Shanghai dumplings in Chinatown?

[Matt_T]

Several years ago my wife and I visited her dad in NY. He took us to a great restaurant in Chinatown known for its Shanghai-style dumplings. They really were great, best we've ever had outside China!

A couple of years later we returned, after he'd passed, and tried to find the place again but could not. IIRC it was off Mott St, on a side street to the East, but I could be wrong. It was a medium-sized place, 25 tables maybe, the walls decorated with many pictures of celebrities and dignitaries. It was known for the dumplings especially.

Any pointers? If this place isn't around anymore, where would you all say are the best Shanghai dumplings in NYC? Thanks!!

[JWangSDC]

Several years ago my wife and I visited her dad in NY.  He took us to a great restaurant in Chinatown known for its Shanghai-style dumplings.  They really were great, best we've ever had outside China!

A couple of years later we returned, after he'd passed, and tried to find the place again but could not.  IIRC it was off Mott St, on a side street to the East, but I could be wrong.  It was a medium-sized place, 25 tables maybe, the walls decorated with many pictures of celebrities and dignitaries.  It was known for the dumplings especially.

Any pointers?  If this place isn't around anymore, where would you all say are the best Shanghai dumplings in NYC?  Thanks!!

←

You're talking about XLB?

Try Shanghai Cafe or Joe' Shanghai.

[Nathan]

if you're talking about xai long bao....my friends that have resided in Shanghai say that nothing here really compares. with that said, the general consensus seems to be on:

Shanghai Cafe

Yeah Shanghai

Joe's Shanghai.

[LPShanet]

Several years ago my wife and I visited her dad in NY.  He took us to a great restaurant in Chinatown known for its Shanghai-style dumplings.  They really were great, best we've ever had outside China!

A couple of years later we returned, after he'd passed, and tried to find the place again but could not.  IIRC it was off Mott St, on a side street to the East, but I could be wrong.  It was a medium-sized place, 25 tables maybe, the walls decorated with many pictures of celebrities and dignitaries.  It was known for the dumplings especially.

Any pointers?  If this place isn't around anymore, where would you all say are the best Shanghai dumplings in NYC?  Thanks!!

←

Guessing by the pics of notables that you mention, Joe's Shanghai is the most likely, although all the places mentioned above are roughly equal. And in case anyone tells you there's an uptown outpost, too...don't take the bait. The more recently opened uptown Joe's has inferior food and higher prices.

[Matt_T]

Joe's Shanghai sounds familiar....picture is not exactly what I remember but it was 12-13 years ago.

Thanks everybody!

[JWangSDC]

Joe's Shanghai sounds familiar....picture is not exactly what I remember but it was 12-13 years ago.

Thanks everybody!

←

I spent 2 summers in shanghai and was not impressed with the XLB. It is good, but it is just stylistically different. The XLB is America is better for purely economic reasons...why stay in china when you can migrate to america and make money?

Shanghai Cafe has the best CRAB XLB.

Joe's regular pork ones possibly better (just a matter a preference).

and yea, YEAH's is good too.

In queens Goodie's is good(donno if it still exists). But it was from that restaurant that the chef from Joe's Shanghai came (and opened the original Joe's in queens). This was some 10 years ago.

[DCP]

I'm assuming we're talking Manhattan here, but would like to comment that the sources I trust frequently point outside New York County for the best Chinese food. Perhaps an hour's metro ride away, Flushing is still accessible to transportation-limited Manhattanites - and with lots more to offer. This thread on the best dim sum in Flushing is a great example. Particularly for Xiao Long Bao, Chinatown seems not to be where the prime examples are found. I can't claim to have a Shanghainese palate, but my own taste buds agree.

[JWangSDC]

I'm assuming we're talking Manhattan here, but would like to comment that the sources I trust frequently point outside New York County for the best Chinese food.  Perhaps an hour's metro ride away, Flushing is still accessible to transportation-limited Manhattanites - and with lots more to offer.  This thread on the best dim sum in Flushing is a great example.  Particularly for Xiao Long Bao, Chinatown seems not to be where the prime examples are found.  I can't claim to have a Shanghainese palate, but my own taste buds agree.

←

I used to go to goodies twice a month with my family before Joe's Shanhai opened. Then we'd have family/friend get togethers @ joe's where we would order upwards of 18 wooden trays of XLB. AFAIK, those are the best two XLB places in Flushing and I prefer Shanghai Cafe to them.

[LPShanet]

I'm assuming we're talking Manhattan here, but would like to comment that the sources I trust frequently point outside New York County for the best Chinese food.  Perhaps an hour's metro ride away, Flushing is still accessible to transportation-limited Manhattanites - and with lots more to offer.  This thread on the best dim sum in Flushing is a great example.  Particularly for Xiao Long Bao, Chinatown seems not to be where the prime examples are found.  I can't claim to have a Shanghainese palate, but my own taste buds agree.

←

I used to go to goodies twice a month with my family before Joe's Shanhai opened. Then we'd have family/friend get togethers @ joe's where we would order upwards of 18 wooden trays of XLB. AFAIK, those are the best two XLB places in Flushing and I prefer Shanghai Cafe to them.

←

Out of curiosity, do you know if there is any relation/connection between the Goodie's in Chintown (right off Confucius Plaza/Chatham Square) and the one in Flushing?

[JWangSDC]

I'm assuming we're talking Manhattan here, but would like to comment that the sources I trust frequently point outside New York County for the best Chinese food.  Perhaps an hour's metro ride away, Flushing is still accessible to transportation-limited Manhattanites - and with lots more to offer.  This thread on the best dim sum in Flushing is a great example.  Particularly for Xiao Long Bao, Chinatown seems not to be where the prime examples are found.  I can't claim to have a Shanghainese palate, but my own taste buds agree.

←

I used to go to goodies twice a month with my family before Joe's Shanhai opened. Then we'd have family/friend get togethers @ joe's where we would order upwards of 18 wooden trays of XLB. AFAIK, those are the best two XLB places in Flushing and I prefer Shanghai Cafe to them.

←

Out of curiosity, do you know if there is any relation/connection between the Goodie's in Chintown (right off Confucius Plaza/Chatham Square) and the one in Flushing?

←

I dont' know, but if they serve good XLB I'd bet they were related.

[Sneakeater]

At least when it opened, the one in Chinatown was a branch of the one in Flushing.

[Matt_T]

Update: We tried the crab and pork soup dumplings at both Joe's Shanghai and Shanghai Cafe, the Chinatown locations. Both are very good - better than almost anything we can get in San Francisco - but the wife and I agreed Shanghai Cafe was the winner.

Thanks for the tips....Next visit - Flushing!

[kiliki]

Anyone tried Joe's Ginger? I've read the XLB are as good as Joe's Shanghai (same owner I think), but without the wait.