Taiwan Day 8: Din Tai Fung Sets Itself Apart from Others, Part 1 / 鼎泰豐特色真的不一樣, 第一集 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

I am a loyal Din Tai Fung fan.  I truly believe that this world famous dumpling house not only makes a higher quality, more delicately prepared xiaolongbao, but they create classic Chinese specialties that set themselves apart from their competitors.  I have been to the Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) locations in America close to 200 times, and I have eaten at the flagship locations in Taipei on every visit to Taiwan.  The food and service have been so consistent that of these hundreds of times, I have never once said that one visit was better or worse than the other.  Here are some of the things that DTF really does differently.  (See the post from my previous visit here.)

First, the restaurant uses bamboo steamers at the locations in Taiwan and the rest of Asia.  This apparently does not meet the regulations in the United States because there is a chance of developing mold on the wood, thereby resulting in unsanitary conditions for the prized dumpling.  Also, the liner used in Taiwan is a reusable silk sheet rather than the disposable sheet of parchment paper that is dotted with holes.  The combination of the silk and the bamboo allow for a more even distribution of steam heat in the container.  With the parchment paper and steel containers used elsewhere, the steam is funnels through the predestined paths that the holes provide in streams that may not cook the dumplings as evenly as it could be.

Next, they offer black truffle juicy pork dumplings (松露小籠包) on the menu at certain locations.  This, in comparison to the dumpling house that places edible gold on top of their juicy pork dumplings, is actually an affordable luxury that patrons look forward to for an indulgent meal.  The truffles are not simply ground into flecks and blended with the meat, an entire slice is placed atop the round of pork before wrapping into 18 delicate folds.

The ever popular hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) is a world of difference here at Din Tai Fung.  The restaurant focuses on creating truly delicate flavors, so the soup here is neither spicy nor sour.  It is a very mild blend of quality tofu, bean sprouts, wood ear fungus, and get this... slivers of congealed duck blood.  I have not yet come across any other hot and sour soup with duck blood so stealthily concealed within the ribbons of egg drop.  The hint of sweet and tangy black vinegar that adorns the top of the soup eases the diner into the taste of this classic dish rather than slapping the heat and acidity right into the taste buds.

The shrimp fried rice (蝦仁蛋炒飯) is one of the best takes on traditional Chinese fried rice in the world.  I can easily count the ingredients used on one of my hands.  There is nothing more than scrambled egg and green onion that have been wok tossed feverishly over and over again with the grains of white rice until each ingredient has been rightfully separated from each other.  Did you notice that the grains of rice are still white? Din Tai Fung has successfully made a tasteful fried rice without using any of that black tarnish that we call soy sauce.  Not a single drop.  Amazing.

There are many more dishes that are easily distinguished and worth exploring... the potstickers happen to be one of them.  Luckily for me, the potstickers that come served with flaps of pork essence grilled to a thin crisp are coming to the Glendale branch at The Americana in California soon.  You can bet there will be a post on just that.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐)

台北市大安區信義路二段194號 

No. 194, Xinyi Rd., Section 2, Da An District, Taipei City

MRT: Dongmen Station, exit no. 5 /捷運東門站, 5號出口

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Post 104: San Diego Restaurant Week - Marina Kitchen (SD: Marina/Harbor)

San Diego Restaurant Week, an increasingly popular showcase of the best restaurant menus in the Whale's Vagina, came around once again this past January.  The week long event has been so frequented by both locals and tourists that it now happens twice a year.  The last time I dined at a SDRW restaurant, I was a recent Triton graduate.  Needless to say, it has been quite a while.  It was due time for a visit.

Fellow Triton alum Angela and I decided to try out the menu at Marina Kitchen, which is located inside  the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina right by the water.  Marina Kitchen stood out the most because its menu was one of the few that did not feature roasted beets or miso marinated fish, both of which seemed to be on every other SDRW menu.  For just 40 per person, we could piece together our own three course dinner.  And for an additional 25, the sommelier put together wine pairings to complement each course.  This is what we ordered.

Pre-course: Charcuterie.  Bresaola, coppa la quercia, la quercia speck, shaft's bleu, truffle gouda.
This was not on the Restaurant Week dinner menu, but Angela and I have been looking for a meat and cheese platter that bests the charctuerie from Bow & Truss that we had last fall.  Of the meats and cheeses available, the clear standout was the truffle gouda.  It was so smooth, creamy, and buttery that we wanted to take some home.  No joke.

Michael's first course: Sesame crusted seared ahi tuna.  Uni sauce, chili oil, micro arugula.
Wine pairing: Paul Goerg Champagne Blanc de Blanc Brut.  Champagne, France.

The crust was crisp.  The tuna was tender.  And the uni sauce was rich, creamy, and delicious.  I was glad that there was such a disproportionately large pool of uni sauce on the plate because it was just begging to be lathered up.

Angela's first course: Bresiola carpaccio.  Arugula, shaved toma, truffle oil.
Wine pairing: 2008 Biondi Etna Rosso Outis.  Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy.

Michael's second course: Jidori chicken & black truffle pot pie.  Leek and Yukon gold potatoes.
Wine pairing: 2010 Equis St. Joseph Syrah.  Northern Rhone Valley, France.

I have loved pot pies since childhood, albeit it was usually the Marie Callender's pot pie that I loved until I came across the handmade pies from The Pie Hole, but I have cherished the compact little baked comfort food for quite some time.  Seeing that Jidori chicken was being used only heightened my curiosity for what was inside the pie's crust.  The black truffle was not as apparent in flavor, so perhaps a drizzle of warm truffle oil would have enhanced the taste.  But I still really like the fresh leeks and earthy potatoes in the pot pie.  The chef did a superb job at conveying a warm sense of comfort with the pie.

