Hutong Dumpling Bar & Xiao Long Baos In Melbourne

Hutong Dumpling Bar was the 2nd stop I made on my first day in Melbourne.  I went right after I had Grossi Florentino because I wanted dessert.  

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It’s literally a hole in the wall and down an alley.  I guess that’s why the owners decided to name it Hutong, which is translated to laneway or alley in Chinese.  Hutong is right next to Chinatown and by right next I mean 5 blocks.   I know.  The term “next” is relative.

It’s a small restaurant with seating on the first floor and second floor.  The dumplings are made right behind the cashier.  I felt at home cause the wait staff were rude as f*ck.  Why?  Cause they’re Chinese like Hong Kong Chinese aka Cantonese aka the ghetto Chinese.   The type where they talk really loud and it sounds like they’re yelling at each other but that’s their normal speaking tone.

Anyway, since I just had lunch at Grossi Florentino, I wanted to take it easy, so I ordered 3 dishes.  I thought each was done really well:

1. Xiao Long Bao – Din Tai Fung is what everyone considers to be the epitome of the soup dumplings.  Why?  Cause they were awarded a Michelin star and they never had these bad boys.  I have to say that Hutong’s XLBs were a solid contender to Din Tai Fung’s title.  The soup was boiling hot; the pork was soft and full of flavor.  It evaporated in my mouth after one bite cause I don’t believe in chewing my food.

   

2. Crab Dumplings – The crab dumpling were plump and fat like myself after my Australia trip.  The juicy crab meat had a hint of garlic in it.  The portion was huge and not your typical size dumplings I see in the States.  It definitely melted in my mouth like a spoonful of Mayo.  Yes.. I have eaten a spoonful of mayo before.  It was worth the $20 bet.

   

3. Wontons w/ Spicy Sauce – The pork was juicy, the wrap ripped apart perfectly and the sauce was on point like the original Red and Black Jordans 1.  It had a nice kick to it; the wontons were perfectly cooked.  I was so happy when my cousin told me he can’t eat spicy food.  Sucker.

   

Overall, everything melted in my mouth like a tab of acid at a rave.  I usually stop eating after I get full but I couldn’t help to stuff myself with everything on the table.  It’s probably one of the better xiao long baos I had in my life outside of the xiao long baos at the original Din Tai Fung in Taipei, Taiwan.

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