Din Tai Fung’s 鼎泰丰 Delicious, Decadent Dumplings

Posted: January 26th, 2012 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Foodies & Dining Scene | Tags: Din Tai Fung, dumplings, Haidian District, New York Times, Shin Kong Place, Xindong Lu, 鼎泰丰 | No Comments »

With branches all over the world and listed as one of “Top 10 Restaurants in the World by the New York Times”, Din Tai Fung is an ever-popular Taiwanese chain where I happily enjoyed a full spread of delicious 小笼包 dumplings on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Made famous from their signature pork dumplings, they have an extensive menu that should not be ignored and some new menu items that should be your top picks.

Check out the full-on Din Tai Fung spread I devoured like a dragon to ring in the new year.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Din Tai Fung’s Delicious Dishes:

Braised Beancurd with Black Mushrooms (RMB 20) / Tossed Beancurd with Seaweed and Bean Sprouts (RMB 18)

Huai’s Style Mushrooms (RMB 35) / Steamed Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Pork (RMB 30) 

Din Tai Fung’s Delicious Dumplings:

“Every Din Tai Fung steamed specialty dumpling is skillfully hand-made, each displaying at least 18 delicate folds. All of our dumplings are steamed by a powerful automatic steaming machine, allowing for the perfect tenderness of our steamed dumpling.”

 Din Tai Fung’s Signature Steamed Pork Dumplings (RMB 23 for 5 or RMB 45 for 10)

NEW! Steamed Specialty Black Truffle & Pork Dumplings (RMB 88 for 5 or RMB 176 for 10)

NEW! Steamed Specialty Goose Liver & Pork Dumplings (RMB 68 for 5 or RMB 136 for 10)

NEW! Steamed Specialty Shanghai Hairy Crab Roe Meat & Pork Dumplings (RMB 39 for 5 or RMB 78 for 10)

Steamed Specialty Mini Pork Dumplings Served with Soup (RMB 33 for 10 or RMB 65 for 20)

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Shaomai (RMB 33 for 5 or RMB 65 for 10)

Steamed Vegetable Dumplings (RMB 23 for 5 or RMB 46 for 10)

Sauteed Water Lily (RMB 30) / Noodle with Sesame Sauce (RMB 25)

Steamed Red Bean Paste Bun & Sesame Paste Buns (RMB 15 per order of two)

You really can’t go wrong with any of their cold appetizer dishes as I’ve tried almost all of them, but my all-time favorites are their tofu appetizers.  The Braised Beancurd with Black Mushrooms (RMB 20) may not look appetizing in the least bit (a bit like little brown sponges), but they are full of savory and sweet flavor and really unique in consistency and taste.

Of all their signature steamed dumplings, I love the Mini Pork Dumplings Served with Soup (RMB 33/65 for half/full order) as these mini ones are just as tasty as their big brothers, but more bite-sized so you minimize your risk of a burnt tongue. The clear soup is also a nice compliment.

And if you’re willing to splurge just a bit, I encourage you to try their new Black Truffle and Pork Dumplings (RMB 88/176 for half/full order). If only all dumplings could have a pinch of black truffle!  As soon as this batch comes to your table, the smell of Black Truffle engulfs you and the taste is phenomenal!  If only I had a better photo of the inside of the Black Truffle & Pork Dumplings, but that would not even do the taste justice.  The Goose Liver Dumplings were OK, but if I had to pick a second favorite, it would be the Shanghai Hairy Crab Roe Meat & Pork Dumplings, which really taste of crab meat if that’s your cup of tea.

A surprise favorite dish is their Noodles in Sesame Sauce (RMB 25), which is basically a non-spicy Dan Dan Noodle dish 担担面.  It’s really tasty and perfect to share if you come in a small group of foodies. And whether you like green veggies or not, you should definitely try an order or two of their greens – either their Sauteed Water Lilly dish (RMB 30) or their Sauteed Bean Shoots (RMB 48) are both really healthy and it’s not often you come across greens in a Chinese restaurant not drenched in oil.

Review of Din Tai Fung: 24 Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区新源西里中街24号; Tel: 6462 4502

Best Part:

• Their delicious, decadent dumplings! From their signature specialty pork dumplings to their new Black Truffle and Goose Liver filled dumplings, these are among the best dumplings you will find in Beijing and quite possibly “in the world” (according to The New York Times)
• Din Tai Fung’s dumplings are the highlight, but don’t ignore their amazing appetizers, soothing soups and their green veggie dishes are also among my favorite dishes on their menu
• They have plenty of options for vegetarians including vegetarian dumplings, plenty of green veggie appetizers and dishes and desserts! 
• Restaurant is clean, atmosphere is bustling and service is decent.

Comments:

• Regardless of which branch you head to in the world, you will always encounter a line.  Most don’t take reservations, so be prepared to send someone there early to take a number in line.
  
• Their staff does not generally speak English, but you can get by easily with their easy-to-order big picture menu.
• Restaurants are often in a mall or if they are stand-alone, then decor is very simple and straightforward. Basic table seating layout and it’s comfortable enough, but nothing impressive and certainly not flashy.  People come for the consistently good quality food, not the decor or service. 
• Service is rushed and dishes come out quick enough, but even a friendly smile might be asking too much. 
• They have three locations in Beijing: this one which is off of Xindong Lu, one on the 6th floor of Shin Kong Place (87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District 朝阳区建国路87号华贸中心新光天地6层, tel: 6533 1536), and one in Haidian District (7/F, Dangdai Shangcheng, 40 Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian District 海淀区中关村大街40号当代商城7层, tel: 6269 6726) 

Rating: (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best)

• Food: 8
• Atmosphere: 5
• Service: 5
• Overall Experience: 6

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