Satisfy your Xiao Long Bao cravings at the ORIGINAL Din Tai Fung at Dong Men Station, Taiwan

Yes, yes and yes. Just yesterday I did the 24 hour food tour in Penang and today, I'll be bringing you to Taipei, Taiwan. As we had paid our flights to Taipei, we decided to go all out by visiting the original Din Tai Fung restaurant which is opened in year 1949. Upon stepping out from Dong Men MRT station, we tailed the large group of MRT commuters. And it was one of the wisest decisions as they led us to Din Tai Fung and we joined the queue like the rest.

Make sure you take your number first!

On average, the waiting time is an hour, be it you are in small group or big group. After jotting down on what we would like to order, we decided to stroll along Da’an, marveling each and every Yong Kang street. We couldn’t resist our temptation so we had some light snacks in between. Not so-wise decision in fact.

After an hour, we got our table in Din Tai Fung. It is a narrow 3-storey space with a really, really small space. At most, it can accommodate up to 8 – 10 tables in each floor while ground floor is mainly taken by its main kitchen.

This is how the order chit looks like

The service was great! Every few minutes, the servers would check on us. At some point, it gave us the feeling as if they were rushing us to quickly finish our meals. Nonetheless, first that came to our table was the signature xiao long bao.

Paired with soy-sauce, vinegars and strips of freshly ginger, a bite of xiao long bao should smack your lips with juicy pork fillings and delicately flavored broth, however, I was quite disappointed as it didn’t taste like what I would have expected.

Next up is the Pork Chop Fried Rice. One of the staple dishes which I would order whenever I visit Din Tai Fung in Malaysia. One thing about this dish is that you can choose to opt for brown rice or white rice. And as always, white rice will bring out the best version of the taste and smell -   Good taste with aromatic smell.

We opted for another of their signature dish called Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shao Mai. I would rate this as our least favorite dish. The combination of prawn and pork didn’t seem to gel well. The prawn is too dry and the skin is too thick. It could have been a better dish if they use fresher prawns.

Like the saying, when you are in Rome, you must behave like a Romans. So, when you are in Taipei, you must eat like them. Hence, we opted for the Steamed Wantan in Chilli sauce. I was expecting it to be spicy but it was not. A common taste where anyone can eat it. Thus, don’t be afraid to order this.

All in all, the taste doesn’t vary much between Din Tai Fung, Malaysia and Din Tai Fung, Taiwan. In a good way, kudos to Din Tai Fung, Malaysia for retaining the standard. 

If you wish to experience the joy of waiting with a large crowd and squeezing in a small restaurant plus, ticking off the bucket list of visiting the original outlet in Taipei, then head over to Din Tai Fung at Dong Men MRT station. You will like it.

Oh, they sell the above too.

Ambient: 2/5

Price: 3/5

Food: Non-halal, Chinese food

Service: 4/5

Verdict: Try the steamed wantan in chilli sauce
Remarks: Accept cash only!

Din Tai Fung Restaurant

No. 194, Section 2, Xinyi Road,

Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106

Monday – Sunday: 10am – 9pm

Regards,
FoodiesTravel

Chapter 147 - Paradise Dynasty, Paradigm Mall

Dating gives a good reason to have good food and good laughter. It’s been a while since we last visited Paradise Dynasty and we thought it would be a good idea to have our dinner there, on a rare Tuesday evening. Looking outside of the mall were dark clouds covering the beautiful skies, and that made our food selection easy – we wanted something soupy that soothed our tummy.

8 Flavours of Xiao Long Bao 

Steamed Original Xiao Long Bao (RM15.90 for 6)

We tried the 8 Flavors of Xiao Long Bao before and we still prefer the original flavors of Xiao Long Bao. The thin skin is strong enough to hold the meat plus abundance of the pork broth. Best to be eaten when it is hot, we took our chopsticks and carefully handled this mini size bao. We gently dipped the Xiao Long Bao in a pool of vinegar, put some ginger on it and slowly sipped the broth – alas, I wish I could have more now.

Shanghai Fried Rice (RM 19.70)

Marked as one of the signature dish in Paradise Dynasty, the portion is just nice for sharing. Coupled with their handmade chilies, the fried rice will tempt you further, making you to crave for more. However, in comparison with their Yong Zhou Fried Rice, Mr Chee prefers the latter one.

La Mian with Braised Pork Belly in Signature Pork Bone Soup  (RM 22.50)

Don’t be fool by the bowl! The portion isn't that big though. Personally, I fancy their La Mien as compared to Din Tai Fung and Dragon- I – I find it springy and it goes well with the broth. It does not come in a strong pork taste and smell; the soup itself has its authentic aroma plus a tinge of pork collagen in it. Even, Mr Chee agreed to it.  At the end, he humbly finished this bowl of noodles while ushering me to finish the fried rice. #lookhowdiplomaticMrCheeis 

Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken

Wow, this is killing!! One of the signature Sze Chuan dishes in China – Don’t look down at this simple dish but if you can’t take spicy food, make sure you just take the chicken piece only; open your eyes big enough and avoid taking the pepper corn/seed. In fact, beers will go well with this dish.

Ambient: 3/5

Price: Quite pricey

Food: Non-Halal

Service: 3.5/5

Paradise Dynasty

Level 1, Paradigm Mall,

No. 1, Jalan SS7/26A,

47301 Petaling Jaya.

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As it is a durian season, what else can you ask for when comes to dessert? Couldn’t be more than grateful to feed my stomach with the sinning yet delicious Musang King and D24. Thanks to my younger brother, I no longer go to SS2 to satisfy my durians craving and can have them comfortably at my home. 

Jeng, Jeng, Jeng

Regards,

Foodiestravel