Noshwellmenu

[rating:4]

(Top to Bottom: 1. Xiao Long Bao, the famed Shanghai Dumplings. 2. Pea Tips.)

Asian restaurants are typically a hustle and bustle like atmosphere with little acknowledgement towards the customers or the service. You order, eat, pay, and leave. Shanghai River in Richmond is not one of those restaurants. Tre and I arrived at Shanghai River in a grumpy mood after being stuck in traffic for almost two hours, and we were starving. We were pleasantly surprised when we were greeted by the friendly hostess who quickly seated us near the window.

The restaurant is beautiful. The large dining area bathed in pleasant, neutral, light colors; the tables had nice, white, clean table cloths without a single wrinkle. The kitchen was open behind a glass window so we could see the dumpling makers lovingly crafting each dumpling by hand.

Tre wanted to try Shanghai River’s Xiao Long Bao, otherwise known as soup dumplings, a signature Shanghainese dish. The dumplings are filled with various meats or vegetables and served in bamboo baskets in which they are steamed. They have meat gelatin that is wrapped inside the skin along with the meat. As the dumplings are steaming, the heat then melts the gelatin into a soup that magically appears inside. To accompany the dumplings is a dip with chinese vinegar and ginger slivers. We also ordered Garlic Pea Tips, Sweet and Sour fish, rice, and for dessert — sugar buns: a Shanghainese pastry that is baked and filled with sugar paste.

(Top to Bottom: 1. Sweet and Spicy Fish. 2. Sugar Buns)

The Xiao Long Bao arrived first and were awesome! They were juicy as we expected. The dough is soft and tastes freshly made. When our other entrees arrives, one of the orders was incorrect. The waitress brought us Sweet and Spicy sauce on steamed fish, instead of the sweet and sour we pointed to earlier. Apparently, the menu translation in English isn’t the most accurate (something to take a note of when ordering here). Our hostess kindly apologized and offered to replace the dish. We declined, since we didn’t want to wait — and I’m glad we did. The sweet and spicy sauce on steamed fish was good! The fish was fresh and cooked perfectly with slivers of green beans.

The generous portion of Garlic Pea Tips were delicious. The only complaint was our rice was mushy, which we thought was odd (what’s up with the mushy rice at Chinese restaurants lately?). Ending our already fabulous dinner was the baked sugar buns. The pastries were light, flaky and smothered in sesame seeds. The inside was filled with a sweet sugar paste that tasted so freaking good. The buns took a awhile to make, but it was so worth it.

Our dinner was fantastic and the service was great! We were at Shanghai River for a while, but didn’t feel rushed. At over $50 for the two of us, Shanghai River is a bit pricey, but well worth it. Highly recommended!

Perfect for: Impressing out-of-towners and special guests with great Shanghai cuisine with great service and a nice atmosphere!

The Details

7831 New Westminster Hwy, Richmond
604.233.8885

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