‘Xiao long bao,’ famous all over Asia, now in Manila

Crystal Jade’s savory treat has a smooth, thin skin that’s just right to hold the steaming flavorful broth and pork inside
YOU DON’T have to travel to Hong Kong or Singapore to savor yummy xiao long bao. Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, whose Harbour City-Hong Kong branches are listed in the Michelin Guide Hong Kong/Macau 2010 Bib Gourmand, is finally here in Manila.

If you love xiao long bao, that popular steamed soup dumpling, this is the place to go. If you don’t know what xiao long bao is, this is the right place to discover this savory treat.

Crystal Jade’s xiao long bao has a smooth, thin skin that’s just right to hold the steaming flavorful broth and pork inside.

Made with minced pork, ginger, scallion, Chinese wine, soya sauce, oyster sauce and pepper, this Xiao Long Bao is bursting with flavor (P158 for a basket of six pieces). Steamed and served in small bamboo baskets (xialong), it is best eaten in a ceramic soupspoon, skin punctured to let off steam (so you won’t burn your tongue, too), and mixed with ginger vinegar sauce (optional).

“Some xiao long bao have tough skin so that it can hold the pork and soup inside, or use too-thin wonton wrapper that breaks the instant you pick it up from the dumpling. We have mastered ours so that everything is just right,” said Ip Yiu Tung, chair/CEO, Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding.

88th branch

Located on the ground floor of Virra Mall, Greenhills, Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao is the first branch to open in the country and the 88th in Asia. Opening in Singapore 19 years ago, it now has branches in China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan.

Many branches have earned numerous citations, including Ip, who was awarded 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year by Rotary-ASME Singapore. Crystal Jade is known to gourmands and foodies as one of the top Chinese food destinations in Asia, with seven master chefs from Hong Kong manning the kitchen.

Noodles (la mien) are hand-pulled and so fresh, said Ip, that they are made only upon order. A popular dish is Noodles with Dried Shrimp and Peanut in Spicy Sauce (P288)—classic Szechuan noodles made of sesame and peanut sauce, grated peanuts and dried shrimps. It is as spicy as any Szechuan dish there is, and served with crushed peanut toppings.

Crystal Jade can accommodate up to 150 people. There are four sofa booths, and a lauriat table that can seat up to 13 people. The show kitchen, located on the right side of the restaurant upon entrance, reveals a spacious, modern workplace.

Also a must-try is the Crispy Eel Wu Xi style (P288), fried eel similar to how we make our dilis—sweet and crunchy. But while our dilis is a little chewy sometimes, this one is consistently crunchy at every bite.

On a hot day, a refreshing start would be the Cold Cucumber with Minced Garlic in Sesame Oil (P180). It is a simple appetizer made of crunchy cucumber and garlic, served cold on a dish.

Tasty mix

Another dumpling to try is the Beijing Pork Dumpling (P188/eight pieces), a tasty mix of pork and vegetables wrapped in extra smooth skin. The steamed Vegetable Bun, with fluffy texture similar to siopao, is a good choice for the health-conscious.

“We use also olive oil when recipes call for it, and dishes that require olives use fresh Chinese olives,” Ip said.

If you want more spice, there’s the Sauteed Chicken with Cashew in Spicy Sauce. Tender chicken cubes are cooked in onion and dried chili, with cashew nuts counteracting the otherwise very spicy dish and giving it an interesting texture.

Lines are long, so show up an hour ahead before prime hours (lunch and dinner), or have seats reserved in advance. Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao is managed locally by Red Dragon Culinary Concepts. Call Red Dragon at 5706912 for more info.