Sydney may already have a Chinatown close to the city but Ashfield is what I consider to be Little Shanghai or Shanghai-Town. This is a suburb where, should you have a craving for dumplings that are a little different from your Cantonese Yum Cha variety, there is a stretch of road studded thickly with restaurants offering Shanghai cuisine and dumplings. This is where you can eat until you’re stuffed for under $20 a head (or even $15). Something of a minor miracle in Sydney.
And if you’re a regular reader, you’ll probably have suspected my ulterior motives for going here. That is, to try more Xiao Long Bao, those famous Shanghai soup dumplings. We’re taking M and her sons S and In along for the ride as they’re all dumpling fans. This Saturday night we’re meeting early, at 6.30pm outside Ashfield Mall along with some unusual looking types, and what do you know but we’re greeted with a queue outside of ticket bearing patrons. It’s like being transported to a Yum Cha restaurant at 1pm.
I feel like breaking into song: “I’ve got a golden ticket!”
The girl with the tickets lets us know that it will be a 15 minute wait and we stand outside pondering the other numerous Shanghai eateries along the road, many with only 1 or 2 customers inside them. If there’s one thing about Chinese restaurants, it’s that if there’s a queue, it’s usually a good sign.
Within about 10 minutes, our table is free, and it’s a good thing as S is hungry (he is a growing boy after all). We order straight away as they’ve given us a copy of the menu to look at while waiting. We’ve chosen a selection of dumplings as well as one of their chef’s specials and a tofu dish.
Spring Rolls 6 for $7.80
Everything comes out quickly and our small table can barely fit it all so we do a lot of quick eating and juggling. The first thing we try is the Spring rolls, which In had ordered as they’re his favourite. They’re not bad, nice and fresh and very hot although Spring Rolls aren’t usually my item of choice.
Xiao Long Bao 8 for $7.80
The next item is one that we warn the boys will need a bit of patience and restraint. If they thought the Spring Rolls were hot, they might get a shock when biting into the hot soupy Xiao Long Baos. We let them cool for a while and then instruct the boys on how to eat them. After telling them to “Put the entire thing in your mouth” In chomps down halfway on his sending an explosion of soup forth across the table and dribbling down in front of him, much to his utter delight as only an 8 year old can see it. The other tables around us chuckle at the sight and M clucks “What part of ‘put the entire thing in your mouth’ didn’t you get?” while mopping him up.
I notice that the pastry is a little sturdier than at Shanghai Night, with only one tearing on the way to our mouths as it was sitting next to another when it was steamed and they stuck together. The taste inside is gingery and very good, I’d say these were as good as Shanghai Night but my husband feels that Shanghai Night wins on price as it’s cheaper and taste (Shanghai Night’s is still a touch more gingery).
Pan fried pork and crab dumplings $10
The next dumplings are my favourites, the bready filled pork buns with the burnished crispy bottoms. We’ve chosen the crab and pork ones and one bite into them and I’m enraptured. The outer is cushioney soft yet perfectly crispy at the bottom and the inside is filled with a generous amount of pork and red crab roe in the centre and there is also the additional soupiness inside. They’re quite simply the nicest of these dumplings that I’ve ever tried – my only hope is that they’re consistently this good. My husband usually doesn’t eat any of these dumplings finding them too dry but he gobbles two down of these quietly confessing later that he really liked these. In is a firm fan too.
Cabbage and pork dumplings 15 for $8
S and my husband’s choice is the Cabbage and Pork dumpling. I don’t mind these but after the Xiao Long Bao and the Pan fried dumplings, their sturdy appeal is lost on me. Not so for S and my husband who fill up on these little beasties.
Blue Swimmer crab with vermicelli noodles served “on fire” $19.80
Our next dish is one that has the boys excited, the Blue Swimmer crab with vermicelli noodles served “on fire”. The crab is a little fiddly to eat and if I can be honest, isn’t the best crab I’ve had but the noodles, thick with roe and flavour are worth diving back for again and again. S delights in getting every morsel of crab out of the legs (stabbing with fork is the best method of execution for him).
Hot pot with Tofu with chicken $12.80
Our last savoury dish is the Hot pot with Tofu with chicken, a dish M ordered as she likes tofu. It looks boring but looks are deceiving and the rich sauce is deliciously gingery and very flavoursome with the pillows of tofu so soft.
