Hutong Dumpling Bar

I've been wanting to blog about this fabulous dumpling place for awhile now.

I admit, when I first entered what looked like a clean, upmarket restaurant and was promptly greeted by a friendly smile, I immediately regretted making a booking.

A real, authentic dumpling place should be dirty, run-down and have atrocious service...

 ...or so I thought.

 The customary fresh ginger in soy.

Vegetarian dumplings.

Xiu Long Bao (soup dumpling) is what the restaurant is most famous for. SO YUMMY!

I originally thought that soup was somehow delicately piped into a pre-made Xiu Long Bao, but I have actually been told that solid meat gelatin is instead wrapped inside the dumpling and melts into soup during the steaming process.

Pork dumplings.

Mapo Tofu - A chinese dish from the Szechuan province. Tofu cooked in a spicy chilli and bean sauce with minced pork and spring onions.

Claypot style eggplant and scallops.

Fried long beans with salted pork bits - my second favourite to the Xiu Long Bao!

Spicy salt and pepper chicken ribs.

We are already making plans to return for their Peking Duck - a dish we couldn't help noticing other tables order. Oh, and despite what I've read online - service was polite and efficient. I had no complaints whatsoever.

Hutong Dumpling Bar is part of the boutique Cullen Hotel on 162 Commercial Road, Prahran. The venue is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and bookings are recommended.

Cheers x

"When it comes to Chinese food, I have always operated under the policy that the less known about the preparation the better." ~Calvin Trillin