I finally got a chance to try the multi-colored and multi-flavored Xiao Long Bao at Paradise Dynasty! I love the original so when I saw all these other flavors, I really wanted to see if anything could surpass it. Xiao Long Bao is a Shanghainese dumpling specialty filled with pork and a soupy broth and I first tried it when I was studying abroad in Shanghai in 2007. Seattle didn’t really have very many places that offered good quality Xiao Long Bao (although now there is a Din Tai Fung at Bellevue Square) so I was excited to find it in so many restaurants here in Singapore. It is so incredibly delicious! Go try this out for yourself. It’s about $13.80 SGD for 8 dumplings which isn’t the cheapest but still not so expensive that it will break the bank.
White/Original – Still the best kind. Although the dough was a little thicker than Din Tai Fung.
Black/Truffle – Definitely could taste the truffle but it did blend well with the pork.
Green/Ginseng – Did not like this one but I don’t think I like the flavor of ginseg very much to begin with.
Brown/Foie Gras – This one was really good. The foie gras wasn’t too strong and the textures mixed well with the meat and the soup.
Orange/Crab Roe – Good concept but poor execution. The crab was too fishy and mixed with the pork it didn’t taste that great.
Yellow/Cheese – Bad concept and poor execution. Cheese and Xiao Long Bao do not mix. As we were leaving, we saw them making it as well and they basically put big cubes of cheese inside.It was melted by the time it got to the table but still…not the greatest.
Pink/Spicy szechuan (Chili oil w/peppercorns) – This one was really good. May because it was fairly close to the original one just spicier. Had a nice kick to it.
Gray/Garlic – Also pretty good. I thought the garlic would be too…garlicky but it was subtle enough to mix with the pork and the soup well!
Overall it was a fun experience. It’s a creative concept especially since they also color the dough too but the original one is still my favorite. Nothing can beat it!
Paradise Dynasty (ION Orchard)
2 Orchard Turn, #4-12A
Singapore
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