Angela's second course: Local seared diver scallops.  Stinging nettle sauce, Jerusalem artichokes, crosnes.
Wine pairing: 2009 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude.  Margaret River, Western Australia.

When we were eating this I had no idea what nettles and crosnes were or what the difference was between a Jerusalem artichoke and the kind that is usually in my spinach dip.  But whatever the chef used to make the sauce and to top off the scallops was delicious.  Nettles, so I later found out, are those little screw like twists that somewhat resemble a mutilated escargot.  The scallops were cooked perfectly too... seared but still rare in the center.  It was an elaborate dish with a beautiful presentation... and it ended up being one of our favorite dishes of the meal.

Third course: Valrhona milk chocolate caramel candy bar.  Guanduaja chocolate center, white chocolate ice cream.
Wine pairing: Ramos Pinto 10 year Tawny Port.  Douro, Portugal.

Third course: Meyer lemon chiboust.  Blood orange, milk chocolate.
Wine pairing: 2009 Donnafugata Ben Rye Late Harvest.  Sicily, Italy.

We liked the white chocolate ice cream in the flower petal shaped cookie shell, and we liked the drops of blood orange too.  The carpaccio was not bad, but it would have been better if there was more meat to shaved cheese ratio.  At the end of the meal we still wanted to take the truffle gouda home.  It was that good.  The seared scallops and ahi tuna with uni sauce were definitely the highlights of the meal.

The next San Diego Restaurant Week will begin September 15 and will feature 180 restaurants.  Without a doubt I will head back down to Daygo to try out some more restaurants.  And I know food fanatic Angela will too.  Until then, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

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Taiwan - Din Tai Fung Black Truffle Juicy Pork Dumplings / 鼎泰豐松露小籠包 (Taipei: Da An District / 台北市: 大安區)

Being a food tour guide that specializes in Taiwanese dumplings in Arcadia means that I get to eat the juicy pork dumplings (xiaolongbao / 小籠包) from Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) virtually every weekend while on tour.  Guests on tour often ask me if there is anything different between the Din Tai Fung dumpling house in Arcadia and the original Din Tai Fung restaurant in Taipei.  The first thing that I say since my return from Taipei is that the DTF in Taipei is the only store (as of now) with black truffle juicy pork dumplings (松露小籠包).

These black truffle xiaolongbao come five per long, or five dumplings per bamboo steamer.  Each steamer of five delicately wrapped dumplings are 450 NTD, which amounts to roughly 15 USD.  If there are five dumplings per steamer, and each steamer is 15 dollars, then each bite-sized dumpling is just about three American dollars each.  Those are some expensive dumplings.  They had better be worth it.

I can now tell you from personal experience that three dollars per dumpling is worth every bite.  From the moment the server delivers the dainty delights, you know they're special.  The server instructs not to douse these dumplings in the black vinegar that is typically used as a dipping sauce for the xiaolongbao.  Heaven forbid that we use soy sauce on them too.  Instead, the server advises to take a sip of hot tea in order to cleanse the palate.  Wash away any remnant of cucumber or seaweed appetizer that may have lingered behind.  Just one bite, he says... and beware... they're hot!



In this one bite, the subtle flavors of buttery truffle oil permeate through the tender yet firm pork and travel up through your nostrils while hitting every single pleasure sensing nerve within your oral and nasal cavities.  If you go against what the server advises and take just a mere half bite instead, you would know that the little black specks in the dumpling are causing this sensory overload in your mouth.  And you would definitely know that these little black specks are not black pepper.  They are the shaved black truffle pieces, and they are the reason why you are charging this meal to your credit card.

If you are lucky you might spot a large shaving of black truffle within one of the five dumplings.  And it might look like the dumpling is sticking its tongue out at those who have not yet experienced the indulgent taste of steamed black truffle juicy pork dumplings.  It might.

Let's face it though.  Even though the black truffle juicy pork dumplings make you feel like the caviar consuming first class passengers on the Titanic, you can only afford perhaps two steamers of those suckers before you realize you're still going to go home hungry.  Well, if you're here for dumplings, you have to settle on the house specialty of regular juicy pork dumplings.  These come ten per long at a much affordable price, although pricey for Taiwanese standards.  And of course, the regular xiaolongbao can be dipped into the black vinegar.  The vinegar's tangy taste contrasts the dumpling's overall savory flavor to bring out the sweetness for the pork.  And all I can taste inside the dumpling is succulent pork soup.  No buttery truffle? How boring.

In case some readers aren't able to tell, that's a speckle of sarcasm.  The house specialty is an absolutely unparalleled steamed pork dumpling.  However, I will tell you I would have much rather had finished all the regular xiaolongbao before moving onto to the fancy flavors of its truffled cousin.  An anti-climatic meal is slightly disheartening.

But I must give credit to Din Tai Fung for putting this winning addition on the menu.  A product that has been dug up by French pigs and then later infused into fresh Taiwanese pig? Well, that's a somewhat cannibalistic double pork whammy! Did they get this idea from the company mascot, a seemingly happy xiaolongbao that courageously serves up a steamer of ten miniature versions of itself? What will they think of next?

Before that question gets answered, though, do yourself a favor and drop by the original Din Tai Fung store on Xinyi Road in Taipei.  And I would suggest you hurry.  Because oolong-milktea loves his Din Tai Fung, and he loves his truffle.  And oh, he can eat up a storm.  If he gets there before you do, there's a high chance you're going home hungry.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐)

台北市大安區信義路二段194號, 永康街口
Taipei City, Da An District, Xinyi Road, Section 2, No. 194

Intersection of Yong Kang St.

ML - 20110908