Do you ever go on social media and see something really cool that you just need to try? For me, it was the rainbow xiao long bao (aka XLB) at Jingle Bao! I am a huge fan of XLB and I was so intrigued by the rainbow rendition. As with such things, I was definitely skeptical if it was just for aesthetics, but check out my Jingle Bao review below to see if these beautiful dumplings were worth the hype! I came on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was very busy. They were definitely short staffed, but the staff did try their best with every table. However, if you are in a rush, this spot might not be the best choice.
Jingle Bao – Rainbow XLB
The main star of the show is definitely the show stopping Rainbow XLB. On the menu this dish is called The Signature Magnificent Seven ($13.00). It features 7 soup dumplings in the following flavours: classic, spicy, shrimp, spinach, mushroom, garlic and curry.
All their dumplings are freshly handmade each day (and you can actually see the chef making it fresh) behind the counter. The dumplings are never frozen. All the colours come from natural ingredients such as blueberries, dragon fruit, spinach, carrots etc. They do not use artificial colouring.
Overall I found them to be okay. The skins definitely need work, but the flavours were pretty good. My favourites of the bunch are: spicy, mushroom and garlic. The dumplings also lacked soup, but overall I do appreciate that they make these fresh to order. Unfortunately, this spot will not be my top pick for XLB.
Jingle Bao – Happy Hour Specials
Jingle Bao has Happy Hour from 3-6 pm daily. They have a nice selection of their dim sum for $6 a dish. We went with their Shrimp spring rolls, Deep Fried Shrimp, and Ha Gao. The Shrimp spring rolls was my favourite – there was plenty of fresh and juicy shrimp and the rolls were so crispy. The Deep Fried Shrimp reminded me of the tempura shrimp in Japanese restaurants. The Ha Gao was ok – the skin was a bit mushy but the filling was very good (similar to the spring rolls).
Jingle Bao – Regular Menu
We had a few more things off the regular menu Sichuan Spicy Wonton ($9.00), Chicken and Bean Sprouts Chow Mein ($14.00) and Portuguese Egg Tarts. The Spicy Wonton was good once you add more chili oil. The filling was nice and meaty and their is a good kick from the Sichuan peppercorns. The standout though was definitely the Portuguese Egg Tarts. They are only available until 6 pm daily. These tarts were so buttery and flakey. One of the best I’ve had in Vancouver.
Worth a Try?
If you are in the area, it is worth a try for the novelty. Is it a bit gimmicky? Absolutely. But the flavours aren’t bad and there is quite a selection on the menu in terms of dishes. Surprisingly the shrimp dishes were my favourite of the night (and the Portuguese Egg Tarts!). I would recommend you come here for Happy Hour to try a smattering of their dim sum dishes and have a beer or two.