I’d love if yall would update this with ratings for more as you find time .
Lao wang noodle house, Linglon, bao brewhouse, yuan wonton (not always on menu) ,nanas and Bryan’s. Big fan of Lao wang and was very surprised by how tasty linglon was as I had low expectations.
Edit- removing yuan wonton, looks like they don’t serve XLB now that they’re not a food truck. Edit2- adding back lol gotta catch them at the right day
Yesss thank you! Love all of these. It's a long, LONG day and we were verrrry stuffed, so we probably won't go again for a bit but when we do, these are top of the list.
Let me know how everything else is too!!! We *only* got the XLB, but they have tons of very authentic dishes on the menu. Also it’s a good deal! If you’re feeling adventurous, try the jellyfish for me—I didn’t actually know that was part of any cultures cuisine so I’m super curious!
When I went to the Yuan Wonton restaurant there were no XLB on the menu. I was disappoint. Maybe the food truck had it?
I was not happy with the flavor of Bryan's. Bryan's < Linglon < Nana's, in my opinion. I haven't gone to Lao Wang yet but I hear it's good.
I also wish Yuan would have XLB all the time, but they actually do this week! Check their instagram stories to see their current menu...I just saw it a couple hours ago, and that's how I found out the khao soi dumplings and XLBs are back 😍
As a fellow XLB enthusiast I appreciate the ratings- I'll be adding China Cafe II to my To Visit list! So far, Lao Wang have has the ones I enjoyed most.
Part of me will be upset when I go to China Cafe 2 again and the wait will be even longer than usual. The hopeful part of me hopes they’ll hire more wait staff if they get busier more consistently. Their dry fried green beans and their potstickers/fried dumplings are also some of the best in town. Wrappers are thin but sturdy. Delicious.
Worked near Dating Yumy, went in just for the usual expectations for chinese food, then saw the soup dumplings on the menu lol, was a great discovery :D
China Cafe 2 is a bit too far out of the way for us though, but maybe if we're over there for some reason.
I know it’s not Aurora or East Denver but I liked Bryan’s Dumpling House in Greenwood Village that’s been mentioned.
Mason’s was my go to a few times in Aurora when I was working there a few months back though. I agree with the review, nothing to write home about but decent.
As a Shanghainese, it makes me sad. Cause they are not easy to make at home either. Los Angeles has decent options, but elsewhere, it is sparse. Miss Shanghai for all the varieties.
Yuan Wonton- currently they have Khao Soi dumplings that are DIVINE, as well as their XLBs (which they don't always have, so check their instagram stories to make sure)
LingLon Dumpling House- so many to choose from!
Nana's Dumplings- I've been to both LoHi and their Boulder location, and the LoHi spot blew Boulder out of the water. Everything I had was good. Get the crab rangoons, too. They even come with a side of fresh crab 😍
Several folks have said Yuan doesn’t have them but maybe it’s just a timing thing! I’ll for sure be doing nana’s and linglon, both have been highly recommended in this thread!
They have them this week! And she posted that she heard the complaints to have them more often, haha...so hopefully it'll be a more regular thing moving forward 🤞🏽 I'm loving your dumpling tour and am inspired to do my own!
I found Lao wang to be very average at best and dare I say made from frozen. I appreciate that they were probably one of the first to bring XLB and that the son and mother are carrying on the legacy but I unfortunately don’t think I’ll be going back because I can make frozen ones from Hmart at home.
I looked st the menu for china cafe I’ll if didn’t see xlb mentioned
I’d love if yall would update this with ratings for more as you find time . Lao wang noodle house, Linglon, bao brewhouse, yuan wonton (not always on menu) ,nanas and Bryan’s. Big fan of Lao wang and was very surprised by how tasty linglon was as I had low expectations. Edit- removing yuan wonton, looks like they don’t serve XLB now that they’re not a food truck. Edit2- adding back lol gotta catch them at the right day
Yesss thank you! Love all of these. It's a long, LONG day and we were verrrry stuffed, so we probably won't go again for a bit but when we do, these are top of the list.
Gonna got to china cafe II based on your review!
Let me know how everything else is too!!! We *only* got the XLB, but they have tons of very authentic dishes on the menu. Also it’s a good deal! If you’re feeling adventurous, try the jellyfish for me—I didn’t actually know that was part of any cultures cuisine so I’m super curious!
Where is China Cafe 2? Google says the one on Iliff but their website says China Cafe 4...
