LOOK TO THE LIGHT | 2017 URBAN GLADIATOR JAPAN DECEMBER 2015 | OSAKA SEOUL MARCH 2016 | YEOUIDO & NAKSAN BOHOL JULY 2016 | PART 2

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Din Tai Fung | Worth The Hype?

Last Sunday, I finally got to try the famous Din Tai Fung in BGC! Like Tim Ho Wan, Din Tai Fung created an insane amount of buzz when it first opened in Manila at SM Megamall and I distinctly remember the lines being even more insane than when Tim Ho Wan first opened at the same mall.

Din Tai Fung is a famous dimsum chain from Taiwan best known for their Xiao Long Bao which has become a very well-loved dish here in Manila. Read on to see if it's worth the hype!

Luckily enough, the line wasn't that crazy when we got there. I highly suggest trying their Bonifacio High Street branch instead of the Megamall one. We only waited for about 10 minutes to be seated!

The first few things we ordered were appetizers!

Din Tai Fung House Special (PHP 155) - I didn't expect to enjoy this dish so much! A little bit sour from the rice vinegar then there's a good mix of textures and seafood flavors from the seaweed and vermicelli as well as bean curd! Definitely a good choice for an appetizer.

Taiwanese Kao Fu (PHP 245) - Very sweet and simple soy meat dish. Didn't really feel anything special for this one. You would probably get the same experience in any Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant at a much larger serving for the same price.

House Special Spicy Jellyfish (PHP 245) - Again, for the price and serving size, it doesn't really taste any different from the Spicy Jellyfish in any other Chinese restaurant.

Porkchop Fried Rice (PHP 295) - Definitely good for just one person, this pretty much tastes as good as any fried rice topping out there.

Machang Noodles with Sesame and Peanut Sauce (PHP 155) - I really enjoyed the chewy noodles combined with the very flavorful salty-sweet-spicy sauce. Definitely worth the price as well as the experience.

Stir-fried Watercress (PHP 145) - Very decent garlicky fresh stir-fried veggies. I guess it isn't bad to order it if you wanted some vegetables for you meal. Otherwise, not really worth the order. It's good  but it seems overpriced and unnecessary. Just come for the noodles and the dimsum, I guess?

Shrimp & Pork Wonton with House Special Spicy Sauce (PHP 185) - Meaty and slightly juicy. The real winner is the flavorful sauce that you just *know* is not something instant and out of a bottle. The quality is great and I actually liked it more than the Xiao Long Bao!

Pork Xiao Long Bao (PHP 310 for 10 pieces) - Now, for the moment everyone is waiting for, the Classic Pork Xiao Long Bao! Of course, it's delicious. There are many iterations to this dish in so many restaurants. Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao definitely focuses on the soup rather than the meat. The soup is thick, verging on oily, but so flavorful and rich. The meat is surprisingly little but definitely there. A very high quality dumpling, for sure. But nothing I'm jumping up and down about.

I feel like you could get the same results at Lucky Rainbow in Z Square, Banawe - which, by the way, remains to be my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in the Metro.

Crab Roe & Pork Xiao Long Bao (PHP 565 for 10 pieces) - I genuinely enjoyed this which is a relief at these prices. The classic Xiao Long Bao taste is made richer and more interesting with the taste of creamy crab roe. Mixed with the light but sour rice vinegar and soy sauce mix, you have a beautifully balanced Xiao Long Bao. Absolutely delicious!

Crispy Noodles with Seafood (PHP 265) - Delicious, crisp, and flavorful. Everything this dish is expected to be. But for just a little more, you can get it 3 times larger, at the same quality, in Mann Hann. Only a just a teensy bit saltier if you do.

Chocolate Lava Xiao Long Bao (PHP 115 for 3 Pieces) - Pricey but fun, the Chocolate Xiao Long Bao is one of Din Tai Fung's signature desserts. I think it's completely unnecessary but it's also the funnest way to end a dimsum meal. The skin is light and delicate. Comparable to a very thin glutinous rice peel. Inside is a sweet thick milk-dark chocolate mix that is just the right amount of sweet. There's nothing surprising about this and I don't know why I expected anything other than melted chocolate inside tikoy skin lol

Golden Lava Salted Egg Yolk Bun (PHP 90 for 2 pieces) - Definitely more worth the purchase, I have a lot of love for their Salted Egg Bun. It's beautifully rich, lightly sweet, and the bun has good texture. I can imagine myself coming here and just ordering this just because I was craving for Salted Egg Buns.

CONCLUSION: Just like Tim Ho Wan, I don't think Din Tai Fung is worth all the hype - especially after having experienced their original counterparts in their respective countries. I do think both are delicious though - just nowhere near the quality of their originals.  Bottom line is: they're quite expensive for what they are. BUT I do think there are still dishes that are worth trying. Surprisingly enough, those dishes tended to cost less! (Except for the Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao)

I definitely would come back here, but just to order what I really really enjoyed. Don't come here if it's not exclusively for the dimsum. You would just be as happy in most of your favorite Chinese joints.

Hope this review was helpful!

No comments:

Post a Comment