Din Tai Fung

Posted by: Simon Leong | 22 July 2008, 10.12pm

I've been twice now, once for lunch and once for dinner, and even though the service and quality is good I still find the actual food lacking taste and value for money. Although something still wants me to try other dishes like Drunken Chicken, Fried rice with eggs and shrimp, Fried pork chop which perhaps might hit the spot, but I won't hold my hopes up too high.

Pork and Prawn Wonton noodle soup - broth is bland, wontons OK but feel a more satisfying value for money wonton noodle soup could easily be found at Happy Chef.

Vegetable dumplings - found the filling too compacted and lacking flavour. much prefer the steamed vegetable dumplings at Shanghai Night in Ashfied.

Steamed Pork dumplings - nice enough but would rather have more flavour in them. you definately need to add dipping sauce to get the taste sensation and even then I'd prefer more. They are made all quite perfectly if that's your thing. For fried ones I like the Chinese Dumpling and Noodle Restaurant in Kingsford which are full of flavour and way cheaper.

Braised beef noodle soup - broth better than wonton soup but still felt it needed more roundness and depth in it's taste. Beef was tender enough but a bit more would have justified the high price.

Taro dumplings for dessert - one smelt a bit too floury (uncooked) when I tried and didn't do anything for my tastebuds. Can't see it listed on the website anymore? Perhaps I should have tried the red bean version.

Century Egg with tofu and pork floss - an acquired taste but appreciated it for what it was but wouldn't have again. Can't see it listed on the website anymore also?

I had high hopes like most diners going to this restaurant because of all the hype surrounding it. Anything new in Sydney always has that new hype attraction. I think it's like the McDonalds of Dumplings because it's so commericialised around the world. I've had similiar reports from fellow food lovers about it's lack of value for money and mediocre taste sensations. I can see the quality of the food but I've been disappointed so far with the lack of taste and hence results in lack of value for me.

I'm willing to pay high price for the highest quality and taste like Tetsuyas, Est and soon Gordon Ramsay in London on my next trip but can also appreciate value in tiny cheap and cheerful places like Shanghai Night, Sea Bay Dumplings, Chinese Dumpling & Noodle Restaurant and Chinese Noodle Restaurant. I think Din Tai Fung could be great but I'm thinking the franchised formula around the world is hindering it's ability to be great and has turned out to be mediocre and bland and has to be the same all over the world.

Will keep trying perhaps just once more.

Food:			Visit: Thu 17 July 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: fooderati | 16 July 2008, 3.04pm

Din Tai Fung's latest bid to take over the world is working. This Taipei-based dumpling giant has caused somewhat of a fuss in every country they've set up in. Lines out the door, rivalling the most popular of Yum Cha restaurants. The evening we decided to brave the queues is icy-cold, like a can of Coke. People huddle under red-lit heat lamps, like so many baby chickens.

An average 45 minute wait can be used to learn some very important techniques in dumpling production from the open kitchen in the front - very reminicent of Shanghainese soup dumpling restaurants in the Yuan Gardens district in the old country.

Like lotto winners, we yelp when our number is called. Do we mind sharing a table? Not if it means we get fed faster! We've taken the liberty of ordering from the Hong Kong Dim Sum-style ordering sheets that are given out when you take a number. We settle for pickled cucumber salad, pork dumplings, vegetarian dumplings, fried chicken with soup noodles, stir-fried green beans with black bean and pork as well as a vegetarian steamed bun.

Inside this sleek interior, we find the place packed to the rafters with the well-heeled after work crowd and thankfully, a satisfying amount of Chinese customers (It's my 20% native diner authenticity theory).

The food comes fast and furious to our table, accompanied by deadly efficient service and polite smiles from reassuringly authentic Mandarin speakers.

Recent reviews wax lyrical about the Steamed Pork Dumplings..and biting into one I can see why. Delicate, steamed pastry gives way to an interior filled with pork and broth...it takes practiced skill to nibble a hole, suck out the soup and then eat the dumpling - all without burning your mouth, spraying your dining companion with soup or losing the valuable contents of the dumpling into the bowl.

The Vegetarian Dumplings have a much more delicate flavour than a Yum Cha-style Gow Choy Gow, though has a similar consistency. These go perfectly with the vinegar sauce rather than the soy.

The Fried Chicken Chop with Soup Noodles vaguely resembles Japanese Karage... kind of like a Chinese version of KFC. The soup noodles lack a little flavour, but is nevertheless clean and well matched for a cold night.

Don't discount the vegetables, even though your mission here is to eat dumplings. The Fried Green Beans with Blackbean and Pork are a riot of flavour and absolutely delicious - delicately steamed beans are wok-fried with garlic, blackbeans, chilli and pork mince - they are almost a meal in themselves. Conversely the Cucumber salad is cool, refreshing and really authentic mainland Chinese fare.

Din Tai Fung may have all the trappings of a 'so hot right now' venue, but the quality of the food and service will guarantee its long-term success both here and around the world.

Food:			Visit: Wed 16 July 2008
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