For ages I've been meaning to write about one of my all-time favourite eating places, Din Tai Fung. This is a chain of Chinese dumpling restaurants which started in Mainland China, spread to Taiwan, and is now in Japan, the US, Singapore,Indonesia, Australia, and Korea. It's probably going to be coming to where you live soon if you're not in one of those. (If you're really intrested they have a long, long story about it all on their website ).
Although famous for their dumplings they also serve a delicious array of sieuw mai (steam minced pork in pastry topped with a prawn), fantastic fried rice, noodles, and other traditional Chinese dishes. Everything has been simplified to a certain degree and because it's steamed, it's lean and healthy. The food is prepared by an army of white clothed, face-mask wearing cooks in two kitchens with glass walls and half the fun is watching the incredible speed and precision with which they make the food.
The chain leapt to world prominence in 1993 when The New York Times voted it one of the top 10 restaruants in the world. Every item on the menu is hand mande. The signature dish is Xiao Long Bao which are small balls of minced spiced pork nestled inside a soft pastry case topped with no less than 18 pleats. The little dumpling is infused with a hot broth then steamed until piping hot and served to you, as are all their steamed dishes, in the traditional bamboo basket. Watch out for the hot broth inside! Once they've cooled down a little you can sink your teeth into this fabulous little parcel of pleasure and believe me, you'll be a convert. This is the standard to which all other dim sum must now aspire.If I'm in town with Carl I occasionally take him to the outlet at Paragon because he loves the place. He stuffs himself silly on Xiao Long Bao and their special rice which is mixed with egg and chives and topped wth steamed, peeled prawns. Despite its reputation the place is not at all pretentious: the average time for a meal is 40 minutes, they don't take bookings, and the service is rapid but friendly.
Once you've made your selection from the menu, which helpfully includes photos of all the dishes, you use the pen and form provided to tick which dishes you want to have. Your order is whisked away, entered into a computer, then returned to you and as each dish arrives - usually about 6-7 minutes apart - the serving staff cross them off the list. Green tea is served throughout the meal and when you are finished you simply take your list up to the cashier and pay. Couldn't be easier, or tastier!
Din Tai Fung has five outlets in Singapore so get to one soon and try it out, you won't regret it. And yes, next time I'm there I will take a photo of the 18-pleat dumplings just to prove that they really do exist and are as perfect as I say!
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