ぱりそら
I wanted to eat authentic xiaolongbao for the first time in a while, so I visited a new restaurant in Kitashinchi, a Taiwanese xiaolongbao specialty store. The lunch menu includes a set where you can enjoy three types of xiaolongbao, as well as noodle dishes with xiaolongbao and a choice of dishes such as sweet and sour pork, mapo tofu, and shrimp mayo. The restaurant is located on the 6th floor of the Miyaplaza Building in Kitashinchi. There was no sign in front of the building, and I wasn't sure if they were open for lunch, but I encountered the owner distributing flyers and was able to enter the restaurant. As soon as I got off the elevator, I was inside the restaurant. The bright and open space with light coming in through the large windows was decorated with bright red lanterns and Chinese-style red embroidered chairs, making a strong impact. There are two counter seats facing the window, as well as two tables for two, and three tables for four, making the space surprisingly spacious. It was around 1:00 pm on a weekday, so it was empty, but I heard that there are many regular customers during lunch hours. Thanks to the flyer distribution, a few more couples came in later. Lunch is served from Monday to Saturday, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (please check the latest information from the restaurant for the current operating hours and format). Lunch Menu (all prices include tax): Steamed xiaolongbao and dim sum set of 7 items - 900 yen Steamed xiaolongbao: pork xiaolongbao, crab xiaolongbao, tomato xiaolongbao (3 types) Steamed dim sum: shrimp crystal dumplings, mixed beef and pork shumai Fried dim sum: shrimp cheese spring rolls Twenty-grain rice with mountain vegetables porridge or twenty-grain rice Steamed xiaolongbao and colorful pork with vegetables set of 8 items - 1,100 yen The above lunch + colorful pork with vegetables Select Taiwanese old-fashioned lunch - 900 yen - Steamed xiaolongbao 2 pieces - Choose one from salt ramen, Sichuan dan dan noodles, Sannan yuzu noodles, exquisite rich beef bone ramen (+60 yen) - Twenty-grain rice - Choose one from the select menu Special black vinegar pork, shrimp with mango sauce mayonnaise, fresh fish with chili sauce, mapo tofu * Mapo tofu can be adjusted for spiciness I was also interested in the set with a variety of colorful pork and vegetable steamed dishes, but this time I chose the Select Taiwanese Old-Fashioned Lunch where you can choose the main dish. I chose the shrimp with mango sauce mayonnaise from the select menu and the Sichuan dan dan noodles for the noodles. The set's xiaolongbao usually includes two pork xiaolongbao, but when I asked the owner if I could change it to one pork xiaolongbao and one tomato xiaolongbao since it was my first visit, he kindly agreed. It was amazing how quickly the hot xiaolongbao arrived, followed by the main dish, rice, and dan dan noodles just 5 minutes after ordering! The Select Taiwanese Old-Fashioned Lunch - 900 yen (Steamed xiaolongbao 2 pieces, choose one noodle dish, choose one main dish, twenty-grain rice) - Steamed xiaolongbao 2 pieces (changed to one pork xiaolongbao and one tomato xiaolongbao) Two steaming hot xiaolongbao. A small dish of grated ginger was provided, and black vinegar was also prepared on the table. Both xiaolongbao are about twice the size of the usual ones, so they seem to have a lot of eating satisfaction! * Pork xiaolongbao Carefully transfer the xiaolongbao to a wooden spoon, make a small hole with chopsticks, and first sip the hot soup. Oh, delicious! The rich soup is full of pork's rich umami, with plenty of depth. The skin is slightly thick, with many folds. Thanks to this, the soup doesn't spill, and the inside is packed with minced pork. After enjoying the soup, I took a bite of the meat filling and chewy skin, topped with grated ginger and dipped in black vinegar. Mmm, delicious! So meaty! * Tomato xiaolongbao A unique xiaolongbao made with tomato sauce. When I made a hole and tasted the soup, the tomato sauce melted into the pork-based soup, creating a rich and complex flavor! This Italian-style xiaolongbao has a lot of minced pork inside, providing a satisfying bite. It seems that three types of tomato sauce and various spices are used, resulting in a deep and delicious taste. I'm really hooked on this tomato xiaolongbao - I can't wait to try it again next time!