There's something about Din Tai Fung. When the air becomes crisp & the first thing I reach for upon…read moreleaving the house is my scarf, my craving for these plump, soup filled dumplings becomes undeniable. That's how I found myself sitting down earlier today at this famous 41-year-old Taiwanese dumpling chain.
Those who've met me, understand that this isn't my first rodeo. I've been a Din Tai Groupie now for well over 8 years. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, I've now dined at Din Tai Fung in over 5 countries in as many years. In fact, it's no word of a lie that I once boarded a flight with a group of friends to Taiwan, purely to dine at the original location. We waited, hungry & eager on the streets of downtown Taipei for well over an hour. Full of gross anticipation, we wondered if anyone else would deem our dumpling pilgrimage 'nuts'. Perhaps we were nuts, unknowingly having flown in during the middle of a serious tropical cyclone. Memories!
Taking the above into consideration, you can imagine my squeals of delight upon finding out that 'The Fung' was finally making its way to the Sutherland Shire. I'm fairly confident it involved some swearing & perhaps even a few tears.
Today we arrive right on midday, the restaurant is heaving & we are led to a table upstairs. Sitting down, we peel off our coats & push our menus aside. Did I mention this isn't our first rodeo?
Predictably, we order 8 pieces of the Pork Xiao Long Bao, a bowl of the Shrimp & Pork Wonton's with Tangy Sauce, 6 pieces of Shrimp & Pork Jiao Ze & the Pork Chop served with Fried Rice. Just as the waitress is rushing away with our order, I notice a flyer detailing a new addition to the menu - Pork & Prawn Potstickers. Having not seen these since our trip to Taipei in 2013, we eagerly order a serve knowing full well that we've again, over ordered.
The food arrives quickly, each steamer basket hitting the table within minutes of each other. First to arrive, are the Pork Xiao Long Bao. These dumplings are everything. Hand crafted with supreme care, these ginger-infused pork dumplings are reminiscent of finely folded origami. Each possessing 18 folds in order to perfectly encase its delicate broth, they are joyous & a product of scientific precision.
Next up are the beautifully spicy Shrimp & Pork Wonton's. Possibly my favorite offering on the menu, these delicately prepared, chili oil wonton's pack the perfect combination of both sweet & savory. With a sauce consisting of crushed Sichuanese peppercorns, I could confidently order these spicy little parcels as my last meal on Death Row... Take note family.
The Shrimp & Pork Jiao Ze are next & as with the Xiao Long Bao, they are delightful. The shrimp giving each of these dumplings a crisp bite that balances beautifully with the slow simmered pork broth.
Last, but not least, we dive fully into the Pork & Prawn Potstickers & the Pork Chop with Fried Rice. The pork is as tender as we've come to expect throughout the years & the Potstickers, with strong notes of leek & celery, a welcome addition to our usual 'Fung' repertoire. Spectacular.
As with all of the food at Din Tai Fung, the offering here is consistent & it goes without saying that their dumplings are second to none. The sheer quality, a testament to their much coveted Michelin Star. Bravo.
We roll out the door a short time later to rejoin the cold masses, satisfied, yet bordering on uncomfortable. With bellies full & a spring in our step, we will be back... probably next week!