Lotte Imperial's Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao Isn’t Just Truffle-Flavored—It Also Comes in Foie Gras and Ginseng

▲Lotte Imperial Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao (NT$320), available in original, ginseng, foie gras, black truffle, cheese, crab roe, garlic, and spicy flavors.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

The most popular brand under Singapore’s Chinese restaurant group Lotte Food & Beverage, “Lotte Imperial,” officially opened at Xinyi Breeze on November 5. In addition to serving classic Chinese dishes from various regions, what Lotte Imperial is best known for isthe “Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao.”Aside from the original flavor, other options include ginseng, foie gras, black truffle, cheese, crab roe, garlic, and spicy. Lotte Imperial stated that the colors of the dumpling wrappers are all made from juices extracted from vegetables, squid, and red rice (or goji berries), and contain absolutely no artificial coloring or chemical additives.

Lotte Imperial wasfounded by Cai Zhiyong, the founder and president of Lotte Food & Beverage Group.The original goal was to bring together classic dishes from various Chinese regional cuisines in one place to satisfy all palates at once. Han Guanghui, the executive head chef of Lotte Imperial, explained that currently, aside from Anhui cuisine, the menu features at least one or two classic dishes from each of the other eight major Chinese cuisines—such as Sichuan-style spicy chicken cubes, mouthwatering chicken, Li Bai Drunken Chicken, common Chinese dishes, as well as Hong Kong-style dim sum and popular Teochew cuisine in Singapore.




▲A single bite releases a burst of savory broth.

Regarding the signature Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao, Han Guanghui noted that back in 2010 when Din Tai Fung entered Singapore, Cai Zhiyong, the founder and president of Lotte Food & Beverage Group, thought the xiao long bao were delicious but wondered if they could offer more variety. Since different regions have xiao long bao with various fillings, and the colorful diversity of macarons inspired the founder, the Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao featuring eight distinct flavors was created. The wrapper colors are all derived from juices made from vegetables, squid, and red rice (or goji berries), while the fillings come in eight flavors: original, ginseng, foie gras, black truffle, cheese, crab roe, garlic, and spicy.


▲Scallop and Egg White Crab Meat Imitation (NT$240)—a dish that uses egg whites and fish to mimic the texture of crab meat, then adds egg yolk and shredded dried scallops to create a salty and aromatic visual and olfactory impression reminiscent of crab roe.

Everyone knows that the secret to the burst of broth when biting into a xiao long bao lies in the pork skin jelly, but Han Guanghui said their xiao long bao don’t use pork skin jelly. Instead, they simmer a chicken broth jelly for 6–8 hours, then mix it with ground pork (a ratio of 70% pork shoulder and 30% pork belly) before wrapping it in the dough. As a result, the broth in Lotte Imperial’s xiao long bao is less greasy. Han also mentioned that there’s a recommended order for eating the Eight-Colored Xiao Long Bao: start with the mildest original flavor, followed by ginseng, foie gras, black truffle, cheese, crab roe, garlic, and finish with the spicy one.

In terms of ingredients, according to founder Cai Zhiyong, Lotte Imperial primarily uses Taiwanese produce, but some key ingredients are imported—such as Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers used in Sichuan dishes.


▲Red Date Pudding (NT$140)—dried red dates are deseeded, then stuffed with glutinous rice and red beans, steamed, and finally topped with melted palm sugar. The resulting dessert has layers of textures and sweetness.


▲Sichuan Spicy Chicken Cubes (NT$260)


▲Shredded Radish Pastry (NT$100)


▲Crispy Red Bean Pancake


▲Imperial Dan Dan Noodles

Address: No. 68, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City (Breeze Xinyi)
Phone: 02-6636-6699
Business Hours: Sunday–Wednesday: 11:00–21:30; Thursday–Saturday: 11:00–22:00

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