CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s official: hibernation season has arrived in The Land.
While that’s a figurative statement for me (most of the time!) I’m ready for comfort food. These last two weeks, you’ll note I’ve hopped aboard the “Classic CLE” soup boat.
This week is no exception.
When it’s cold and blustery, I want a one-on-one with an order of LJ Shanghai soup dumplings. They’re the best in town and, paired with their pan-fried beef flat noodles, they will cure whatever ails you.
LJ is one of those spots where the steam does the talking. Before you even sit down, you can hear bamboo baskets hissing behind the counter; each one stacked with neat parcels that look delicate enough to blow away… until you lift one with your chopsticks and feel the weight of broth inside.
That’s the magic of their soup dumplings: they’re engineered with just enough structure to survive the journey from steamer to spoon, but tender enough that each bite becomes a rush of savory heat.
The “gelatinized” broth inside the thin noodle skin melts, giving savory pork filling inside a final braise before you dig into them. Dipping sauces (ginger, vinegar, chili) add to the delight. They’re the cutest lil’ umami bombs to ever pass your lips, I can promise you.
LJ’s xiaolongbao stand out because they strike the balance so many places miss. The wrapper is thin, not gummy. The broth is layered with depth, not salty heat.
And the filling? Porky, fragrant, with hints of ginger that tap dance on the back of your palate.
That balance that tells you someone in the kitchen cares about details. You don’t crank out dumplings like this at volume unless the muscle memory is earned.
Ritual is part of the appeal, too: the drizzle of black vinegar or soy; the bite of fresh ginger threads, the wait for the steam to settle just enough before you risk scalding your tongue or roof of your mouth.
It’s an elaborate, psychic preamble to the happy food dance in your chair to come.
LJ Shanghai understands that people come not only for the food but for the small ceremony of eating it. On busy nights, when you see a full dining room quietly focused on the same exact movement—dumpling raised, spoon ready, first cautious bite—you get why these dumplings have a huge local fan base.
It’s meditative for any bon vivant.
Let’s be real: comfort food is everywhere in Cleveland. It’s a big part of our collective identity and reps our cultural melting pot in ways that nothing else can.
But there is no dispute around LJ Shanghai soup dumplings’ status as “S-tier,” “goated” or “grailed” (insert favorite youthful superlative here) and worth going out of your way for.
Small, perfect moments of warmth engineered to stop time, at least for little while. I’d like to hibernate with some right now. I have a feeling you would, too.
LJ Shanghai, 3142 Superior Ave., Cleveland. 216-400-6936, instagram.com/lj_shanghai/?hl=en
Dining and Cooking