Guide · updated 2026-06-15
MìLà (XCJ) Soup Dumplings & Noodles Review
XCJ — now rebranded as MìLà — set out to bring restaurant-quality Chinese food to your home freezer, starting with the soup dumplings that made them famous. The team sent us a box (thank you!), and it converted us into repeat customers.
The soup dumplings
Still the flagship for a reason. Steam for ~11 minutes from frozen and you get genuinely restaurant-grade xiao long bao — thin-enough wrappers, a proper soup gush, well-seasoned pork. The MìLà steamer is a nice-to-have, not a must: any steamer with parchment works.
The noodles, ranked
- Dan Dan Noodles — the winner. Nutty, savory, a little heat, and the noodles keep a real chew after a quick boil. Tastes like a restaurant bowl, not a kit.
- Zha Jiang Noodles — deep, salty-savory bean sauce; comfort food energy.
- Cong You Ban (Scallion Oil) Noodles — simplest and cleanest; add a fried egg and a spoon of their chili oil and it’s a complete lunch.
Shipping & packaging
Everything arrives frozen with dry ice, and the insulation in our box was compostable foam — a genuinely thoughtful touch in a category full of styrofoam.
Verdict
The rare DTC frozen food that tastes like the restaurant it came from. Pair anything here with their restaurant-style chili oil (A+ tier) — that’s the move.
Frequently asked questions
Are MìLà (XCJ) noodles good?
Yes — they're some of the best restaurant-quality noodles we've made at home. The dan dan noodles are the standout: the sauce is rich, nutty, and properly savory, and the noodles keep a real chew. The zha jiang and scallion-oil noodles are also strong.
Is XCJ the same as MìLà?
Yes. XCJ (Xiao Chi Jie) rebranded to MìLà. Same company, same soup dumplings, new name — you can find them at eatmila.com.
How do you cook MìLà soup dumplings?
Straight from frozen: steam them (MìLà sells a purpose-built steamer, or use any bamboo/metal steamer with parchment) — about 11 minutes. Don't thaw first.
How does MìLà ship?
Frozen with dry ice, in responsibly designed packaging — our order arrived with compostable foam, which we appreciated. Everything arrived solid and freezer-ready.