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| - Xiao Long Bao--yes, as in the dim sum soup dumplings--sounded like a damn-must-try when I first heard of it in the ongoing search of a good suburban Asian meal. In between the glass wall looking in the kitchen and the flicker of the TV stuck on the fireplace channel at the back, this place is huge, and brimming with staff standing around like soldiers ready to attack with efficient spartan service, like you'd might expect any other Chinese restaurant would.
The restaurant's namesake xiao long baos are definitely tasty, juicy and a must-order. Whatever hype there is of this new Scarborough dim sum place however, it died when you drift beyond the little xiao long bao dumplings. From their fried noodles to noodle soups, almost everything else we had were either a tasteless cold dud, or something that hits the spot on one end (such as texture) but lacks a lot in others. I honestly had better Chinese food even in grimy Chinatown, and the overall food experience at Xiao Long Bao is not a remarkable one that makes me want to drive back here for more and more.
We managed to bore ourselves with approximately $15/person worth of lunch. People can stop complaining about being handed menus in languages they can't read--their menus are now done in bilingual Chinese and English.
{TTC: the 21 or 169 will get'er there. Xiao Long Bao is tucked in in its own building within the Chartwell Shopping Centre complex at the SE corner of Brimley and Huntingwood Dr--and yes, parking can be difficult, especially when competing with traffic for the adjacent Bestco supermarket. Downtown driving has failed to prepare me for this.}
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