About - Spring Shanghai Pan-Fried Buns
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Amenities and More
Offerings
- Comfort food
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Atmosphere
- Casual
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Spring Shanghai Pan-Fried Buns is a small spot specializing in traditional Shanghai-style comfort food, focusing on classic noodle dishes and authentic Shanghai pan-fried buns. Their menu features a variety of traditional Shanghai noodles, including preserved pork noodles, shredded pork with pickled mustard greens noodles, scallion oil noodles, spicy minced pork noodles, curry beef vermicelli soup, and wonton soups. I tried their signature Shanghai Classic Pork Pan-Fried Buns (4 pcs), and they truly tasted like authentic Shanghai-style Shengjian. The buns are smaller in size compared to many modern oversized versions, but the skin is thin, the bottom is nicely crispy, and the soup inside is rich and juicy. The filling had a slightly stronger pork flavor than I expected, so pairing them with plenty of black vinegar definitely helped balance the taste and made them much more enjoyable. I also ordered the Preserved Pork Noodle Soup, which unfortunately disappointed me. Traditionally, Shanghai-style preserved pork noodles should feature larger slices or chunks of cured pork, but here they used tiny minced pieces instead, which made the dish feel less authentic. The broth itself was also extremely oily and heavy. Considering the relatively high price for such a simple noodle dish, it did not meet my expectations. The restaurant itself is small and simple, with a straightforward fast-casual setup. Service is minimal — mostly just bringing dishes to the table. Water was not proactively provided, and overall hospitality felt rather limited. That said, the menu itself does a solid job showcasing traditional Shanghai street-style comfort food that is rarely seen outside bigger Chinese communities. Items like scallion oil noodles, spicy minced pork noodles, and shepherd’s purse pork wontons reflect classic Shanghai flavors. Overall, the Shanghai Classic Pork Pan-Fried Buns are definitely worth trying if you are craving authentic Shanghai-style Sheng Jian Bao, but the noodle dishes and service left me somewhat underwhelmed.
Recommended by my friend, this pan-fried bun生煎 place isn't far from MFA Boston. The little place is incredibly popular and well-known among Boston's Chinese student community. Shanghai Classic Pork Pan-Fried Buns上海生煎饅頭: I was instantly hooked! It's hard to imagine finding such good pan-fried buns in the US. Almost every table ordered them, so they were all freshly made, piping hot. The bun was made with unleavened dough, making it chewy and refreshing, with a light, crispy bottom--not oily or hard. The meat filling was substantial and tender, with plenty of broth (see picture). It was sweeter than salty, incredibly umami. The chili oil was also very fragrant, and dipping it in Zhenjiang vinegar enhanced the flavor and cut through the greasiness. Shredded Pork & Preserved Vegetable Noodle Soup雪菜肉絲麵: The noodles were thin and round, with a soft, mushy texture. While the noodles were clearly machine-made, this isn't a problem in the Yangtze River Delta region; the issue was likely overcooking. The shredded pork were well-stirred, with tender meat, but the noodles lacked flavor. They had to be eaten with the pickled mustard greens雪菜 to be slightly salty, and the umami flavor was severely diluted. The tableware is all disposable, and tipping is not mandatory. It's quite affordable.
Good dumplings just kinda bummed it was only 4. The soup and the meat were excellent. The skin was also very well done and pan fried to perfection. Definitely a perfect place to stop by for a quick snack