Finding Wuxi Steamed Buns 无锡鲜肉小笼包

Every city in China, it seems, has their specialty foods that are famous throughout the country. Wuxi is known for steamed buns, otherwise know was Wuxi fresh meat buns, or 无锡鲜肉小笼包  Wúxī xiān ròu xiǎo lóng bāo. So, today, I ventured off to Wuxi to find some and try them for the first time. Let me clarify, I wasn't looking for the best buns. I was looking for any buns just to sample the general test. The gourmet hunt for the best may come later. Turns out, I didn't have to look that hard. Wuxi locals love this time of food. More specifically, I landed at 熙盛源 Xī shèng yuán， a local chain with locations scattered throughout the city.  Ten RMB got me a plate of four. That's a little over one US dollar. 

This particular type of bun is referred to as 小笼包 Xiǎo lóng bāo. In a way, it's like a soup dumpling. The interior is ball of ground pork surrounded by what the locals call "gravy" in English. My thoughts have me slightly disagreeing with the word choice. Gravy tends to be thicker. Whatever, these are filled with both liquid and meat. The result is a rather juicy snack. Since this is southern Jiangsu food, this treat is slightly sweet. But, it's not cloying. The buns I tried throughout the day had the sweetness at a more subtle level. So, would I try these again? Yes, absolutely. It's almost going to be a requirement for me every time I go to Wuxi. 

Oh, and the brown liquid beneath the xiaolongbao above is vinegar. It's a common condiment for dumplings, buns, and more in China. 

(All images are my own)