Shanghai Dumpling Bar has made its home under Spice Alley’s canopy of lanterns.

To bring the Chinese street-hawker venue to the precinct, Shanghai Dumpling Bar collaborated with Chefs Gallery – the team responsible for Chefs Gallery restaurants dotted across Sydney – as well as Spice Alley’s Hong Kong Diner and Holy Duck.

The menu has been designed by Chefs Gallery chef Neo Ni, whose previous work includes Mr. Wong under Dan Hong, and Kylie Kwong's Billy Kwong.

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Inspired from his time as head chef of Lotus Dumpling Bar, where he worked alongside Chinese-born Lucy Lou (who has handmade dumplings for more than 30 years), Ni brings a contemporary twist to a well-loved dish.

“Traditional Chinese dumpling is always white. I don’t think it’s very attractive to young people; most of our diners are young students so we have [decided to do] something fresh and colourful,” says Ni. “I use natural colour, like beetroot for the red and carrot for the orange beef dumplings. Black is very special – we use squid ink, but the flavours are discrete.”

The rainbow-coloured dumplings are handmade to order and filled with the likes of pork and garlic chives, or chicken with wood ear mushroom. You can then choose how you would like the dumplings served: boiled, pan-fried or in a slow-cooked master-chicken-stock soup.

In keeping with the street-hawker aesthetic, Shanghai Dumpling Bar has an open kitchen where you can watch as the Aunties (as they’re affectionately known) prepare your order.

There are other dishes on offer, too. Dan dan noodles come with fried pork chops, finely minced dried prawns and ground peanuts in a rich and spicy sauce; while zha jiang mian noodles are served with pork, master stock, egg, onion, zucchini and house-made black bean sauce. Crisp pockets are a twist on the spring roll and packed with the same fillings as the dumplings.

Shanghai Dumpling Bar
Spice Alley, Kensington Street, Chippendale

Hours:
Sun to Wed 11am–10pm
Thu to Sat 11am–10.30pm

This article was updated on September 7, 2017. This article first appeared on Broadsheet on June 26, 2018. Menu items may have changed since publication.