Din Tai Fung — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Well like I imagine most places in LA are, this restaurant was quite the site to behold. What a beautiful space, comfortable, and kind service - if not somewhat forgetful.

We were a party of three and since there were no reservations left, decided to hop on the wait list. That was very easy through Yelp, and it was accurate. Two of us showed up on time with the third showing up about a half hour later, so up front, I know that that may have put a cramp in our service. No servers love the idea of a table staying longer than it needs to.

Our late friend is also really terrible with chopsticks + will eat slow as hell because he's determined to use them regardless. That was probably a little bit of salt in the wound as well.

That all being said, I think I was a bit disappointed that service started out stellar, and then gradually devolved into basically ignoring us until we left. One person never received refills after a couple requests, and the slow chopstick eater never received his little soy dish, which seemed like an integral part of the whole soup dumpling eating experience since that process is described on a little placard on the table.

Again, as a former server I get it, and also as a former server, you gotta get over it.

Onto the more important questions, what about the food?

I think the current rating on Google maps is just about accurate. It's floating around a 4.2. I'd say overall that's close to accurate, I'd probably give it a little less, but again the atmosphere was pretty cool and the service was excellent to start, and the hostesses were very kind and helpful.

The food was just okay, and the prices for the food were much greater than prices for just okay food where you can normally find just okay food. There were standouts, but in the way that there are standouts at just okay places. The bok choy was crunchy and tender and delicious, like I'd expect from a just okay place, but I couldn't detect any of that interesting scallion flavor that was part of the dish's description.

The soup dumplings were fine. The spicy wontons were fine. The pork mushroom rice shumai was interesting to look at, but had no personality for the palate - probably my least favorite dish of the night, no seasoning, no friends. The soy noodles, which I thought was a sure bet to flavortown, were so dull and flavorless; how this can happen when the primary ingredients are soy, peanuts, and scallions, I have no idea.

The fried chicken noodles were probably my favorite thing we ordered all night (sadly?). They had that grease level that is comforting without being gross, and the noodles had a bite like they were homemade. Maybe they weren't, I don't know, but they seemed like it. I wish I had some right now.

This would have all been part of a five-star rating if this was ordered from one of my just okay Chinese takeout spots, but this is at a spot that had a 3-hour wait and totally booked out reservations, and a healthy price tag.

Oh wait! Actually the Asian inspired gimlet was actually really good, which God damn you would hope it is for $17 LA, y'all are crazy.

If I were in a group of people wanting to experience something new, I would probably go again, though I'd probably just order some more of that delicious fried chicken noodles for myself. And one of those fancy...

Many factors come into play when reviewing restaurants, especially those with the honor of being recognized by Michelin stars. Service, atmosphere, taste, cost and patience are the ones I will focus on for this review.

Service: The incredibly professional and friendly staff are there to make sure your time at the restaurant is a pleasant one. I could not ask more from my waiter who was not hesitant at all to recommend dishes and always sporting a genuine smile.

Atmosphere: The restaurant is in a large, modern, open space. No matter whether you are in front of the kitchen where you can see the chefs hard at work or in the confines of a small booth, you will be sitting comfortably in a thematically appropriate decor.

Cost: having been to many restaurants specializing in Xiao long baos, I have an idea of what I expect to pay for these little soup dumplings. The price here was a tad high given the dumplings.

Taste: the soup dumplings, which are the main attraction of this restaurant, were good. The preparation allowed the dumplings to be filled with just the right balance of meat and soup. The soup wasn't oily, nor fatty but instead packed with flavor that complemented the filling. They were definitely satisfying to eat! Other dishes were simple, well presented and also very good. That being said, what impressed me the most from the items I ordered were their chocolate mochi dumplings. Absolutely stunning. Dark chocolate, wrapped in mochi and presented like a soup dumpling that explodes in your mouth filling you with happiness and forcing you to smile. These are what truly stood out! Make sure you order these if you like chocolate, I promise you won't regret it!

Patience: the reason I mention patience is because on a normal night, the popularity of this little establishment will have you waiting upwards of 2 hours for a table. Taking into account all the previous categories, it's hard to recommend this restaurant given the wait.

The conclusion is that this is a quality restaurant that comes at a premium price wise and asking you to wait a very long time for a table. Everything is good, but in my opinion, aside from the desert mochi dumplings, everything is nothing more than good, just...good. It's up to you whether good dumplings are worth a 2...

Din Tai Fung, upstairs in the Century City Mall, right across from Nordstrom, is an extremely popular, busy restaurant - and for good reason! Great for special occasions when you’re looking for a good meal, DTF is quite the treat, just make sure to put your name on the list 1-2 hours before you want to dine.

Service: Our server Alvin was an absolute pleasure and very knowledgeable about the most popular dishes on the menu. All of his suggestions were spot on, and we can’t wait for him to be our server again next time.

Beverages: For a non-alcoholic sweet drink, I’m obsessed with the iced passion fruit green tea. Just don’t drink it fast because they don’t have free refills.

Here are a few great food items to share:

The sweet & sour caramelized pork baby back BBQ ribs are tender, sweet, juicy, and served with sesame seeds and fresh mint. A great, sticky appetizer, they come out fast and they’re full of flavor.

The Kurobuta Pork Xio Long Bao soup dumplings go great with the soy/vinegar/ginger sauce. Mix the 3 together first, then dunk the soup dumpling, then take a bite and enjoy! Make sure to use your spoon, not just chopsticks, so that you don’t loose the liquid inside.

The Truffle & Kurobuta Pork Xio Long Bao special is a must-order if you love truffle as much as I do. The truffle flavor is vibrant but not overpowering, and it melts in your mouth. Don’t press shuffle - eat the truffle.

Also, you’ve gotta get your greens for a balanced meal! Both the sautéed garlic string beans and sautéed bok choy with scallion oil are really good side options. For the best experience with the bok choy, hold it firmly with your chop sticks, bite the white end first, then work your way to the green. The string beans have a great flavor, and they’re very soft and dark green in color.

The shrimp & kurobuta pork spicy wontons are the perfect combo of spicy, sweet, and savory. Mix the wontons on the sauce before eating, and feel free to put the sauce over rice - you’re sure to enjoy it.

Last but most certainly not least, the chicken bao was my favorite. Perfectly cooked and flavored, these are a juicy go-to order for sure. The dough is like a pleasant cloud; the most pleasant poultry pillow/cloud. No...