88 BaoBao — Restaurant in Dublin

Came for lunch and left quite satisfied. It's also conveniently located nearby the outlets so keep it in mind for a place to eat before/after you shop considering food choices at the outlets are abysmal at best.

Everything we ordered was tasty! We began with the marinated cucumbers which were hearty and crisp. Everyone at the table enjoyed them!

Next came the beef roll which was pretty good. The flavors of the hoisin sauce with the marinated beef and fresh burst of cilantro just pairs so well together. Although we couldn't taste the burnt bits it was a little awkward watching the chef behind the glass breaking off the burnt bits on the pancake before making it for us. Still, I do appreciate that everything is made to order.

Onto the show stoppers - the XLB. I thoroughly enjoyed these juicy bois! The crab one especially had a very nice though subtle seafood flavor. The dumpling skins were remarkably thin, almost transparent on some pieces! The meat inside was tender as if it was braising for hours and the broth was unctuous. Quite the delicious bite!

Rounding out our meal were the steamed chives/pork/shrimp dumplings and the pan fried pork buns. Between the two, the dumplings showed more finesse. The skins again were remarkably supple and generously filled with the meat and veggie mixture. The pan fried buns were a little too generous in size. You had to chew through a good amount of bread before you got to the soup and meat inside. The bottom were golden, but not evenly so.

Total for lunch for 4 was $70. Can't complain there! However, I will say service (or lack of) was weird. When we walked in, the staff asked how many, sat us, and gave us a tick sheet. After marking it up, they refused to take it and asked us to line up at the register! Why sit us if you consider yourself an order first at the register type of...

This is my favorite XLB place. I started coming here since they just open the business years ago, and still come back every other month or so, after moving out from the area. Glad to see the food quality remains good, also the service people are very kind.

Suggestions: dumping menu should be updated. I used to buy frozen dumplings to home but got tired of the same flavors. Should also set up MORE seasonal food/snack and keep UPDATING them, I recently tried the beef noodle soup, the noodle tasted like handmade and soooo good and chewy, absolutely authentic!

The service group had an update sometime In between years , one guy still there who is super nice(looks about the mid- 40s) and we are very happy to see him every time. The younger folks are good too.

The young woman in the cashier is super loud, bossy and annoying. We are here enjoying the food, not for her voice. Hope she could just shut up or stay away…

Please do NOT rush the dine-in customer. This never happened to me till the most current visit in April. They started “push” you out as soon as you clear out the plate. Even took my water away when I stepped out and use the bathroom. It’s not a cafe and we won’t be there that long after eat. Please...

First, let me correct their translation of their “specials” 1. “Shrimp dumpling” from this Shanghai dumpling restaurant is actually the Cantonese “haw gaw.” It is not freshly made by the restaurant but the ones in the freezer section of any Asian grocery store. I asked the cashier if it’s “shui jiao” and the cashier told me it was so I was very disappointed to see haw gaw. If you’re familiar with Chinese food then you know the difference btwn the two. “Custard bun” again ones from grocery freezer section. It’s not “custard” it’s the salty egg yolk bun lava style.

Now the regular dishes - Chicken Lo-mein: I like the lo-mein but not the $2 extra chicken I paid for. They used old repurposed chicken. The meat was chewy, hard and color shows that’s been out for quite sometime. So if you like lo-mein just skip the meat. Beef roll pancake : shell super dry, over baked , careful when chewing could cut your gum. Beef wrapped inside was decent. Sesame onion pancake: hardly any sesame or green onion. It’s steamed not pan fried so it’s very bread like, not the traditional Chinese pancake. If you’re really hungry - between this place and the Hot Pho few doors down are your only choices -...