2006.07.12
xiao long bao
AKA Shanghai soup dumplings — heaven in a bamboo steamer! Dim sum in Hong Kong is so good. even the randomly-picked restaurant we wandered into was miles better than anything I’ve experienced in New York or Vancouver.
If you’re not Lia and don’t live and breathe xiao long bao,
here’s a short description: thin, doughy wrapper around a ground pork
meatball floating in broth, tied off and then steamed. Put the whole
thing in your mouth and let it all come undone in a juicy burst
of flavor. Putting the whole thing together is a delicate affair, which
is the only reason I can think of for the heinous crime of these being impossible to find in Seattle.
Still, these will tide me over for awhile. yum!
I realize I complained inordinately about Starbucks in my Macau entry, so I really should put in a good word: I admit, Starbucks in Asia rocks my world, because they serve mango tea frappucinos! They’re possibly the best virgin iced drink ever, and doubly so in the sauna-like conditions of southest Asia. Seriously, it’s like they crushed a frozen mango directly into a cup, and if you’ve had mangoes in Asia, you know things don’t get much better than that.
Felt kind of ashamed & very ugly-American, going into a Starbucks every day for a little dose of nirvana. On this trip alone I spent time sipping mango frapps in Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan*, and I’m no coffee drinker but I’d go to Starbucks every day in Seattle if they carried them here. No shame.
Okay, just a little shame.