I realise this is a very old topic, but as David Ross reminded us often, Cook-Off topics are not time limited. And anyway, I'm sure there's more to be said on the subject.
I just came across this one today and feel I must point out a couple of oft-repeated errors and attempt to resolve some unresolved confusion.
The errors both involve the name. First of all, @alanamoana claimed twice that xiaolongbao literally means 'little dragon buns'. No. It. Doesn't. 小笼包 (xiǎo lóng bāo) literally means 'little basket buns'.
The confusion has arisen here from the Chinese for 'dragon' (龙) being a homophone (having the same pronunciation) of the word for basket (笼). Different, if similar, characters. I see that Ah Leung also addressed this but disagree that the confusion being anything to do with 'mainlanders' being too lazy to write the character correctly. I've never seen it mis-written in Chinese. Only seen mistranslated.
Then a different member says that XLB are soup dumplings. Again, no. Soup dumplings are XLB, like dogs are animals, but animals aren't usually dogs. There are many types of XLB which aren't soup dumplings.
Then there is the wrapping confusion and the question of whether these should be of the pasta-like variety or more bready like found in Baozi or steamed buns (often made with high gluten flour). Here in China both can be found. Soup buns, more properly known as 汤包 (tāng bāo) or 小龙汤包 (xiǎo lóng tāng bāo) tend to be of the former type, but certainly not always.
Finally, Ding Tai Fung is a Taiwanese chain and their soup dumplings slightly different from those found in Shanghai. Not that they originated in Shanghai either.
