Did the server initially mention “lao cheng huang miao” as the area where the chef cooked? That’s what locals call the area.
Your description sounds about right for the Nanxiang’s XLB. They will be on the sweet side (though not as sweet as Wuxi XLB) and have thicker skins, less soup and more meat than the DTF Nanjing Tang Bao style everybody seems to be trying to imitate.
To tell the truth, I’ve given up on trying to find exemplary XLB in San Francisco, and seldom get to the burbs. On my last Shanghai trip in 2011 I stayed at a hotel that was a 5-minute walk from Jia Jia Tangbao’s #2 location on Liyuan Lu and had XLB for breakfast there precisely every other day for a month (forcing myself to seek variety on alternate days). On my return I decided to end my 20-year quest for good XLB stateside, and never make it a destination food any more. I do, however, make it a point of eating XLB every April 7, the anniversary of my XLB epiphany (yes, at the Nanxiang), and this year I might try to make it to this Fremont joint since it’ll be my 25th.
Since the original owner of Shanghai Dumpling King went south (literally, to San Mateo) my guess for the best XLB in SF might still be at Shanghai House, but I haven’t eaten there in years.
Found this in my stuff just the other day: an unused napkin from the Nanxiang.
