Truffle Xiao Long Bao

After post after post on Kalafina, Kajiura Yuki and Mahou Shoujo Madoka, I think it's time to take a break from all things Japanese and talk about another of my obsessions... food!!!! :)

Today, I ate the most expensive Xiao Long Bao I have ever eaten to date. This here is a photo of the Truffle Xiao Long Bao from Ding Tai Fung.  At SGD3.20 per Xiao Long Bao, it is kind of expensive since normal Xiao Long Bao go for SGD6 plus for 6 Xiao Long Baos.

But I love dumplings and Xiao Long Bao is right up my list of favourites... I have a yearly obsession with Ding Tai Fung's Chilli Crab Xiao Long Bao which is only available once a year for a month or two... so when I found out that the City Hall (MRT) branch of Ding Tai Fung was offering the Truffle Xiao Long Bao... I just had to try it.

I only ordered 2 of these little dumplings, one for my mum and one for me.  I didn't order more because I wasn't sure if it would be worth SGD3.20.  After all, who knows if you can even taste the Black Truffle in it.  I've eaten the colourful, multi-flavoured Xiao Long Baos from Paradise Dynasty in Ion and although some of them are really nice and you can really taste the flavours, I don't remember their truffle Xiao Long Bao to be particularly memorable.  Paradise Dynasty's colourful Xiao Long Baos are nice, very nice... but there are 8 different flavours for about SGD13-14... this was ONE Xiao Long Bao for SGD3.20

I must say though, that this Truffle Xiao Long Bao is VERY NICE.  The earthy and rich flavour of the black truffle combined very nicely with the pork and the soup in the dumpling and it certainly was one of the tastiest Xiao Long Baos I've ever eaten.  Regular Ding Tai Fung Xiao Long Baos are already super good but this was really something else... really good.

I'm still not sure if I would eat it again since SGD3.20 is certainly not a small sum for a small dumpling like this and I'm still a bigger fan of the Chilli Crab Xiao Long Bao... but I can say for sure that I do not regret trying it.  It was a very yummy Xiao Long Bao and a very worthy SGD3.20 experience. :)

If I was feeling better... I would dig out photos of the Paradise Dynasty Xiao Long Baos and the ridiculous number of Chilli Crab Xiao Long Baos I ate this year :D  ... but I need to take a break from the computer monitor... the reason why I was on medical leave was because too much time on the computer and the dry air-con air at work had led to both my eyes getting all swollen and inflamed. :(  Time to go drop some eye-drops.... good night. :)