Restaurant:
Din Tai Fung
400 S Baldwin Ave
Arcadia, CA 91007
Hello and Welcome to another edition of Restaurant Reviews!
Today, we are looking at a Michelin star restaurant that gained international fame from their signature dish, the Xiao Long Bao.
ABOUT THE RESTAURANT
Din Tai Fung is an internationally famous restaurant that specializes in dim sum and Taiwanese dishes. They are most well known for their Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumpling, and in 2009, their Hong Kong branch was awarded one Michelin star by the Hong Kong and Macau 2010 edition of the Michelin Guide. They currently have branches all over the world including, Taiwan, China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and more.
All of their locations are extremely crowded and you can expect anywhere from 45 min to 2 hour waits most of the time (no reservations are taken). However, you can pass some time by looking at the employees hand make the dumplings behind the glass near the entrance.
THE FOOD
1. Shrimp and Pork Spicy Wontons ($10)
Description:
Wonton dumplings filled with Shrimp and Pork in a red chili sauce made from sweet soy sauce and Sichuan Chili Oil.
Review:
I know Din Tai Fung is known for their Xiao Long Baos but spicy wontons are actually one of my favorite type of dumplings and this restaurant, in my opinion, does it best. The wonton skin has that soft, 'bouncy' texture all good dumplings and noodles have and the filling has the perfect surf and turf balance of meaty pork and shrimp.
The chili oil sauce is the absolute star of the dish. It has a subtle sweetness from the sweet soy sauce and a hint of spice from the added Sichuan chili oil that really brings out that umami flavor.
Result:
Absolutely amazing. 9.5/10.
2. Pork Chop Fried Rice ($11.50)
Description:
Fried Pork Chop over Egg Fried Rice with Chopped Green Onions.
Review:
I love the way pork chop is prepared in Taiwanese cuisine. It's simple, seasoned well, and often has great texture, Although most Taiwanese restaurants' version serves their fried pork chop with batter, Din Tai Fung's is batter-free (sort of like skin fried chicken) but still has a slightly crispy exterior from the crust of the fry. Their egg fried rice is simple, but is seasoned extraordinarily well and pairs really nicely with the pork chop.
Result:
Very Solid. I recommend mixing the rice with the chili sauce from the spicy wontons. It's amazing together. 8.5/10.
3. Braised Beef Noodle Soup ($10.25)
Description:
Spicy Beef Noodle Soup with Braised Beef, Green Onions, and Baby Boy Choy.
Review:
Beef Noodle Soup is a staple in Taiwanese cuisine and Din Tai Fung seems to really execute this dish well. The soup has a hearty, beefy flavor but still manages to be not too oily and relatively light in taste. The braised beef is extremely tender and you can tell the noodles are handmade from the al dente texture.
Result:
Very well executed and one of my favorite beef noodle soups. 9/10.
4. Pork Xiao Long Bao - Soup Dumplings ($10.50)
Description:
Dumplings filled with soupy pork broth and ground pork seasoned with soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, and sesame oil.
Review:
Here is the world renowned Xiao Long Bao that Din Tai Fung is so famously known for. Many Taiwanese Dim Sum Restaurants serve Xiao Long Baos so I was very curious to see how much of a comparative difference there would be in taste. The dumpling skin had a nice chew in the texture and the filling was extremely juicy from the soup inside. If you pop one of these in your mouth whole, the juices explode out as soon you bite down on the dumpling. I personally like to dip it in the soy sauce-vinegar-chili oil concoction, bite the top partially, let the soup pour out into the spoon, and then slurp up the Xiao Long Bao whole.
However you decide to eat it, their Xiao Long Baos are pretty darn good and it seems pretty clear why they were awarded a Michelin Star.
Result:
It's been their source of international fame for a reason. 9/10.
5. Passion Fruit Green Tea/Sea Salt Cream Topped Green Tea ($4.50)
Review:
After completing our meal, we ordered a Passion Fruit Green Tea and a Sea Salt Cream Topped Green Tea to-go. The Passion Fruit Green Tea had a good balance of sweet and tart, but still had a strong tea flavor (which I personally prefer.) The Sea Salt Cream Green Tea was also great and the cream on top was pleasantly sweet and milky. Overall, their drinks here are solid and you can't really go wrong with any that you choose.
Result:
Their drinks are just as good as any boba shops around. 9/10.
OVERALL RATING
The food served at Din Tai Fung is traditional and relatively simple, but they execute all of their dishes extremely well. Their menu is comparatively priced higher than your average Taiwanese restaurant but with the reputation, ambience, and quality of food that this place brings, I think it's absolutely worth the visit. Just remember to go early because, chances are, there will a long wait and for good reason.
Food: 9/10
Service: 9.5/10
Value: 9/10
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