Known for its hand-crafted xiao long bao, Supreme Dumplings is now open in Honolulu.
The business, which just opened by Shabuya in Ala Moana Center, has 14 locations in cities like Bellevue, Tacoma, San Francisco and more. The eatery offers authentic Taiwanese cuisine and soup dumplings, according to owner Brandon Ting.
“We started this restaurant’s first location in Bellevue, Washington,” he explains. “We brought the former executive chef of W Hotel Taipei from Taiwan to America; we created this menu together. We want to bring the most authentic, classic xiao long bao experience to Hawaiʻi; we are very excited to be on this island and to serve so many customers here.”
The Honolulu store opened for its friends and family event on Friday, and was soft opened over the weekend. The eatery can seat about 140 individuals.
Customers can make reservations for dine-in via Yelp, according to Ting.
“We encourage people to make reservations; we will occasionally accept walk-ins,” he says.
Most xiao long bao orders include six pieces. Each dumpling is folded by hand and steamed fresh to order, according to Ting. The wrappers are delicate, but designed to contain the filling and soup broth.
“The amount of soup inside is a very important standards that we value for our dumplings,” Ting says. “We always tell our customers not to bite them the regular way. If you do, the inside has a lot of soup, and you’ll squeeze it all out.”
Ting recommends that customers let the dumplings cool down, then “eat the entire dumpling in one bite” to enjoy the dumpling exterior and soup together.
Ting explains that chef Peter Wang — former executive chef at W Hotel Taipei — helped establish the standards, recipes and techniques for Supreme Dumplings. Supreme Dumplings chef Norman Lu, the former head chef of Din Tai Fung’s original central kitchen, adds his expertise to the culinary team.
“Great xiao long bao is a game of millimeters and grams,” Lu states. “Each Supreme Dumplings xiao long bao weighs exactly 27 grams — 6 grams of wrapper, 11 grams of soup, and 10 grams of filling. Achieving that balance consistently requires tremendous discipline and craftsmanship.”
The Supreme pork xiao long bao ($13) is the eatery’s signature dish. Lu explains that choosing high-quality ingredients was essential.
“We carefully select a premium pork specifically chosen for its ideal fat ratio and fiber structure,” he states. “That’s what allows the filling to remain juicy without feeling greasy, while delivering a clean, natural pork flavor. We use premium ingredients throughout our kitchen, and even our seasonings are made from real ingredients, rather than additives."
The Honolulu menu includes options like Szechuan spicy pork xiao long bao ($12), shrimp and pork xiao long bao ($14), black truffle and chicken xiao long bao ($19) and wagyu beef xiao long bao ($16). If you want a little bit of everything, go for the signature XLB assortment ($20), which includes spicy pork, chicken, wagyu, black truffle and crab fillings.
The menu also features Taiwanese favorites, including spicy pork wontons ($10) and Taiwanese chicken cold noodles ($13). Customer favorites include stir-fried string beans with garlic ($18), pork chop fried rice ($19), mini pan-fried pork dumplings ($15) and Supreme tan tan noodles ($15.50).
Customers can also look forward to a Hawaiʻi-exclusive dish that’s coming soon. The golden pineapple fried rice and a variety of Island-inspired cocktails will be added to the menu.
Desserts include sweet taro ($10.50), chocolate melt ($11) and matcha lava xiao long bao ($12). The latter features a matcha and white chocolate filling.
Supreme Dumplings Honolulu is currently open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are subject to change.
“This is a place where people genuinely appreciate great food, family-style dining and experiences worth sharing,” Ting states. “We look forward to creating moments of joy for local residents and visitors alike.”
CONTACT
Supreme Dumplings – Honolulu
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Ste. 2500, Honolulu
Supreme-dumplings.com
Instagram: @supremedumplings
Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
