Fuding Soup Dumplings

Review

Fuding Soup Dumplings sits down a lane off Section 3 of Xinglong Road, directly opposite MRT Wanfang Hospital Station, and is the soup-dumpling shop most often named in the Muzha and Wanfang area. Media and bloggers like to call it the Muzha answer to Din Tai Fung, meaning its thin, juicy dumplings hold their own against the famous chain at far friendlier prices. There is a second branch nearby, but this original shop remains the busiest.

The star is the xiaolongbao, with yellow chive and pork, and loofah and shrimp alongside the original. Loofah and shrimp is the most recommended: the gourd's mild sweetness brightens the broth, and the shrimp is springy. The original has a thin skin and plenty of soup, a good first test of the basics. Hot and sour soup, scallion pancakes, red bean pancakes and cold side dishes fill out the menu. Reports say a single dumpling costs under NT$12, close to street-stall level, though full menu prices should be checked on site.

Praise centres on value and on dumplings that arrive steaming and full of broth; the scallion pancake and hot and sour soup are often recommended too, and sauces and ginger shreds are self-serve. Complaints are mostly about the setting: a plain room, frequent table-sharing with strangers and loud staff at peak times. Some find the cabbage filling too sweet or did not enjoy the shrimp version.

It opens daily from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. with few closing days, but mealtimes usually mean a queue, and some diners report waiting about 20 minutes for a table. You tick a paper menu, pay at the counter and wait for food to be brought over, while side dishes can be taken from the chilled cabinet. The MRT Wenhu Line to Wanfang Hospital Station is easiest; just cross the road.

It suits students, office workers and families wanting soup dumplings on a small budget. Two people can share a basket each of original and loofah-shrimp dumplings, plus hot and sour soup and a scallion pancake. To avoid crowds, come around 2 or 3 p.m., or simply make it breakfast.