.
posted by TedW at 10:26 AM on October 22, 2007

Their Mandarin pronunciation is shwai jiao (i cannot recall the proper pinyin for the first word, its pronounced shu-way jee yao). You might go into a Chinese restaurant and ask, often you can buy them frozen at Asian markets. They are also pretty simple to make from scratch if you are so inclined.
posted by BobbyDigital at 10:45 AM on October 22, 2007

Just FYI, 小笼包(xiaolongbao or "soup dumplings") are entirely different from 水饺(shuijiao, what BobbyDigital is referring to). The former are soft steamed buns filled with a spoonful of soup and other filling. The latter feature a wonton-like wrapper you can buy in many grocery stores and are cooked by boiling and often eaten in soup.
posted by pravit at 11:06 AM on October 22, 2007

No bonus points for me, but soup dumplings are available at the Fu Fu Cafe in Houston.
posted by found dog one eye at 2:20 PM on October 22, 2007

Yao Fuzi and Shanghai Restaurant both have xiao long bao. Enjoy!
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:33 PM on October 22, 2007