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May 5, 2016

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

A bowl of hearty buns and juicy dumplings

By Xu Wenwen | May 5, 2016, Thursday | Print Edition

THE people of Hangzhou have loved eating baozi (steamed buns) for breakfast ever since the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), when the court moved its capital from northern Kaifeng City in Henan Province to southern Hangzhou.

Some restaurants are now selling the popular steamed buns in modern looking restaurants with warm lights, long wooden tables and green plants.

Besides baozi, shengjianbao (pan-fried small buns) and xiaolongbao (steamed small buns with thin skin) are also part of a typical breakfast in Hangzhou.

Today, Shanghai Daily takes a look at some of the best restaurants for a hearty serving of buns or dumplings in Hangzhou.

Established almost 20 years ago, Xinfeng Snack Eatery has 20 branches in Hangzhou and is renowned for its good, inexpensive breakfasts.

Xinfeng sells eight types of Hangzhou style snacks — from steamed buns and wontons to vermicelli and tofu soup.

Most Xinfeng snacks cost between 1 yuan and 10 yuan, and every morning there’s a queue of people buying steamed buns for breakfast.

The owners have said that all branches together sell over 300,000 bowls of shrimp-and-pork wonton soup per month.

Houkoubao (tiny steamed buns) and shrimp-and-pork wontons are the specialty. Try to get there before 8am as they sell out quickly.

If houkoubao is sold out, try the xiaolongbao.

If you are in a rush, grab some baozi. The fist-sized baozi come with pork, vegetable or bean paste filling and cost 2 yuan each. Two of them make a filling breakfast.

In addition, Xinfeng’s Hangzhou sweet doughnut is an ideal snack for an afternoon tea. There is also a savory version with a vegetable and pork filling.

 

Addresses of some outlets: 62 Jiefang Rd, 209 Qingchun Rd, 319 Zhongshan Rd M., 7 Hedong Rd, 238 Fengqi Rd

Usually baozi eateries are small booths, but the new GanQiShi Bao Bao restaurant is tidy, bright and chic. Baozi are sold from 6:30am to 9pm at the 100-square-meter eatery.

There are about 10 types of fillings and new products are being promoted from time to time. Prices range from 2 yuan (31 US cents) to 5 yuan. The top feature of the brand is that its baozi pi (bun wrapper) is very soft and airy, and its meat is very fresh.

Fillings include the usual ones as well as apple and roasted pork, sour and spicy lotus root, and sweet cheese.

Beverages include soy milk, fruit juice, craft beer, coffee and hot tea.

 

Address: 175-2 Chaohui Rd; 20 Chaohui Rd

While there are many breakfast eateries working on the perfect pork shengjianbao, Hangzhou local Han Yulong figured he should expand his business by making beef shengjianbao and lamb dumplings.

Han has been running A-Long Lamb Soup for 26 years. His small eatery is nearly full most days.

Fried lamb dumplings and fried beef buns are great breakfast options. The beef buns are not that oily and the golden crispy crust is delicious. Every day the small eatery sells around 600 dumplings and buns, which are all made by Han’s wife.

A huge pot of lamb soup is boiled every day. Different organs can be added upon request. Lamb soup is highly recommended because meat from the animal’s face is added.

 

Address: 32 Xinyifang Str

This restaurant is open daily from 6:30am to 1:30pm and sells typical Hangzhou dim sum such as shengjianbao and small wontons.

Shengjianbao are fried small buns with a thick skin and pork filling. The burned skin is slightly crunchy and the filling is juicy.

In Hangzhou, one of the most famous shengjiaobao eateries is run by Zhao Baomei, who uses her grandfather’s secret shengjianbao recipe.

Since the restaurant has been in business for over 20 years, it has become a local meeting venue for people in the neighborhood.

 

Address: 108 Chengtou Lane

Hangzhou


 

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