Christine / Xteeener standing outside

During my layover in California checking out IMATS in Pasadena, both Christine and I agreed we had to take a trip to Din Tai Fung. I think recently I’ve been on the search for a great soup dumping (aka xiaolongbao) and I have to say, out of the places I’ve gone so far in the United States, this place has been the best. The most perfect display of elegance per the ballet of light flavorful soup and the thin thin skin. I have not yet met its equal and is why each time we’re back in Los Angeles, it’s a must that we make the hour+ drive from the airport to Din Tai Fung.

Cute toy!

Steamed shrimp and pork dumplings

Zhongzi; a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo

Spicy shrimp and pork wonton

Having had been here more than once before, I decided I would check to see if this place was on the app ‘Chefs Feed’ so I could add it to the foods I’ve ate. Come to my surprise there was actually another dish they recommended! The spicy shrimp and pork wontons…. oh wow. This thing was packed with flavor! Make sure you try this dish out.

Soup Dumplings, aka Xiaolongbao.

For those of you going for the first time, I would highly recommend going with someone who has had this food before, because there is definitely a consumer’s manual for this cuisine. It comes out SUPER hot on the steel steamers so you can kind of guess the soup in the dumplings will be the same. Yes, soup.. in a dumpling!

So just in case you decide to brave the soup dumpling solo, despite your inexperience, there are steps that most typically follow but it’s probably fair to say, you will probably get burnt tongue before the meal is over. It happens to everybody. Call it a right of passage. But oh man, it’s so worth it. The steps I recommend are:

1. There will normally be a little plate of finely julienne ginger slices. This is meant to be combined with vinegar so feel free to pour some into the dish. (Note: make sure its vinegar and not soy sauce)
2. Hold the chopsticks in your dominant hand and the soup spoon in the other
   
3. You may want to practice your chopsticks skills because this next step could be tricky.  Pick up the soup dumpling by grabbing the tip of the dumpling. The place where the swirl on the dumpling skin converges is the most durable spot, you’l have a better chance of the soup not spilling out by grabbing there
4. Dip the dumpling in the vinegar and ginger 
5. While lifting up the soup dumpling, slide the spoon underneath to help brace the subject while motioning towards your mouth
6. Much like eating a hard shell taco, twist your head as if to make out with the dumpling and nibble a small hole off the top/side. Not the direct side, since the soup would surely spill out
7. Cautiously suck the soup from the recently made hole. Repeat until confident that the soup will no longer burn
8. Potentially add more vinegar and ginger and once you’re sure the dumpling is semi hot/semi warm, feel free to eat the rest!

It’s definitely an experience and so well worth it. Oh! Some tips:

• Much like how this is not your typical dumpling, the restaurant and how it operates is just as different.
• Expect a wait and bring a pen because you’ll need it to order.
• At the host station be sure to grab your number in line and an order sheet to start marking the amount you want.
• The host/hostess will typically let you know if something is sold out.
• Make sure everyone in your party is there, they wont seat you otherwise.
• Finally, know all that you’re ordering, from the drinks to the other consumables, because  there will be at the most two or three times the waiter/waitress will come to the table. Be ready.

Din Tai Fung (information below gathered 07.2012)
1108 S Baldwin Ave
Arcadia, CA 91007
(626) 574-7068
Hours
Mon-Fri 11am–10pm
Sat-Sun 10am–10pm

Parking
A really good soup dumpling place in a small parking lot in Chinatown? Yeah, get there early, you’ll be waiting for a parking spot before you wait for your table. But trust me, it’s SO worth it.

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