dim sum garden


I was the first to get to Dim Sum Garden last week. As I waited for my friends to arrive I couldn’t help but notice the picture of a familiar food I haven’t seen in years. I immediately asked the waitress what it was. I even asked her to say it in Chinese, the only way it would ring a bell.

Pictured above is sheng jian bao. It’s kind of like XLB, a soup dumpling with pork, though it’s pan fried and has a much thicker, slightly bready outside. I was more than excited to eat these since me and my friends ordered this all the time when we were in Shanghai. In addition to the sheng jian bao, we ordered XLB, guo tie, pork noodles, and shumai.

xiao long bao


Dim Sum Garden offers a decent variety of dim sum, though I don’t think you’re getting a true dim sum experience since they’re lacking the moving carts and large variety that Ocean Harbor or Joy Tsin Lau has. The sheng jian bao and xiao long bao are pretty tasty though, and I’ll certainly be back to have em.

Does anywhere else in Philly have sheng jian bao?

guo tie


Also, in case you were wondering how to order these since the English names aren’t exactly translated 100%:
Sheng jian bao = 2a. Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Juicy Buns
Xiao long bao = 1. Shanghai Steamed Pork Juicy Buns
Guo tie = 9. Pan Fried Napa & Pork Dumplings

Dim Sum Garden
59 N. 11th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.627.0218

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sakura mandarin


When I studied abroad in Shanghai back in my college days, I fell in love with xiao long bao. Xiao long bao are steam cooked pork “soup” dumplings. A pork stock is made then cooled to gelatinize before chopped into small cubes. The cubed “soup” is then mixed in with pork meat before being wrapped into a dumpling. The soup forms when the dumplings are cooked for service. To consume properly without burning yourself, you have to sip the soup from the dumpling or pour it out into a spoon. Afterwards, you add some of the ginger-vinegar to it before eating the rest.


Since that trip, I haven’t enjoyed XLB too often since it’s not a treat you find too often and when you do, it may or may not be very good. Luckily, Philadelphia’s Sakura Mandarin serves some decent XLB. It may not be Shanghai grade, but it certainly satisfies a craving! Don’t forget to try the scallion pancakes too.

Sakura Mandarin
1038 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215.873.8338

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