[Shanghai] Lei Garden 利苑

Lei Garden 利苑  | Dianping
Address: 淮海中路999号环贸广场L4 -L4/IAPM, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu (徐汇区 Xuhui District)
Date visited: 2014.05 for weekend dim sum
Total bill: ~RMB¥150 per person (including 10% service charge) for dim sum
Will return: Yes
What to get: Everything below

In the quest to find good dim sum in Shanghai, we ventured to the newest Lei Garden 利苑 branch in IAPM (the first branch is at IFC). I have finally found a place I can wholeheartedly recommend without saying “well, it’s not Hong Kong standards but…” whenever someone asks me where to go for dim sum in Shanghai. This place gets my approval and has been rated up to Hong Kong standards by HKers at the table. We liked very much.

Lei Garden is pricier than Taoheung 稻香 downstairs but there also won’t be 100 people in front of you in line. While Taoheung has a mix of good and not so good dishes, I was pretty satisfied with most of the dim sum we got at Lei Garden. Just be aware that there is another restaurant called Lei Garden nearby also on Huaihai Lu but is not part of the authentic Lei Garden chain. Make sure you visit IAPM or IFC Mall for one of their two Lei Garden branches currently open in Shanghai.

Please note there is a 10% service charge.

Puer tea for the table 普洱茶

Turnip marinated in Thai chili soy sauce (RMB¥33)
Recommend: yes
The spicy marinade permeates each turnip for maximum flavor.

Steamed rice noodle roll with shrimp 鮮蝦仁河粉 (RMB¥38)
Recommend: yes
Fresh-tasting shrimp and celery wrapped inside soft and delicate rice noodle–really impressed with this as I often find rice noodle textures to be too thick at most places.

Steamed whole shrimp dumpling 原只鮮蝦餃 (RMB¥33)
Recommend: yes
Skin so delicate.

Steamed pork dumpling with mushroom 北菇骨燒賣 (RMB¥29)
Recommend: yes

Red bean cake with sweet osmanthus  桂花紅豆糕 (RMB¥29)
Recommend: yes

Durian puff 金枕榴槤酥 (RMB¥29)
Recommend: yes
Super flakey thin layers wrapped at the ends by seaweed! How is this possible…

Baked egg tart 酥皮雞蛋撻 (RMB¥26)
Recommend: maybe
I am pretty picky about my egg tarts and I have yet to find one that beats my beloved Lillian Bakery egg tart yet, which has a branch just across the street in the basement by Metro Line 1 South Shanxi Road stop. These are not bad but if you are up for it, my advice is to go across the street after dim sum and get awesome egg tarts for RMB¥4 each.

Steamed sparerib with crystal rice noodle 排骨蒸陳村粉 (RMB¥29)
Recommend: yes

Pan fried turnip cake 香煎蘿蔔糕 (RMB¥29)
Recommend: yes

Fried noodle with scallop and yellow chive 韮黃鮮元頁煎麵 (RMB¥188)
Recommend: yes
Literally a crispy layer of noodles topped with flavorful scallops and vegetables. So good. So good.

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