HOME > Chowhound > Manhattan >


Soup Dumplings

Chicago Chowhound family planning a visit to NYC. Where should we go for great-tasting soup dumplings? Some Zagat readers dis Nice Green Bo recently? Is Joe's Shanghai still worth?
Any helpful opinions greatly appreciated

  1. Click to Upload a photo (10 MB limit)
    1. The original comment has been removed
      1. I'm a soup dumpling addict, and i'd recommend Shanghai Cafe over Joe's any day. On the avoid list, New/Nice Green Bo and Noodle Village have seriously lacking soup dumplings.

        Nice Green Bo
        66 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

        Shanghai Cafe
        100 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

        Noodle Village
        13 Mott St, New York, NY 10013

        16 Replies
        1. re: ExFlexitarian

          And I feel the opposite, I'd take Joe's over Shanghai Cafe any day. =)

          1. re: silencespeak

            Me too - I agree with you silencespeak. I've had both recently. Joe's won for the soup dumplings, the broth was really rich, and SC was good, but not as satisfying. As for the rest of the food, I would pick SC, except I also like the turnip cake better at Joe's.

            1. re: michele cindy

              Are the skins much thicker at Joe's?

              1. re: KTinNYC

                SC puts out a larger XLB, skins are marginally thicker than Joe's Shanghai.

                1. re: scoopG

                  In my experience the skins were thicker a Joe's.

                  1. re: KTinNYC

                    I've only had them once at SC (thanks to you we have a new place we like ) and they're more crabby which is a good thing, but the broth was not as rich in taste as Joe's is. The skins were pretty much the same not different enough for me to make a call on skins, but broth yes, the winner is def. Joe's.

                    1. re: michele cindy

                      I may have to try Joe's again, if I can bear the line. Thanks for the report back.

                      1. re: KTinNYC

                        ...or try Joes Ginger down the block. Same owner, same soup dumplings as Joe's and no lines. I haven't been to either in a long time. I like that at SC you can see them making the soup dumplings as you walk in and no need to take a number. Plus you can usually score one of their booths.

                        Joe's Ginger
                        25 Pell St, New York, NY 10013

                        1. re: scoopG

                          I disagree. The original Joe's on Pell is much better than the Joe Gingers. Definitely go to the original for the soup dumplings.

                          Not to digress too far, but I have reason to believe that the best chef in the Joe's chain was at their branch in Elmhurst. When that restaurant closed, he went (back?) to the Pell St. restaurant. Since then, that branch's dumplings have been the best of the Joe's chain. (Though I haven't been there in about three months.)

                          1. re: Greg

                            Joe's Shanghai, Joe's Ginger. Same owner, same cooks, same soup dumplings. Just a branch of his Flushing one. No crowds and lines at Joe's Ginger that's all. And Joe's Shanghai is not even close to being the best in Flushing (over priced.) Nan Shan on Prince is cheaper and better.

                            1. re: scoopG

                              I actually agree with Greg that the soup dumplings at joe's on Pell is better than those at Joe Ginger. They may be of the same owner, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they centralize the making of soup dumplings at one place. I found the soup dumplings at Joe Ginger quite poor with thicker skin and some of them already broken in the steam basket. I don't know if it was the soup dumplings themselves or if it was the steaming process, but overall it was worse than Joe's Shanghai.

                              1. re: kobetobiko

                                And both inferior to Shanghai Cafe or Nan Shan in Flushing.

                                1. re: scoopG

                                  I never said Joe's were the best. I think taste in soup dumplings, like all else, can be subjective. I've had lots of soup dumplings, even at Din Tai Fung, and still really like Joe's - though that may be because it's the first place I had them. It's a style thing - Joe's are thick and unctuous, while the style scoopG likes are thin and clean.

                                  1. re: Greg

                                    Well, soup dumplings should be delicate thin and clean. I've never had Shanghai Cafe's or Nan Shan but I find Joe's just downright awful. It's not consistent but I've found decent soup dumplings at Chatham square. But that varies based on day/time/service.

                    2. re: KTinNYC

                      I just had some xiao long bao at Shanghai Cafe over the weekend, and will say that the skins were thicker at SC over Joe's.

            2. It is my opinion that Nice Green Bo has awful. In fact you may the first person in months that has said anything positive about this restaurant in months.

            3. The soup dumplings at Chinatown Brasserie are really really good, but unfortunately are much more expensive than joe's, shanghai cafe, etc. They were $10 for 5 dumplings on the lunch menu (for $15 at dinner i hope they at least throw in an extra dumpling or two)!

              I intend to try shanghai cafe soon, but for now i can only say that Chinatown Brasserie's soup dumplings tasted way better than those at joe's shanghai.

              Their other dim sum is pretty good, especially some inventive dishes; i find it a bit expensive, maybe because i compare it to ctown restaurants, which it is very different from.

              Chinatown Brasserie
              380 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

              1. New Yeah Shanghai Deluxe is consistently my favorite.

                1 Reply
                1. re: AimeeD

                  Hmmm maybe it's Shanghai Deluxe, good soup dumplings Shanghai restaurant on Elizabeth St just past Jin Fang.across from Police station . small place

                  Shanghai Asian Cuisine
                  14 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013