Wow!

How do you like these soup dumplings versus the ones at Nanxiang Mantou Dian at Yu Yuan Garden?

I haven't tried Nanxiang Mantou Dian yet so I can't give you a comparison. A quick search for their dumplings makes me suspect that their wrappings are on the thicker end (http://www.flickr.com/photos/yusheng/11194460/). The reason why I like Ding Tai Fung is that their wrappings are thin and light, with lots of soup, crab meat and crab roe inside. You can see the orange crab roe through the wrapping. With that said, I do know that DTF's soup dumplings aren't considered to be "traditional" since it's a chain store started in Taiwan and the traditional dumplings have thicker wrappings because they were a carb substitution for rice and noodles. So it all depends on whether you want to be spoil your palates or if you prefer the traditional fill-you-up's. I can however give you a fair comparison of Joe's Shanghai in NYC and DTF since I've tried both. DTF's dumplings are smaller and on the lighter end. You can eat a whole dozen and not feel overwhelmed. On the other hand, I prefer Joe's wrapping better cuz it's more gooey and chewy (which, again, goes back to personal preference). They are both juicy/soupy and have a fair amount of crab roe. I like them both. Share your thoughts on Nanxiang Mantou Dian!

Eating the Nanxiang Mantou Dian soup dumplings was one of those food memories you'll always remember. I'm not sure if it was because I waited 45 minutes in the freezing cold for it or that they were ~$1 for 12 pieces or whether I was starving or they were just simply delicious. The dumplings are smaller than DTF and Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao in Flushing Queens. They were amazing. Skins were nice and thick so no worries about breaking the dumpling and leaking the soup. You need to try it next time and let me know what you think. As for NYC, I think the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is better than Joe's Shanghai. If you haven't tried it, you should!

From your description I can tell we look for different things in soup dumplings. Soup dumplings are kind of like cupcakes - some people care more about the frosting; some focus on the cake. If I ever go to Mantou Dian, I'll be sure to share (the picture)! I'll also make sure I go on a nice day - I don't want to wait in the cold nor drench in sweat!