The 5 best things I ate in Singapore — #4: Eight-Flavor Xiao Long Bao

In this bi-weekly seriesI round up the five best things I ate in a particular city or country.

Currently I’m counting down the top five things I ate in Singapore — see number 5 here

#4: Xiao Long Bao — Paradise Dynasty

During my nearly three years as a pescetarian, I turned down some of my favorite foods regularly with a willpower I no longer seem to possess: juicy steaks, double fried chicken, greasy crispy bacon.

But I still made the rare exception now and again — and one of those was always for xiao long bao.

(Another rare exception was lamb kebabs, because apparently I can say no to cows and pigs but yes to baby lambs.)

Until I moved to Singapore, I was usually able to resist these steamed soup dumplings at most brunches I attended — a feat, considering they’re a dim sum staple and supposedly originated in Shanghai, my parents’ hometown and the cuisine on which I was raised.

It wasn’t until I moved to Singapore that I fell under their spell. The dumplings that did me in:

Paradise Dynasty’s 8-Flavor Xiao Long Bao.

I could never resist those pork dumplings; they were my pescetarian kryptonite.

When properly made, xiao long bao have a thin skin that breaks at the touch of a chopstick, releasing a flavorful broth that spills into your spoon and leaves you with a tender pork dumpling that goes perfectly with a dip of vinegar and ginger.

They’re hard to get right — the skin has to be thick enough to hold the soup while cooking, but thin enough to give at the slightest poke.

So the first time I heard about the flavored xiao long bao, I thought they were gimmicky. Xiao long bao are already delicious as is. Clearly this was a ruse to attract the tourists and Western palates, right?

Wrong. So wrong.

These xiao long bao are as high-quality and mouth-wateringly perfect as they are colorful.

The Signature Xiao Long Bao are recommended to be eaten in a specific order, so that stronger flavors don’t overpower the subtler ones. You start with original, then move to Ginseng, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Crab Roe, Garlic, and Szechuan.

My favorites include the cheese, black truffle, and foie gras (even though when it comes to the latter, I don’t like the real thing here in Paris!). The Szechuan is a bit too spicy for me, I usually gift it to someone else — but I could eat a whole basket of the cheesy xiao long bao on their own (as sacrilegious as that feels to say).

The restaurant has a fantastic menu and ambience overall; the spring rolls are almost as good as my mom’s, and they sometimes have a ‘tea master’ who walks around pouring tea into your cup from two tables away, using a pot with long spout that he throws over his shoulder. If you can swing it when it’s not rush hour, they’ve also got an outside terrace that overlooks Orchard Road. And let’s not forget the open kitchen set-up where you can watch their dozens of chefs crimping and steaming dumplings at an impressive speed.

But seriously. Go for the dumplings. Original or flavored, doesn’t matter to me; just get yourself some xiao long bao already.

For more on how to eat xiao long bao (or to drool over more photos), check out this post I wrote over at Waegook Tom.

Paradise Dynasty
#04-12a
Ion Orchard mall
2 Orchard Turn

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19 Comments

  • Reply
    Hannah
    February 16, 2013 at 21:34

    Oh, I want these now! They sell something similar as a snack in Vietnam. There it’s called Banh bao and it’s basically a spongy pastry filled with minced meat and a quail egg (yum). I’ve never seen anything like this, though. It’s on my “To Eat” list.

  • Reply
    Ashley
    February 16, 2013 at 21:39

    That looks amazing, seriously! I love dim sum so much-and I’ve never even heard of this kind, now i’ll have to go looking for it. :)

  • Reply
    Tess
    February 17, 2013 at 00:35

    Are any of the flavors vegetarian?

  • Reply
    Ashley of Ashley Abroad
    February 17, 2013 at 02:17

    Um, are xiao long bao available in Paris? I need them immediately.

  • Reply
    erica
    February 17, 2013 at 10:02

    Omg. They look amazing.
    Funny story: I didn’t really know they were a thing until I moved to Japan!

  • Reply
    kristen @thekaleproject
    February 17, 2013 at 16:07

    those look SO SO good. wow. i’ve never had dumplings like this. assuming i won’t be able to try them in paris ; )

  • Reply
    chinamatt
    February 17, 2013 at 23:04

    I’m drooling over these. I better make my summer trip to Asia so I don’t miss out on all that amazing food.

  • Reply
    Amanda @ Farsickness
    February 18, 2013 at 02:15

    Ahhh, yes! This place has been added to my Singapore itinerary (which currently only consists of things to eat)…I am OBSESSED with xiao long bao and can’t wait to try some of these (really random) flavors!

  • Reply
    Steph (@ 20 Years Hence)
    February 18, 2013 at 13:20

    I will forever be grateful to you for introducing us to that delightful XLB shop in China Town while we were in Singapore, but how could you not tell us about this place??? Cheesy XLBs?!? Now I have yet another reason to head back to Singapore, both of them food-related: try black-pepper crab & these magical XLBs!

  • Reply
    Alex @ ifs ands & butts
    February 18, 2013 at 13:21

    No, stop, just stop. Those look to good to be real. I need them!

  • Reply
    Daisy
    February 18, 2013 at 23:08

    Holy crap, Edna! Multi-colored, multi-flavored xiao long bao? I am so envious!!!!!

  • Reply
    RBJello
    February 19, 2013 at 16:58

    小笼包 is my favorite!!! I’ve never seen so many different types/colors in one steamer before. I love the concept of how there’s a certain order too. Gives me a good reason to go to Singapore. ;)

  • Reply
    Ann
    February 20, 2013 at 02:31

    Oh my GOD. Weeping. Weeping.

  • Reply
    tia
    February 21, 2013 at 17:56

    Wow these look amazing! I have yet to travel to Asia, but I’m dying to go there just to eat things like this :D

  • Reply
    Erica
    February 23, 2013 at 10:44

    These images brought back memories of the vegetarian dumplings I tasted in Flathbush, Brooklyn almost 9 years ago. Dumplings are sooo good!

  • Reply
    cosmoHallitan
    February 24, 2013 at 11:30

    I saw these advertised in Singapore but didn’t try them since I was there to eat Singaporean food though now I regret that just a smidge. Luckily I can get regular old xiaolongbao anytime I want in Shanghai! I will miss them most when we eventually leave here. Better eat my fill while I can!

  • Reply
    Alli Campbell
    February 25, 2013 at 10:21

    I am so intrigued by the flavoured XLBs! Not sure anything could beat the original though.

  • Reply
    Bell - Wanderlust Marriage
    March 27, 2013 at 00:15

    We are off to Singapore in just a few hours… we have your recommendations marked and hope to check out this one in particular! We love dumpling. Thank you for sharing!

  • Reply
    What I Ate In...Singapore - Farsickness | travel. eat. write.
    April 25, 2013 at 09:00

    […] I read Edna’s post about Paradise Dynasty a month before I left on my trip, I immediately knew I would be making a stop there. Xiao long bao […]

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