Shanghai Ding

Shanghai Ding House Of Dumplings (上海鼎小龙包专卖店) is a Shanghainese restaurant specializing in dumplings (小龙包), ramen (拉面), and dim sum (点心) dishes. It is located within walking distance from Queensbay Mall. Parking space is limited during weekends, but there are a couple of reserved car parks for customers on the side of this corner-lot shop.

The dim sum is served "by-order" basis. Food is made to each order instead of being pre-cooked and carted around the dining area. On the plus side, the method used in Shanghai Ding ensures that the dishes are still warm and fresh from the wok or steamer.

We started with the old-school favorite Prawn Dumpling (鲜虾卖, RM4.80). Each serving comes in a bamboo container with three pieces. The dumplings are filled with succulent fresh prawns, very much to our delight.

Up next, the Shanghai's Juicy Meat Dumpling (正宗上海小笼包, RM6.80) is another must-try dish. The dumplings have intentionally thin skins with minced pork inside. Once the skin is punctured, the lips are greeted by piping-hot and savory soup. Typically, the dumplings are enjoyed with ginger slices and vinegar.

Similarly, the Juicy Scallop Meat Dumpling (带子小笼包, RM9.80) is the scallop version of the previous dish. Each dumpling is topped with a sprinkle of roe for visual effect. Although scallops are more exotic in flavor, I find that the minced pork version is still superior in terms of taste.

An interesting dim sum dish is the cute-looking Pockey Mouse (奶皇刺猥包, RM4.80), which is aptly named so because it resembles a porcupine. The buns are filled with sweet yellowish paste made from egg yolks. The sandy texture of the paste blends perfectly with the pastry itself.

The Mango Cheese (芒果芝士, RM4.80) is deep-fried with a coating of flour and rice vermicelli. This gives the dish a hairy, appealing appearance. Under the coating is a filling made of mango-flavored paste and molten cheese. While the outside is crispy with each bite, the filling is very appetizing on its own right.

Another recommended delicacy is the Fried Radish Cake With Seafood (海鲜炒萝卜糕, RM7.80). "Wok hei" (镬气) is definitively imparted during the frying process. As this is the seafood version, shrimps and squids are also included to give a gratifying fiery taste. On the side note, I maintain that the radish cakes should be cut into smaller cubes for better flavor.

As for the Rice Rolls With Prawn (鲜虾肠粉, RM4.80), the shrimps inside the rice rolls are definitely succulent and sweet. However, the rice rolls themselves are quite plain in taste, while the soy sauce does little to enhance flavor. I am hoping to see a more flavorful version of the sauce and thinner skins for the rice rolls.

Moving on to ramen dishes, the Ramen With Mince Meat (炸酱肉碎拉面, RM5.80) is prepared with some spicy meat sauce. The sauce is made from ground meat and zhajiang (醡醬, fermented soybean paste). This gives the meat sauce a pungent flavor to the otherwise plain ramen noodles. Although the ramen noodles are soft and springy, the taste is not as impressive as those served in Dragon-i.

The Crispy Roasted Pork Ramen (脆炸烧肉清汤拉面, RM7.80) is a blemish to our meal. This dish uses clear soup as the base, with several pieces of roasted pork and vegetables. The clear soup is quite plain, therefore does not really contribute to our enjoyment. Besides, the roasted pork becomes soggy quickly when soaked in the soup.

For drinks, we ordered a teapot of Chinese Tea (茶, RM2.00). The price is calculated on per-head basis.

Shanghai Ding has a handful of nice dumpling and dim sum dishes, but the ramen choices do not perform as well. The pricing is on the hefty side and comparable to Dragon-i. Taste-wise, I still prefer Dragon-i on every day of the week.