After some shopping on Nanjing Road on January 9, my parents, mom's cousin, and my cousin decided to sit down for some deliciousness at Shanghai Snack restaurant (just off of Nanjing Road, near the subway station). One of our priorities was sheng jian bao, i.e., pan-fried pork dumplings that are a Shanghai specialty. These are served everywhere in (and outside) Shanghai, in both high-end and low-end establishments, but the best can be found at snack shops filled with locals. Thus, we were quite optimistic. Here is the little dumpling-cooking area in the restaurant:
You order and pay for however many you want (the dumplings are 2 RMB each) at the counter, where the counter lady writes down your order; then, you bring the slip of paper to the chef, who hands you a plate of freshly pan-fried awesomeness:
Great sheng jian bao have a crisp crust which gives way to a fluffy, gently chewy skin, containing some tender pork filling and some hot soup. These did not disappoint!
Since it was winter and thus cold outside, we also ordered some bowls of little wontons in soup, 10 RMB / bowl. Simple, brothy, and a warming complement to the sheng jian bao.
