ShangHai Taste, a Chinatown staple known for the xiao long bao, is expanding from Las Vegas to Plano, Texas.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal (via The Dallas Morning News), ShangHai Taste is scheduled to open in Plano in early April 2024, situated at the intersection of Legacy Drive and U.S. 75.
The original restaurant location in Vegas' Chinatown, led by Jimmy Li, a semifinalist for the 2023 James Beard Award, was founded in 2019. The restaurant gained popularity for its famed xiao long bao (a Chinese steamed bun), becoming an instant hit.
Word reached Texas, prompting investors to approach co-owner Joe Muscaglione. Impressed by what he discovered in Plano, where the population is more than 20 percent Asian, a dumpling deal was successfully negotiated, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
The menu in Texas will mirror that of Chinatown, with a focus on traditional and modern xiao long bao. The dumplings will be complemented by appetizers like sheng jian bao, scallion chicken salad, a variety of soups, noodle dishes and different renditions of fried rice with options like egg, Chinese sausage or a choice of protein.
The employees for the upcoming Plano location trained in Las Vegas under Li's guidance. He plans to spend a month in Plano prior to the opening and will continue to visit every three months as the restaurant establishes itself.
The decision to expand in Vegas was influenced by the limited space in Chinatown, with only 38 seats and an even smaller kitchen. Additionally, the preference for enjoying the dumplings hot and slurpable right from the steamer played a role in the expansion.
The dining areas in the Plano location will accommodate about 50 guests, marking a one-third increase from the Chinatown setup. However, the kitchens will be notably larger to facilitate a substantial boost in dumpling production.
