Taipei - A Quick Visit to the Original Din Tai Fung

The original Xinyi branch of the now-expansive Din Tai Fung chain was only a few blocks from our hotel, so it seemed wrong not to stop in. The wait can be really long here, but it was off-peak hours and raining and we were seated in less than 10 minutes.

As you walk in, you can see the signature open-window dumpling preparation room in all of its surgical glory.



The space comprises multiple floors, and has a very clean, modern design.



Because this was a pre-dinner stop, we kept our ordering in check. We had a small (5-piece) order of the pork soup dumplings ("xiaolongbao").



Small and delicate, these dumplings don't offer much in the way of sustenance, but they are undeniably tasty and fun to eat.



We also had an order of the House Special Spicy Shrimp and Pork Wontons - a favorite of ours from a meal we had at their Arcadia branch.



Loaded with shrimp and pork and tossed in the delicious spicy sauce, these didn't disappoint.



The "Vegetable and Ground Pork Buns", however, were terrible.



The green mixture inside had no pork flavor. In fact, it didn't really have any flavor at all. Completely bland.



And they were unphotogenic to boot. Oh well, you can't win them all. Despite the buns, we really enjoyed our snack at Din Tai Fung.