Sesame rice balls $5
The boys are impatient to try the dessert, the sesame rice balls. I’m curious as I thought these were in a sweet soup much like the papapa and white fungus but the soup itself tastes like a floury water – not palatable.
The boys are not fans, the balls aren’t sweet enough for them but I try one after being warned that they weren’t sweet and really liked them, the soft gelatinous texture of the mochi balls is delicious against the smoky, slightly sweet black sesame.
Taste of Shanghai Restaurant
264 Liverpool Road Ashfield, NSW, 2131
Tel: +61 (02) 9798 2877
Open 7 days
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29 Comments | Add your own
These all look sooo good!
I was loving these prices too!
I need to get me one of those steamers. Do you have a bamboo steamer? I don’t.. just a sorry looking s/s collapsible one (on legs) from the supermarket!
I appreciate the advice on how to eat soupy dumplings too.. something I didn’t know! I would have thought they were too big to put in your mouth all at once?
@the ‘soup show’ (B.Y.O. protective bib or raincoat) 
Cirque du Xiao Long Bao?
I’m going through a dumpling phase at the moment, having recently watched Kung Fu Panda. Something about those pleated bundles of joy makes me very hungry!
Mmm, more xiao long bao! I think I like the ones at Shanghai Night best of the ones you’ve tried (the price definitely helps too!)
There’s a good place in Chinatown in the little arcade (called the Prince Arcade or something similar?) near Her Majesty’s carpark – it has fake vines adorning the ceilings and huge servings of xiao long bao and noodles
Ah the never ending search for xiao long bao, feel free not to stop I love them as well and your photos make me hungry
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Mmmmm, I love Xiao Long Baos! I have a weak spot for dumplings in general . . .
I quite enjoy my sesame balls, and usually have a stock in my freezer:) Shame about the unsavoury soup they were served with.
The crab was my favourite, probably because of the noodles!
I should never look at your blog too early in the morning..my tummy will be growling all the way till lunchtime! I love the part about the soup dumpling exploding
those are always so hard to get a handle on!
Love those blue nails! Those spring rolls look like Chinese enchiladas…
All of this food is making me hungry … I have never heard of or tried soup dumplings before, but after reading your posts about them, I know I’ll have to find them.
hi nqn
mmmmmmm too good!!
a quick question-both at shanghai night and taste of shanghai, are non asian and non mandarin/cantonese people able to easily order what they want? ie is the menu in english or with self explanatory pictures???
hi nqn
delicious
query-is the menu easy to order off for us non chinese speaking folk?
Hi Maria-I know-great prices right? It’s good to know that there are bargains in Sydney
I have a few bamboo steamers that I stack on top of each other. They’re great!
Haha no they’re not too big to fit in your mouth, I think he wanted to know what would happen if he did that-and he found out much to his delight!
Hi Y-I go crazy for dumplings in Winter – well also for Summer but definitely in winter…It’s embarrassing the number I can eat!
Hi flapflap-Oh cool! Thanks so much for the recommendation
I’m always happy to sample more in my quest to become a XLB eating expert 
Hi Cappucino-I like to think that it’s a noble(ish) pursuit and one I’m more than willing to try out for
Hi Fuji Mama-Me too! I cannot say no to a dumpling
Hi Miss Honey-I should really stock up on these and make them when I’m feeling peckish for something sweet!
Hi Howard-How was your actual crab? Ours wasn’t brilliant but yes those noodles were!
Hi Alexandra-Hehe sorry!
I think he was rather pleased at his party trick 
Hi Blond Duck-I love my dark nail colours
Haha I suppose they do!
Hi Cakelaw-Definitely try and seek these out, they’re definitely worth the effort!
Hi jay-It’s not a problem at all, the menu is in both English and Chinese and there are some dishes with pictures too. I think there are more dishes with pictures at Taste of Shanghai, or at least all of the dumplings have a picture
Mmm haven’t tried this place yet -will have to give it a go based on the pan-fried buns (were they better at SN or here?) I do love both Shanghai Night and New Shanghai. My only gripe at SN is that it’s rather unhygienic…something I find to be quite important. Based on that, I tend to go to New Shanghai.
why is it that fried foods always look so much tastier to me than steamed foods? it’s just not fair.
I really wish I could find a great Chinese restaurant in Bristol, as I am now really, really craving it!
The pork and crab dumplings look so good. Love the beautiful pleats that they’ve created. (I try so hard to make even pleats, but I seem to have the dexterity of a horse.)
