Disappointed xiao long bao aficionados will find that the venerable Jia Jia Tang Bao is no longer located at Henan Nan Lu and Wenmiao Lu, where it stood for many years, dishing out near-perfect soup dumplings to long lines of lunch patrons before the neighborhood was demolished.

Happily, Jia Jia Tang Bao has relocated to a new no-frills outlet, still serving what are considered by many to be the best XLB in the city. Try the traditional pork (RMB 6/15) or crab (RMB 16.5/15). The buns are smaller than some in the city, with a translucent shell enveloping delicately flavored soup that's fresh and not oily. Like all masters, the chefs at Jia Jia make it look easy-just wrap, soup and filling-but anyone who's spent time searching knows that the perfect XLB is the product of rare art.

Jia Jia Tang Bao  
Open time: 6:30am-afternoon. No cards.
Location: 90 Huanghe Lu, by Fengyang Lu
Tel: 021-63276878
Cost for two (excluding drinks): RMB 22.5