Yang's Dumplings 小杨生煎 - Shanghai Hongqiao - Shanghai, China

Our trip to China has been an eye opening experience. 

Shanghai is different to what I imagined it to be and way beyond my expectations. A modern and cosmopolitan city where east meets west. It's the most populated city in China with a population of more than 24 million and growing.

Rapid developments and a massive transformation over the last few decades has seen the emergence of a plethora of high rise buildings everywhere literally. Shanghai is China's financial capital and is on a quest to becoming a global financial hub.

We weren't blessed with the best weather but I'm glad the pollution levels weren't at an all time high.

 I love the mix of modern and ancient architecture. 

The beautiful Yu Garden, believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty.

The French Concession area is popular with the expats and an expensive address to boot. 

Communication was the most difficult part of travelling in China. The language barrier of not speaking Mandarin meant getting around was difficult. A lot of people don’t speak English so it was either rely on the internet to get information or point at things. There was no easy way around it. Taking the metro is probably the easiest form of transportation as it’s not only inexpensive but navigating through the many lines available is relatively easy with English signage.

We caught the bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing, a 5 hour train ride. I do recommend buying tickets earlier or booking online as getting tickets on the day can be a difficult process and overwhelming for some. 

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is huge and there are plenty of eateries within. 

Yang’s Dumplings is a popular chain of restaurants with several branches throughout the city. It has been mentioned in guide books and is a must visit. Yang's Shanghainese style pan-fried dumplings are iconic. 

From a distance you'll see the brightly lit signs and the words ‘Yang’s Dumpling'.

Plenty of seating is available.

There are English words on the menu so ordering shouldn’t be too hard,  point if needed. Everything is super cheap and affordable.

The ‘Pork Dumplings (RMB 8.00)’ which are also known as shengjian comes in parcels of 4. In a fluffy bread like skin and coated with sesame seed and spring onion, the bottoms of the dumplings have been shallow fried to a crispy golden brown.

The pork mince and hot soup filling is delicious and tasty. Be warned the juices could be hot and burn your tongue!

The ‘Shepherd's Purse and Pork Dumplings (RMB 10.00)’are similar to the pork dumplings but contains a lot more greens and it isn’t as juicy nor as flavoursome.

This dried chilli is a must have if you like spicy foods. It adds a whole new dimension to the flavours.

‘Pork Wonton (RMB 10.00)’ is a generous portion of slippery smooth dumplings with small pieces of meat encased in a soft pastry skin. The bowl is filled with a light broth which we found to be a bit bland.

The ‘Fish Ball Soup (RMB 9.00)’ has tender and bouncy fish balls. We were so full from the dumplings that we didn’t fully get to enjoy these soups.

You can trust Yang’s Dumplings to deliver on taste and consistency. It’s a must have and a decent place to get your fix of authentic Shanghai dumplings with branches located throughout the city. I would personally just stick to the dumplings. 

Where?

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (Shanghai Hongqiao)

Opening Hours

6:00am – 10:00pm

7 Days a Week

Website

http://www.xysjg.com/