Shanghai Lounge Asian Fusion, Shanghainese with Xiao Long Bao in the Former Arisu Space

[Simul Parikh]

I had heard about this place before, as my friend Satellite Will had moved to the neighborhood, but hadn't tried it. My friend, the Booz Consultant, had a hankering for some XLB, and were not going to be able to go to Rock-vegas on a weeknight, so figured we'd check this place out. 

It's a super cute little restaurant. I like the red brick exterior. The first floor was pretty packed and we were going to sit at a table down there, but then the waitress told us that some old people came in, and it would be hard for them to go upstairs, so she sent us upstairs. I had the feeling no one would be up there, but the upper floor was also packed. And very Chinese. I think all the Asian people got to eat upstairs. So, we sat down. Took a while to get served. They have wine and beer, maybe cocktails, I don't remember. I got a Goose Island IPA. We ordered soup dumplings (they called them pork soup buns or something like that). 8 to an order, they took a while to come. They were small-ish, and not a whole lot of soup in them. Got a Agaric Garlic Salad, that was basically wood eared mushrooms. It was dry, but when you put the sauce on them, tasted pretty good. Then we got to ordering mains. We looked around and saw these metal bowls over burners, and tried to get an idea of what was going on there, but couldn't figure it out. There was two lovely GW students from outside of Shanghai, and we looked at their menu. Different than ours, of course. It was all in Chinese language. We asked them if there was anything on that menu that wasn't on our menu, they said it was basically the same. I was skeptical. So, then the people next to us got the same metal thing, and we asked the server. He said it was a dry pot. TOTALLY NOT ON OUR MENU!! Why do they do this??? Anyway, we got lamb dry pot and pork with garlic sauce. The dry pot came, lamb, chilis, green pepper, lotus root, mushrooms. I liked it, not super spicy. My dining partner wasn't as big a fan. I liked the pork, too, good flavor. Sort of reminded me of the sauce at the Uighur place that they give you on the side. We chatted with those students, and they said turns out the dry pot was on the Chinese menu, but not on the American one. I don't know what else was on there, but I'm sure they are hiding stuff. 

So, the XLB crave was sort of managed, but not the best I've had. I did like the dry pot, and don't think that's easily available in DC proper. There is probably other good stuff, they seemed to have some Sichuan options, and the beef spicy noodle soup looked good, but we didn't get since I don't eat beef and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to tolerate the heat.

I'd go back and try some other stuff. 

[lhollers]

22 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said:

He said it was a dry pot. TOTALLY NOT ON OUR MENU!! Why do they do this??? Anyway, we got lamb dry pot and pork with garlic sauce. The dry pot came, lamb, chilis, green pepper, lotus root, mushrooms. I liked it, not super spicy. My dining partner wasn't as big a fan. I liked the pork, too, good flavor.

Dry pots are awesome; if you dug it, the best I've had is the one at Super Bowl Noodle House in Rockville. Highly recommended (as is the majority of their menu).

Cheers!

[The Hersch]

I'd like to put in a word for Shanghai Lounge, a sort of hidden treasure next-door to Bistrot Lepic on Wisconsin. I got take-away from there this evening, and had to wait at least ten minutes for my order. Everything I saw coming out of the kitchen looked good. The "dry pots" were plentiful, and still not on the English menu. The main dish I ordered, called "Spicy Fish Broth" and described as "fish filet and veggie cooked in Sichuan spicy broth. Hot and spicy." was the best Chinese-restaurant dish I've had in several years. And there was a lot more fish than broth, so with a starter it could easily have served two people, and was gently priced at $14.95.

ETA I also don't find any xiao-long-bao or "pork soup buns" on the English menu.

[Torshi]

This is local to me.  I usually use the pick up window, but I think Doordash delivered yesterday.  Their version of soup dumpling is Shanghai Pork Steam Bun, but not sure it travels well.  The fish dish, I believe is A11 Sichuan Chili Boiled Fish.  Dry Hot Pot is great, but can be a bit potato heavy- I still recommend it.  Not sure which protein to pick, because my husband eats that part.  They have many interesting things on the menu and would recommend.  They are a small place so not sure when they could even consider inside dining. 

 

[Ericandblueboy]

Are either Shanghai Lounge or Dumplings & Beyond worth visiting from across the river?  Which one has better soup dumplings?  I'm in McLean, for decent soup dumplings I have to either go to Alexandria (Kung Fu Kitchen) or Rockville (Bob's Shanghai 66).  Do either of these restaurants compare to KFK or Bob's?

[Torshi]

You cannot eat in at Shanghai Lounge these days.  I do not drive around too much- so I do not have a good answer for Rockville or Alexandria.  Not sure I would take a one trip for their dumplings.  If you get into Rockville, there is so much.  I would head out to Rockville make a project of it and go nuts- travel without travel.