Dumplings worth flying across the Pacific Ocean for… Yang’s Dumpling – Chinese name: 小杨生煎馆 or xiao yang sheng jian guan 生煎包 – is a popular fried dumpling shop serving pan fried pork bun or Sheng jian bao, a Shanghainese Chinese dish. It was formed in Shanghai in 1994 by Mrs. Yang, who still keeps her recipe secret. They have many locations in Shanghai and are opening more all the time even in Austrailia. We dined at the Shanghai Huanghe location nearest to our hotel by People’s Square. Yang’s had a line when we went there, as is the case most of the time because the dumplings are cooked in batches. Our first visit was in 2010, our latest Summer 2025. In 2015 we also made a pilgrimage to Da Chun, which has been serving authentic Sheng Jian Bao since the 1950’s. In 2025 we notice that they really upgraded the interior, making it far more commercial. It was very plain before, now it looks better. When we think about Shanghai, this is one of the first restaurants we start to drool over! They are that great and CHEAP. This Yang’s Dumpling location is a great place to visit, because across […]

This post originally from Yang’s Dumpling, Shanghai 小杨生煎馆

Why did we dine here? – Dumpling Home was featured in the SF Chronicle for Xiao Long Bao or Soup Dumplings making us really want to try it. We are big fans of these delicate little steamed dumplings and have eaten them all over the world including Shanghai. The two best spots in the past have been Din Tai Fung in Santa Clara and Yank Sing, SF. We have dined here many times with our last visit was during Winter 2024. Dumpling Hours in Walnut Creek is their sister restaurant with an identical menu.  We ate there in September 2022 and found it substantially identical. They opened Dumpling Story on Fillmore street in San Francisco in June 2023. 90% of the menu is the same. Fewer boiled dumplings. Numb & Spicy Pork Bao, Fried Tofu with Sweet Soy Sauce, Seasoning Pork Intestine Noodles, Tomato & Egg Noodles, Braised Eggplant. Some say the dumplings here are slightly better or worse. In the middle of 2025 we visited Shanghai and ate at Lai Lai Xiao Long Bao – The current top spot for XLB. Dumpling Home is about 90% as good as them! Not bad. Yangs Dumpling Shanghai is definitely a lot […]

This post originally from Dumpling Home, San Francisco

Shanghai Flavor Shop is an inexpensive restaurant in a second rate strip mall. This diamond in the rough is located in sleepy Sunnyvale, and specializes in Shanghainese Chinese cuisine. To the right of this restaurant is the popular Indian Buffet: Sankranti This hole in the wall is best known for Pan fried pork buns. Celebrity Chef Ming Tsai always eats here when in town. Flavor Shop has a fairly short menu of Chinese dishes. Our last visit was in 2019. Shanghai Flavor Shop Decor, Vibe – Shanghai Flavor Shop is a typical low budget Chinese restaurant with basic decor. Local Asians were mostly dining when we visited. Not much English was spoken but you can point to items on the menu. Shanghai Flavor Shop Menu Their menu is compact, lacking many classic Shanghai dishes like Xiao Long Bao, Casserole soups, etc.  Great to see all the usual Americanized dishes are missing. Hidden fact unless you ready Chinese: They sell frozen Soup Dumpling aka Xiao Long Bao to go! (Sorry, no Pan Fried Pork Buns) Shanghai Flavor Shop Food Picks: Pan Fried Pork Buns aka Sheng Jian Bao ($8 for 6) were excellent. Crunchy bottom that is a thick. Robust, flavorful and […]

This post originally from Shanghai Flavor Shop, Sunnyvale

This post originally from China Live, San Francisco

Soup Dumplings! Why did we dine here? – Chef Zhao Kitchen is a Shanghai Chinese restaurant in Palo Alto, near 101 and Embarcadero. This is a sister restaurant to Cupertino’s Shanghai Garden. Confusing things, Chef Zhao Bistros in Mountain View and San Mateo are unrelated both cuisine-wise and with owners. This restaurant has been getting some good local buzz, so it was time to check it out. Insider Tip – Go early, the wait starts around 6. Cuisine – Shanghai Chinese Location – Palo Alto Near 101 Opened – 2016 Service – Chef Zhao Kitchen is pretty much like any other Chinese restaurant drop and go. Verdict – Chef Zhao Kitchen is one of the best Shanghai Chinese restaurants in this area. The next best one up north is Little Shanghai, San Mateo. Prices here are reasonable and the food very good. Is this restaurant worth a 5 minute drive? Yes. 30 minute? Maybe. 1 Hour? No. Chef Zhao Kitchen Signature Dishes – Steamed dumplings, Pan Fried Buns, Noodles, Rice Cakes Chef Zhao Kitchen’s Menu is pretty standard with the usual Shanghainese dishes along with the usual Americanized fare. Chef Zhao Kitchen Food Picks: Scallion Pancake ($4.95) were greasy, crispy, […]

This post originally from Chef Zhao Kitchen, Palo Alto

This post originally from Da Chun, Shanghai