Coarsely ground Berkshire pork shoulder, napa cabbage, fresh ginger, garlic, and sesame oil — wrapped in a hand-rolled dough and cooked your way. Steamed for tenderness, pan-fried for a crispy bottom. A Chinese comfort food staple done properly.
If XLB is the showpiece, the pork dumpling is the workhorse — and it demands just as much skill. Our pork dumplings use coarsely ground pork shoulder (never pre-ground supermarket mince) combined with napa cabbage that has been salted, pressed, and drained of excess moisture. This step is critical: too much water and the filling steams from the inside, making the dumpling soggy and the wrapper liable to tear.
Available steamed or pan-fried. Steamed gives a silkier wrapper with a tender, juicy filling. Pan-fried gives you a crispy, caramelised base — a textural contrast that's addictive once you've had it. We recommend ordering one of each.
Cooked in a bamboo steamer over boiling water for 8–9 minutes. The wrapper stays soft and slightly translucent. The filling steams in its own juices, staying moist and tender. Best dipped in black vinegar with ginger.
Placed flat-side down in a hot oiled pan for 2–3 minutes until golden brown, then water is added and the lid goes on. The top steams through while the base gets a crackling crust. Best with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce.