Michelin-Approved Xiao Long Bao at Jin Ji Yuan
In the mood for some XLB, but not feeling the ridiculous lines at Din Tai Fung? Jin Ji Yuan, located on Yonkang Street for over 40 years, is a great alternative. While Jin Ji Yuan may not have the delicate flavours or excellent customer service that Din Tai Fung boasts, don’t let this put you off: the food is delicious, the portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. In fact, this restaurant has such good value that it made Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list for Taipei in 2018.
It’s easy to spot Jin Ji Yuan because of all the different pastries and bamboo steamers stacked up in their open kitchen. Take a moment to marvel at the chefs making the dumplings and pastries by hand (the same way they’ve been doing for 40 years) before heading upstairs to the seating area. An English menu with photos will be brought to you, and you can take a look downstairs to see items in real life.
When we went during the week there were plenty of seats available, and though it gets busier during the weekends and in the evenings, turnover is high so you shouldn’t have to wait too long. Reservations are not necessary.
Our first order was the pork xiao long bao — heavily recommended and a solid competitor to Din Tai Fung’s, they were meaty and delicious. The skins were not as thin, the soup slightly oiler, and the flavours were much more rustic, but at $120 for 8, they were excellent value. For reference, at Din Tai Fung you can get 5 for $100, or 10 for $200. While we strongly recommend that everyone tries the XLB at Din Tai Fung once, these were a cheaper, quicker alternative.
Next, we ordered the mini pork dumplings with soup ($180 for 16). These were also delicious, and not dissimilar to the xiao long bao as they had a little bit of soup inside them too. You can eat these dumplings with the complimentary egg soup, or with soy sauce, vinegar and ginger — both options were delicious.
Still hungry, we asked the waitress what she would recommend, and she urged us to try the vegetable and meat dumplings ($120 for 8). These were great — thick and substantial, with the flavours of the vegetables really coming through. They were super filling!
Being greedy, we also ordered the pork roll ($50 for 2). These were great. They reminded us of British sausage rolls and made the perfect snack. They arrived almost immediately, piping hot and smelling divine. The crust was flaky and the pork filling was perfectly seasoned. We suggest ordering a few of these to go if you are walking past!
For dessert, we got some steamed layer cake ($60 for 2). We were quite full at this point, but it was still very tasty. Made with red beans, honey, and sticky rice and rice powder, this was a nice, light option that we enjoyed. We’re not the biggest red bean fans so we might not order it again, but if you are this will be right up your alley.
Overall, we strongly recommend a visit to Jin Ji Yuan. It’s affordable, fast, and delicious, with no need to worry about making reservations. Everything we tried was fantastic — not just their famous xiao long bao. As a bonus, it’s located right on Yongkang Street, which has a huge number of great food options, including delicious mango shaved ice and Taiwanese tea ice cream (in the store right next door to Jin Ji Yuan) for dessert. Go, and thank us later!
Check out their English menu here:
What’s the vibe?
Shabby but awesome store selling a variety of dumplings, pastries, noodles, and rice dishes. There are plenty of local and visiting customers, and the store caters well to foreigners.
Worth it?
YES. Trust us on this — the food is amazing, and you get some serious bang for your buck.
Would you go back?
We literally made plans to go back while writing this article, and will continue to do so for many years to come!
| Jin Ji Yuan |
| Chinese Name: 好公道金雞園 |
| Hours: 9am – 9pm, closed Wednesdays |
| Phone: 02 2341 6980 |
| English Address: No. 28-1, Yongkang Street, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106 |
| Chinese Address: 106台北市大安區永康街28-1號 |
