I’m probably won’t be the first nor the last person to blog about Din Tai Fung. If you love Xiao Long Bao, and you are in Taipei, this place is a must! If you don’t know what Xiao Long Bao is, this is probably the best place to find out.
Before we made our way to Din Tai Fung, my family and friends had been raving about this place for weeks before my trip, so naturally, my expectations were high. I am glad to say, this place did not disappoint.
When we arrived, the place was packed. Its funny because my sister was telling how this place was so popular, tour buses would highlight it as part of their tour. So naturally, there were groups of tourists waiting in line, making the wait a bit long. The neat thing is that you can get the menu and order in advance. Just get a sheet menu from the hostess and pencil in what you want. By the time you get your table, your food will begin arriving .
The environment is very laid back and casual. It may feel a bit cramped due to the popularity of this place, but it’s nothing the food won’t make you forget.
Yummy Xiao Long Bao’s were a treat. The dough was thin and the filling was juicy. Best eaten with a spoon so you can catch all the juices. I didn’t really have to dip them in soy sauce and vinegar because they tasted great without it.
The steamed potstickers were tasty as well, but I personally have a soft spot for the Xiao Long Bao because they are smaller and bite size.
They also had shrimp Shumai on the menu. Those were alright. I’ve never been a HUGE fan of Shumai, not much better (or worse) than some of the local Dim Sum restaurants in LA.
The “Drunken Chicken”, as I like to call it, was “different”. It’s made with rice wine I believe, so it does have that hint of “alcohol”. Not sure if you can get drunk off it, but at times it seems like you could. My wife wasn’t a very big fan of it, plus she isn’t accustomed to eating chicken with the skin on. It tasted like cold chicken and rice wine, which sounds nastier than it tastes. Definitely not for everyone, I would suggest sticking with the dumplings and you’ll be alright.
The veggies and peanuts where not exactly very well received. Then again, my family are a bunch of meat eaters. I wanted the veggies really to offset all the meat we were ingesting. Moms always say to “eat your vegetables”, so I felt obligated to order some.
My experience at Din Tai Fung was great. We went through probably 6-7 baskets of Xio Long Bao, Shumai and steamed potstickers. We were a fairly big group of about 10 (with about 3 kids) so the bill was kind of big. Din Tai Fung isn’t cheap, but if you stick with the steamed dumplings, you can’t go wrong.
If you are in Taipei, and looking to feed your need for some steamed dumplings, here’s the address and phone number. Better yet, I’ve included the website. For those who don’t know, Din Tai Fung has a restaurant in Arcadia, CA. I haven’t personally gone, but I have heard some negative reviews on it. I guess I’ll just have to go and find out.
218, Zhong Xiao (Chung Hsiao) East Rd., section 4
Tel: (02) 2721-7890
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Hours: 11 am-2 pm; 4 pm-10 pm
1. Weirdest thing you have had for breakfast?
* Sushi & Sashimi
2. Most desperate meal you've ever had?
* Canned corn with a slice of American cheese, microwaved.
3. When you eat too much, you...
* Sit back on my chair and stare at the ceiling blankly...in pain. 
