What’s really great fun about the “Point, Nod, and Smile” method that The Astronomer and I employ for choosing what to eat when we can’t speak the local language is that it’s wonderfully serendipitous. We never know who’s gonna be serving what or who’s gonna be eating when as we’re exploring around town ready to pounce.

This usually means grazing from street to street, not giving any mind to proper meal times and balanced diets. It’s absolutely glorious and one of my favorite parts of traveling.

While strolling down South Yunnan Road, I peered through the window of a plain Jane shop and spotted a man digging into steamers full of xiao long bao.

The dining room, painted white and adorned with government health ratings, was hardly impressive, but the dumplings looked enticing as all get out. The restaurant, Xiao Jin Ling (roughly translated as “little Nanjing“), turned out to be quite the find.

We ordered the classic pork-stuffed xiao long bao to start. Steamed to order, the goods arrived at the table a short while later.

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Soup dumplings are synonymous with Shanghai, so it was imperative that we indulge in more than a few steamers full during our stay in the city.

Our first glimpse of the fiercely competitive local xiao long bao scene was at Jia Jia Tang Bao, a beloved institution known for its impeccably constructed steamed-to-order dumplings. Locals and visitors alike gather here for dependably delicious, albeit a touch expensive, xiao long bao.

Inside this no-frills, fluorescent-lit shop located just north of People’s Square, orders are taken at the front counter (no English is spoken, but there’s a translated menu) and dumplings are delivered tableside. The selection depends on the time of day. Since we dined during the evening hours, a few varieties, including the ever-popular crab and pork dumplings, were no longer available.

We had read on various websites and travel publications that the restaurant usually boasts long lines, but fortunately there were none during our visit.

Shredded ginger in vinegar, an essential xiao long bao accoutrement, was available for a nominal fee. Score one for the San Gabriel Valley’s XLB joints, where this condiment is always plentiful and free.

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