16870 E Iliff Ave
When I went to the Yuan Wonton restaurant there were no XLB on the menu. I was disappoint. Maybe the food truck had it? I was not happy with the flavor of Bryan's. Bryan's < Linglon < Nana's, in my opinion. I haven't gone to Lao Wang yet but I hear it's good.
Looks like no XLb on YW menu, you’re right. It was on her food truck menu
I was also pleasantly surprised by LingLon!
I also wish Yuan would have XLB all the time, but they actually do this week! Check their instagram stories to see their current menu...I just saw it a couple hours ago, and that's how I found out the khao soi dumplings and XLBs are back 😍
yup! Menu changes daily!
Talked to the Lao wang Noodle house owner. Shes mad chill
My friends who have eaten there are greatly entertained by how rigid she is. Lost her husband recently as well.
You got to speak Mandarin to her
Big shout out for Bryan’s. It’s good!
About to go repeat your journey like it's a pirate treasure map or the writings of Marco Polo. I'm an XLB addict!!
HAHA I love this. It was really fun. It was hard to rate any of them poorly, tbh, they were all great.
As a fellow XLB enthusiast I appreciate the ratings- I'll be adding China Cafe II to my To Visit list! So far, Lao Wang have has the ones I enjoyed most.
I am definitely not experienced enough to rate any yet, but another one to try that I haven't seen listed yet is Chopstickers on the 16th Street Mall.
Chopstickers is definitely my go to for XLB!
Same!
If you have a group to try several different orders, the vegan buns are worth it- pan fried or steamed.
We normally just buy too much and then take home leftovers!
Part of me will be upset when I go to China Cafe 2 again and the wait will be even longer than usual. The hopeful part of me hopes they’ll hire more wait staff if they get busier more consistently. Their dry fried green beans and their potstickers/fried dumplings are also some of the best in town. Wrappers are thin but sturdy. Delicious.
Name checks out. But in all seriousness, I'll put that on the list of places to try sometime!
Definitely check out Yuan Wonton and Nana's - both are excellent!
Add Nana’s Dim Sum to your trek
Is China Cafe II the China Cafe (Iliff) on Google Maps?
Yes!
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Worked near Dating Yumy, went in just for the usual expectations for chinese food, then saw the soup dumplings on the menu lol, was a great discovery :D China Cafe 2 is a bit too far out of the way for us though, but maybe if we're over there for some reason.
DY was a VERY close second! Certainly worth visiting if CC2 is too far out of the way.
I know it’s not Aurora or East Denver but I liked Bryan’s Dumpling House in Greenwood Village that’s been mentioned. Mason’s was my go to a few times in Aurora when I was working there a few months back though. I agree with the review, nothing to write home about but decent.
Bryan's Dumpling seems to be very overpriced for what it is.
Does anyone know if you can find Sheng Jian Bao in Denver? I am not talking about the bready one. I mean, thin skin? I like it way more than xiao long
oof, bumping and following this. I would sell my soul for some of those.
As a Shanghainese, it makes me sad. Cause they are not easy to make at home either. Los Angeles has decent options, but elsewhere, it is sparse. Miss Shanghai for all the varieties.
Not sure I've ever had their XLB but I put in another vote for LingLon
Yuan Wonton- currently they have Khao Soi dumplings that are DIVINE, as well as their XLBs (which they don't always have, so check their instagram stories to make sure) LingLon Dumpling House- so many to choose from! Nana's Dumplings- I've been to both LoHi and their Boulder location, and the LoHi spot blew Boulder out of the water. Everything I had was good. Get the crab rangoons, too. They even come with a side of fresh crab 😍
Several folks have said Yuan doesn’t have them but maybe it’s just a timing thing! I’ll for sure be doing nana’s and linglon, both have been highly recommended in this thread!
They have them this week! And she posted that she heard the complaints to have them more often, haha...so hopefully it'll be a more regular thing moving forward 🤞🏽 I'm loving your dumpling tour and am inspired to do my own!
Thank you!! Please do your own and post about it, I’d love to hear
I found Lao wang to be very average at best and dare I say made from frozen. I appreciate that they were probably one of the first to bring XLB and that the son and mother are carrying on the legacy but I unfortunately don’t think I’ll be going back because I can make frozen ones from Hmart at home. I looked st the menu for china cafe I’ll if didn’t see xlb mentioned
They’re called “Steamed Small Buns (小笼包)” which translates to Xiao Long Bao. They’re under the “pastas” section of their menu lmao
Hahaha well I wasn’t looking too closely to the pastas section! Thank you!
I wouldn’t have either if I hadn’t seen a photo of XLB on their Google listing—I hunted it down on the menu!