喜知滋饺子(莲池南大街店)

This shop's handmade dumplings are truly exceptional; the wrappers are thin yet resilient, holding their shape well when picked up. We ordered the vegetarian three-delicacy filling, which surprisingly included whole shrimp—not the chopped kind—which was quite satisfying. The filling itself was also very flavorful, without that artificial MSG taste. I recommend not adding too much vinegar to the dipping sauce; try a bite of the plain sauce first to appreciate the wheat flavor. The two of us ordered three plates, costing just over thirty yuan per person, and we were absolutely stuffed.

What I love most about this restaurant is its open kitchen. You can clearly see the auntie making the wontons; she pinches and seals the wrappers, then dips them in the pot for a few seconds before scooping them out. I timed it; from ordering to receiving the wontons, it only took about five or six minutes. The whole process is transparent, which makes me feel reassured. I recommend first-timers order the pork wontons; the broth is made from pork bones, and you can taste that it's not MSG. By the way, avoid peak meal times, or you'll have to wait. I arrived around 1 PM on a Thursday and luckily, there were seats available.

This place is really filling, you can eat your fill for around 20-30 yuan per person. I bought a set meal last time, and it came out to be a huge table full, and we still couldn't finish it all 😂 The best part is that the owner even offered to refund us if we couldn't finish it. Have you ever seen anything like that? It was definitely the first time I'd encountered it, and I was completely blown away. Do you usually choose small shops like this for group buying?