By Teo Pau Lin, 25 September 2005
Sunday Times

STEAMY: The Nanxiang outlet at Parco Bugis Junction serves Shanghai-style dimsum like its famous original in China.

IS THERE room for another xiao- longbao restaurant in Singapore?

Just when you thought that the steamed pork dumplings scene is already well-stuffed with Din Tai Fung's three branches and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao's eight, a new player has entered the fray.

Shanghai's famous xiaolongbao restaurant opened a franchise outlet here in Parco Bugis Junction early this month.

And Mr Kevin Lee, managing director of franchisee Pangolin Investments, is confident that Singaporeans will bite.

Founded in Shanghai's Yu Yuan Gardens park, the 105-year-old institution is a formidable brand name, he says.

In addition, Nanxiang offers eight varieties of dumplings while Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade offer only two each.

Apart from the usual pork filling ($6 for six), the Shanghai import's dumplings also come with pork and crabmeat ($9 for six), mushrooms ($7.20 for six), crab roe and pork ($11.80 for six) and crab roe and shark's fin ($12 for six).

Mr Lee admits that he is up against strong competition, especially direct rival Din Tai Fung, which is a franchise chain of Taiwan's famous xiaolongbao specialist.

'I don't doubt for a moment that they're good. But they don't have dimsum, which we do,' he says.

His menu, which copies item by item the Shanghai original, features Shanghai-style dimsum like king-sized steam soup bun (crab roe soup steamed inside a giant bun, $6.80), savoury cashew nut cake ($3.60 for three) and spring rolls with beancurd and crab roe ($5.80 for three).

His 72-seat outlet has three full-time chefs from Shanghai, each with at least 10 years of experience with the flagship.

Unlike Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade's dumplings, which have paper-thin skins, Nanxiang's Shanghai versions have a thicker, more doughey coat.

Already, the Nanxiang franchise has reached Tokyo, Seoul and Jakarta, and will open in Hong Kong next month.

Business in the three-week-old Singapore outlet is brisk enough for Mr Lee to consider opening a second outlet next year.

His quick expansion is not worrying his competitors, though.

Ms Joyce Koh, Din Tai Fung's advertising and promotions manager, says: 'We're targeting different customers. Theirs is very Shanghainese, while ours is Taiwanese.'

Ms Stella To, Crystal Jade's special assistant to the managing director, adds: 'It's fair competition. We'll let our customers decide according to quality and pricing.'

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao charges $3.20 for four pork dumplings, while Din Tai Fung charges $5.80 for six.

With Din Tai Fung planting a new outlet in Wisma Atria in December and another in Raffles City mid-next year, this xiaolongbao war can only get steamier.

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant
#02-53 Parco Bugis Junction
Tel: 6835-7577
Opens: 11am to 10pm daily