Din Tai Fung is an award-winning Taiwanese restaurant that has long been hailed as the maker of the best Xiao Long Bao (steamed pork dumplings). I’ve been to it several times before, including the Hong Kong branches and each time it has never failed to deliver in flavour. However, I think the Sydney branch has better desserts than the Hong Kong one does and so I had to cover this for all of you guys!
Situated on the top floor of World Square in the heart of the Sydney CBD, Din Tai Fung always has a long line and tonight was no different. For two people on a Friday night, we waited half an hour which wasn’t too bad since we could pop downstairs and walk around the shops to pass time. To improve efficiency, whilst waiting we were provided with a menu and pencil so that we could pre-order our food, along with a little buzzer to let us know when our table was ready (this buzzer will work anywhere in World Square).
Steamed Pork Dumpling (6pcs/8pcs) – $10.80/$12.80
When we finally got our table, we were presented with a little trolley to cover our bags – nice little touch to improve the customer experience. First up were the legendary steamed pork dumplings! The last time I had these was at New Shanghai which were comparably cheaper, but were they tastier? Presented in a steamer were 8 small dumplings with thin silky skin, succulent pork inside and hot tasty broth. Although delicate to pick up, none of the dumpling skins tore from our chopsticks which is pretty impressive. Story has it that each dumpling skin and meat is weighed to ensure consistency and perfection, and this was apparent in the quality of food before us.
Shrimp and Pork Wonton with Tangy Sauce – $10.80
Next came a bowl of spicy wontons, which were delicious with lots of prawns enveloped inside. The sauce tasted like a mixture of XO and chilli sauce with some tangy taste, excellent for those who love a spicy punch with their food.
Shrimp and Pork Wonton Noodle (Soup) – $13.80
Following this was our wonton noodle soup. This contained the same wontons as before, except without the tangy sauce. The beautifully clear chicken flavoured broth contained some plain hand-pulled noodles. These wontons also had a lot of fresh prawns inside, but this time their original flavour was brought out by the soup instead of being masked by the chilli sauce. We still had some left over tangy sauce from our first wonton dish so we improvised our own version of spicy noodles by mixing the sauce with some noodles and voila – an efficient and delicious way to not waste the addictive chilli sauce!
Taro Gelato and Golden Taro Bread (1 roll) – $7.80
Last up was our taro dessert which isn’t available in Hong Kong (lucky us!). This consisted of a taro roll containing a buttery, flaky and crispy exterior with a rich taro filling. As if this wasn’t enough, there is also a scoop of taro gelato which goes perfectly with the taro roll. This dessert is one of my favourites of all time and I recommend anyone going to Din Tai Fung to try this dish – hands down amazing.
Needless to say, my visit to Din Tai Fung was extremely pleasant. Although there was a wait, it was well worth it. The kitchen is well organised and pumps out food quickly so you won’t sit around waiting for very long once you put your order in. Although slightly more expensive than your average Chinese restaurant for some dumplings and noodles, you will be guaranteed delicious flavours, fresh dishes and great customer service at Din Tai Fung. Highly recommended.
Din Tai Fung
644 George Street, Sydney NSW, 2000
Ph: (02)9264 6010
