Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
There are 3 guarantees in Chinese culture: parental pressure, taxes, and a love for dumplings. I’ve had many snobbish conversations with relatives in the past about which stall serves the best dumpling in Singapore, and I think my opinion has matured after I started working at Sethlui.com.
In a constant effort to one-up my uncles and aunts, I visited the new retro diner-themed Food Junction in Junction 8 to check out Zhang Ji Yun Jiao. This is the brand’s second outlet, with its first being in Grantral Clementi Mall.
Zhang Ji Yun Jiao sells Shang Dong dumplings, which have thicker and doughier skin. What sets the stall apart is the sheer variety of dumplings they offer. I counted a mouth-watering total of 11 different fillings.
Their setup gave me the impression that you can pick and choose how many dumplings you want, like a donut shop. Unfortunately, they sold dumplings in plates of 10 and 12 only.
What I tried at Zhang Ji Yun Jiao
Zhang Ji Yun Jiao offers a Family Feast Assorted Pork Dumplings (S$9.50 for 10pcs, S$10.50 for 12pcs), which was a much better option for me compared to ordering 10 dumplings of every filling.
I also wanted to try their mee sua, but the cashier told me it wasn’t ready.
I received a plate of 12 inconsistently shaped dumplings, with the worst offender being the flattened dumpling on the top right corner of the plate. I know expecting perfectly wrapped dumplings is a bit high SES of me, but is consistency that big of an ask? Especially at this price point.
Looking past the shape issue, the dumplings themselves were full and bulging with meaty pork filling.
First up, their Pork & Chives Dumplings (S$8.50 for 10pcs, S$9.50 for 12pcs). This is my favourite dumpling filling because of that distinct green hue from the chives, and Zhang Ji Yun Jiao did it justice. The chives were crunchy, adding a welcome layer of texture.
The regular Pork Dumplings (S$8.50 for 10pcs, S$9.50 for 12pcs) were where the pork meat truly shone. It has just enough juice to have that lovely savoury taste, while a tease of gingery aftertaste lingered after swallowing.
Ah Wang La Mian Xiao Long Bao: Handmade dumplings & xiao long baos at Zion Road
Onto their Sauerkraut Vegetables & Pork Dumplings (S$8.50 for 10pcs, S$8.50 for 12pcs). While I’m not the biggest fan of sauerkraut, I can understand why people like it. The acidity did well to balance out the pork.
I also tried their Shrimp & Crab Roe Pork Wantons (S$9.50 for 10pcs, S$10.50 for 12pcs) and regular Pork Wantons (S$8.50 for 10pcs, S$9.50 for 12pcs).
Were my eyes playing tricks on me, or were the wantons even fuller than the dumplings? Maybe it’s the loose wanton skin tightly hugging the filling, creating the illusion of size.
It was hard to discern the taste of crab roe in the Shrimp & Crab Roe Pork Wanton, and I only tasted a single tiny shrimp. I could tell that the shrimp and crab roe were there, but their tastes were so fleeting that I’d forgive you if you assumed this was just a pork wanton.
The soup that came with the wantons left much to be desired. It was fun to see the minuscule shrimps in the soup, but that resulted in such a salty spoon that I recoiled after sipping it. The aunty sitting at a table next to me stared at me with eyes shooting daggers at my bombastic reaction.
Jokes aside, I fished up sticks of ginger in the soup, so there was the intent to imbue it with flavour. Unfortunately, it all got lost in the sauce from the overpowering saltiness.
Final thoughts
I was a bit miffed when my original assumption of how the stall works was debunked, and I felt like that could’ve been such a cool concept for a stall. Later, my father told me that this style of serving dumplings in a big plate is exactly how it works in China.
Despite the “authentic” serving style, I struggle to recommend Zhang Ji Yun Jiao due to the price. Dumplings are usually eaten as a side dish, so dropping close to S$10 for that isn’t something most are willing to accept.
Maybe visit if you’re looking to splurge on good food, but there are many cheaper options for dumplings out there.
Expected damage: S$8.50 to S$10.50 per pax
Order Delivery: foodpanda
