Chinese people in Brisbane... I need 生煎包

[Mk3 AAA]

I'm trying to track down a food from Shanghai (it's sold all over China though), does anyone know where I can buy some 生煎包 (sheng jian bao)?

My Mandarin is near non-existent so I'm probably not saying it correctly when I ask at restaurants.

Odd thing to post on a VW forum I know, but google isn't really helping and I'm only a member of car forums.

[volksweapon]

When you pronounce the bao part you need to say it like bowdz and emphasize the z.

I lived in Shanghai for just under 5 years and this would be one of my most missed street foods, haven't found any good or similar ones in my hometown of Adelaide yet. Im married to a Chinese woman and she does not make them either!

Good luck, let me know if you find them.

[brimway]

So much easier to just ask for number 42. I have a good mate who is Chinese, I'll ask him if he knows.

[sam_online]

Omg, I miss Xiao long bao more, the one in shanghai is awesome!!

[Mk3 AAA]

So much easier to just ask for number 42. I have a good mate who is Chinese, I'll ask him if he knows.

Haha, yeah I don't do the try and speak Mandarin thing at restaurants ... it just shows how little I know, and dialects vary so people from Nanjing (where I lived for 6 months) understand me (the very little I can say) but people from Beijing for example might struggle, so here it was just when I was asking about sheng jian bao. One thing is Chinese people will see blue eyes and pale skin (and a big nose let's be honest) and even if I'm speaking Chinese will try and work out what I'm saying in English. Sometimes I'll slip in some German and Japanese because I'm an idiot.

Glad it's not unheard of, apparently, according to urbanspoon, there're a few place in Aus' that do it, but I talked to some Chinese students and the one in Brisbane is meant to be quite different to Wu's Fried Buns (the best!).

[maca]

I can ask around because 98% of the population here in Vancouver is Chinese.

[GeckoZAO]

Thats one of the most popular Xiao Chi in my hometown Shanghai =)
Chinese people in Melbourne here. Quite a few resturants make good xiao long bao or sheng jian bao here.

[Mk3 AAA]

Thats one of the most popular Xiao Chi in my hometown Shanghai =)
Chinese people in Melbourne here. Quite a few resturants make good xiao long bao or sheng jian bao here.

I loved Shanghai and was lucky enough to be there for World Expo (expo was like walking around a CBD from 200 years time), Xiao long bao is steamed huh? I was in the back streets of Beijing late at night getting a lesson from a street vendor on making something very similar, mates and I said 'thank you' (xièxiè) and 'tasty' (hào chī) about 1000 times.

Best Chinese experience: being a contestant (albeit in a team) on a game show.

[peedman]

Best Chinese experience: being a contestant (albeit in a team) on a game show.

Well go on, you might as well tell us the whole story!!

[Mk3 AAA]

Haha, we were friends with the guy who owned our local bar, and his staff too, got invited to a TV studio so we showed up having no idea what was going on and we sat waiting in a studio trying to work out if we were going to be in a commercial for his bar (rent a whitey), or what. Turned out to be a game show and we were his support crew in the audience, then just asked the host if we could go on it, few weeks later we did. It wasn't as wacky as the Japanese style ones, but there was an eating comp and a team v team needle threading race. Was on Jiangsu BC (Jiangsu Province is just under 80 million people). No idea how popular the channel or show was the kids I taught said they watched it and SMSed in (I think they can bet on the games... not sure). Went to karaoke with one of the hosts afterwards (lots of Chinese love the infamous KTVs, lots of fun I can). Our team won, despite acting like ducks, becuase of our team name 'the salty ducks' (local specialty). One of my favourite memories for sure, still trying to work out how to download the link from youku, Chinese youtube.

Was an hour long and all in Mandarin so the Aussies on the team had very little idea of what was going on, I just knew my queues from the practice run... but I didn't have to speak very much at all.