Shrimp ShaoMai (NT$208)

Yin Tao Stewed Meat in Bowl (NT$280)

Yin Tao Tang Bao (NT$150)

Choked Crab (NT$380)

Long Yin Tao Shanghai Tang Bao Restaurant

---By Shanzi Chen Translated by Mei Lee

(02) 8952-6688 / 8952-5656
27, XinMin Street, BanQiao City
Hours: 11 am-2 pm; 5-9 pm
By MRT: BanNan Line's BanQiao stop. Take bus to FE21, or Exit 2 and walk for 15 minutes.
http://www.longyintao.com.tw

There are delicious steamed dumplings in BanQiao, right in the alley at the corner of Far Eastern Department Store (FE21')." So goes the gossip among locals who love tang bao, or steamed soup in dumplings.
At Long Yin Tao, you'll find a nostalgic Shanghainese-style restaurant with black-and-white photos embedded in two gold-foiled walls, blue porcelain vases and 1920s posters of fair Shanghai ladies. The atmosphere is vintage and classically elegant, resembling Shanghai's old eating houses.

Take a bite of the restaurant's signature Yin Tao Tang Bao (NT$150), filled with steamed soup that is amazingly delicious. The public praise is no joke. As explained by restaurant consultant Fan Tian-mei, tang bao is made with premium pork mixed in stewed chicken broth. Fresh Shrimp Tang Bao (NT$180), filled with sea shrimp, and Crab Tang Bao (NT$220) are both worth trying, too.

Despite its Shanghai Tang Bao name, Long Yin Tao's most important dishes are from southern China, including Four Seasons Intestine (NT$238) with crispy intestines and refreshing bamboo shoots, and the Yin Tao Stewed Meat in Bowl (NT$280), also known as Dong Po Meat, which boasts a sweet flavor favored by Taiwanese. Choked Crab (NT$380) is an all-time favorite. Using Kinmen crabs marinated in Shaohsing rice wine, this dish is deliciously fresh and even a temptation for diners who don't normally eat crabs.

Because it's close to the Taipei County Government building, the county magistrate and employees are frequent guests, in addition to regular visitors from other cities. Thanks to BanQiao's relatively cheap prices, this is a good place to savor the tang bao and southern Chinese dishes.