While doing a xiao long bao tasting between three different restaurants, we tried the Tong-Po pork dish at New Yeah Shanghai Deluxe (thanks to this eGullet thread.
It looks like a slow braised pork shoulder with a thin layer of fat and rind, and it did not disappoint. The meat was tender, sweet, and aromatically spiced without overpowering the underlying pork flavor. The steamed baby bok choy is a welcome accompaniment.
The fat/rind layer is absolutely essential to the enjoyment of this dish. To those who find the thought unappealing, I'll say this: given the tenderness of the cut, most of the fat probably rendered into the pork shoulder and the sauce during cooking. If you're eating this dish, you're already eating the fat. Just enjoy the texture, they go well with the pork meat itself.
This dish will easily serve four and costs just under $10.
These buns accompany the dish. If you order the "Berkshire pork steamed buns" at Momofuku, you'll notice some striking similarities. Which is better? Hard to say, but the value proposition is with New Yeah.
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