Soup Dumplings/ Joe's

[namreb]

Taking my family to Chinatown this week to experience the pork/crab soup dumplings......

I love Joe's.....but i am not crazy about the other dishes..... Is there any other restaurant down in CTown that serves great soup dumplings and offers better entrees? We would really like to have some peking duck as well/ Perhaps we have to just go to a few restaurants....?

Any suggestions?

thanks

[Miss Needle]

I'm probably the minority here. But I actually prefer the xiao long bao at Joe's over Shanghai Cafe because the skins are thinner at Joe's. But I've found the rest of the menu better at Shanghai.

[michele cindy]

I'm in with you Miss Needle. My thoughts exactly. Although I do like the turnip cakes better at Joes.

[foodonmymind]

New york noodle town is very good and around the corner from Joe's. All the roast meats are very good. I also like the salt baked shrimp and any of the flowering chive dishes...

[Pan]

I am a long-time regular at Noodletown, but it is a Cantonese restaurant, not Shanghainese, and does not serve xiao long bao. Dumplings in soup != soup dumplings.

[Chandavkl]

I think the board is migrating towards Shanghai Cafe on Mott, north of Canal. XLB is better and lots of other good choices on the menu.

[silencespeak]

My experience with shanghai cafe's food quality wasn't all that great. Granted, I only went once, though it honestly wasn't nearly as tasty as Joe's.

[DarthEater]

What did you order that wasn't so great?

[silencespeak]

XLB, chicken with broccolli. The XLB didn't seem well crafted, both the skin and the soup wasn't all too flavorful. The sauce for the chicken and broccolli was also poor quality, what one would find in a poor corner chinese shop. I'm open to giving it another shot, as many people like it here, but that experience was really poor.

[DarthEater]

Chicken with broccoli is a dish I would get in a Cantonese restaurant. I usually order the Shanghainese dishes when i'm there.

[ExFlexitarian]

Shanghai Cafe gets my vote for XLB. I'm actually hesitant to plug them publicly... I don't want to see stupidly long lines there like you see at Joe's

[Chandavkl]

Shanghai Cafe is not exactly a secret. It's pretty crowded, too.

[scoopG]

Absolutely. And they do not take reservations, even for a large group.

[scoopG]

Correct - and they do not take reservations.

[namreb]

thanks! Im assuming that XLB is crab /pork soup dumplings?

any suggestions on peking duck

thanks

[kathryn]

XLB = xiao long bao = soup dumplings