Yet another dumpling place to try in Ashfield! I really do appreciate your reviews as I can anticipate what to order! I am terrible at ordering and can sit there fore ages deciding.
I have never seen crab and pork dumplings on a dumpling menu and will definitely be ordering these. They look mouthwateringly good!
Hi Jenny-The pan fried pork buns were definitely better here but the Xiao Long Bao are better at Shanghai Night as they’re a bit more gingery and cheaper.
I saw this link that is indeed a bit scary as far as New Shanghai’s hygiene is concerned :S http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices/
A rather scary list as I’ve dined at a lot of those places!
Hi grace-It’s their golden coating I think!
Hi Angela-I know, the pleating is pure artistry. I recall seeing Gordon Ramsay interning at Royal China restaurant in London and his dumplings were summarily rejected (although they looked good to me). I hope you find a place closeby!
Hi Maria-I do sometimes, especially when faced with a gigantic menu
Those pork and crab pan fried dumplings were amazing, perfectly crispy, spongy and soupy in one!
Hi, have been reading for a few weeks now but not commented yet (am not much of a commenter) but felt I had to comment here (being Shanghainese of origin)!
Few points:
1. Not sure if you were trying to make it easier for the boys, but eating xiaolong bao is best if you take a teeny tiny bite out of the skin, let it cool a little, then suck out the soup very quickly. Then you’re free to eat them in one big bite or a few smaller chomps!
2. Those fried pork buns are called “shengjian mantou” (which I think just means fried buns) if you wanted to know the Chinese name!
3. My parents make the glutinous sesame balls with that kind of soup. I’ve never been a huge fan either, but that’s just how they do it? My way to make the soup better is to let a few sesame balls explode into the soup and voila, black sesame flavoured soup! ;o)
Hi CatPuccino-Thanks for your comment
Yes that was to make it easier for the kids but also because I prefer to do it that way too. Otherwise the point of a soupy dumpling seems lost to me 
Good to know the name of the pan fried dumpling-hopefully I will remember it. If I were to make it I think I’d make it with a sweet soup-that would be divine!
Hi NQN,
Coming from an eating family…. the best XLB i tasted whilst living in Sydney is at the Eastwood Garden Peking Restaurant. I must say it was a few years ago – but it was better than any i tasted since. Its some distance…i know, but its the type you have to put on a spoon to eat. i hope it hasnt changed and you get a chance to try it! The potstickers are pretty good too. And try the fried souffle with red bean for dessert.
Hi winnie-Thanks so much for the recommendation! I will travel for good XLB so I’ll give it a go if I’m in the area
The fried souffle with red bean sounds intriguing!
My family and I drove up from Wollongong on Sunday to try this restaurant and we were not disappointed. My husband said it was the best Asian food he had ever had. Thanks for the suggestion and we will definitely be going back. You should get a finders fee.
Hi leslee-Oh cool! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and it was worth the trip! You’re more than welcome
Haha I’d love it if they paid me in dumplings! 
A group of us went here on the weekend on your recommendation. The best pork buns outside of China, and nothing like the ones that always disappoint me at Yum Cha. The ones with mushroom and chive (I think tha’s what they were) were great too. Loved this place.
Hi Helen-That’s wonderful! I’m so glad that you liked it
Thanks so much for letting me know!
We have a gathering of 15+ at the restaurant. We made a reservation and tried to place our order for the dishes we would have on the day we booked. But was told to come and order on the day. That should have warned us of the mentality of this so called restaurant.
It is just a glorified fast food outlet with reasoanable quality food but have not concept of services.
On the day of our gathering, some of us arrived early to order the dishes. But we were left at our tables and no one came to take our order. We asked a passing waiter re order and was given a very curt “Wait!” and that was that. Finally we went to the lady who seemed to be the manager and told her that we would like to order and have been waiting for quite a while and were ignored.
Only then, someone came to take our order. We asked if the dishes could be served in a certain order and was assured that it would be OK.
But the outcome was a mess. The dishes came in the way they wish to serve.
There was no service to speak of. There were attitude aplenty. We spent about $400 and what we have in return were rudeness!
That was the last time we would go to that so called restuarant ever again!
I am a regular to this restaurant, and find the quality of food fantastic and consistant. I was dissapointed with the dumplings and pork buns thou and recommend New shanghai (across the road) to be so much tastier!
I have never encountered rude servers (luckly) but they always seem rushed off thier feet.
Great review
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