STMUNCHIES: BOB’S SHANGHAI

Words: Mark Aquino | Images: Mark Enriquez

So it’s a Saturday afternoon, you and your friends debate on where to grab lunch. If you don’t mind the drive and crave soup dumplings, Bob’s Shanghai is the place to be. Located in a small plaza in Rockville, MD, this place sure gets packed most of the time. It’s not too fancy, just simple and minimal. It has a family type atmosphere. This is where you’d bring a group of friends or your family to eat. This is a cash-only establishment, don’t forget to swing by the ATM.

We were seated quite promptly I should say, we had a party of 3 and a half. The service was swift, impressive for a packed late lunch hour. The manager even stopped by our table to offer suggestions. We were so hungry that by the end of the meal, we realized that we’ve ordered a lot. The portions were good sized, enough for 2-3 people per plate. We had so much varieties that we ended up with leftovers.

Our food came out one by one, our empty table is now about to to overflow with plates of food. We were daring that day so we tried the manager’s suggestion – spicy pork intestines. I couldn’t stop munching on them. Then on to the dumplings – eating it is like an art. Pro Tip: Grab the dumpling at the top when grabbing it from the steamer. This will prevent it from breaking and spilling. Make a cut when you have it in your spoon, slurp some of the goodness, proceed to add vinegar and chili oil before devouring. REPEAT.

One other favorite is the salt and pepper squid. It’s simple, a little chewy texture and is something you find yourself coming back to every now and then.

If you want full flavor, we suggest the basil chicken. We made a mistake by getting fried rice instead of white rice. With a variety of food on our table, the flavor gets your taste buds confused. We suggest getting a bowl of white rice to neutralize the flavor, preparing your taste buds for the next dish.

Overall, we loved the food, the experience and the prices! We’ll definitely be back!

What We Suggest:

Spicy Pork Intestines, Pork Soup Dumplings, Basil Chicken, Salt and Pepper Squid