Juicy Bao Bao

Lydia Zhang, owner of Authentic Bites Dumpling House, is a big claypot-rice fan. Unable to find one of her favourite tastes of home in Perth, she and her husband Yang jumped at the opportunity to open a second venue specialising in this Shanghainese classic. The dish is meat and rice cooked together, complete with the crunch of a deeply caramelised sauce.

There’s also an excellent selection of Shanghai-style dumplings. While similar to Cantonese versions served at dim sum, Shanghai-style dumplings are notable for being larger and juicier and available in both steamed and pan-fried versions.

Kitchen windows mean diners can watch the chefs shape and twist these dumplings filled with combinations such as pork and chive, and beef and pickles. Pan-fried juicy pork bao – shen jian bao in Mandarin – are recommended for fans of Shanghai’s famous xiao long bao. Bottles of soy sauce and black vinegar join pots of deep-red chilli oil on the simple bench-style tables.