Unlike the disappointing xiao long bao—the meat is not fresh—I had in Canton Paradise, the ones in Paradise Dynasty have thin silky dough skin wrapped around the fresh meat. Yes, they are comparable to the ones in Ding Tai Feng. What gives the dumplings here an extra edge is the array of flavours available. My favourite got to be the ginseng one. The slightly bitterness and herbal flavour goes very well with the meat. Kind of reminds me of those nourishing herbal soups. By the way, do not mix in the shredded ginger and vinegar as these will eclipsed the delicate flavour of ginseng. Another one of my favourite is the foie gras one, which surprises me on how this Western and Chinese combination works. The taste is unique yet not over the top, thus able to please my palates. The truffle xiao long bao is not bad, but this is not exactly match made in heaven. I feel the full potential of the oh-so-delightful woody aroma of truffle is not realized in the makeup of xiao long bao.
Cheese xiao bao long hits the wrong notes for me. The minced meat is too strong in flavour and too mashed in texture to complement the cheese well. The crab roe one tastes too fishy to my liking. Garlic xiao long bao is not bad, but does not offer anything unique like the ginseng and foie gras ones. The szechuan dumpling has very strong flavours. This resembles the wanton in chili oil. I like it but I can only stomach one piece because it is fiery hot.
The radish pastry has excellent crispy skin, and the filling is not too salty, which is good. Though it is not exactly noteworthy in terms of overall taste.
The service is a notch better than the other Paradise outlets, not counting in Paradise Pavilion, the crown jewel of Paradise group.
I sure do not mind going back for the ginseng xiao long bao if in the mood for a casual dining experience.
My Thoughts: Pretty Good
Nearest car park: Vivocity's car park
Nearest MRT: Habourfront
