Being a food writer living in Kuala Lumpur has one very serious advantage: fantastic food can be found everywhere!
When people ask me how I’m enjoying my life overseas, I tell them I’m in food paradise. I often think I should just post photos of what I eat on a daily basis. People would be shocked at the variety and sheer deliciousness. It’s incredible really: Indian, Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Western…you name it, it’s all here. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough hours in the day for all the posts I’d like to write, but I would like to share one special dumpling experience at Din Tai Fung http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/index.asp.
Now, Din Tai Fung is no ordinary dumpling joint…it was voted one of the Top 10 Restaurants in the World by the New York Times AND it has been awarded 1 Michelin Star. How’s that for impressive! Let me say…all of these accolades, and fabulous reviews, are well deserved.
The dumplings are made to order by a crew of white-clad chefs, who work behind a glass window at the front of the restaurant. The dough for each dumpling is measured on a scale guaranteeing the perfect thinness that gives these dumplings their ethereal quality. The steamed morsel arrive at the table in bamboo steamer baskets, resting on a wet cloth underneath the lid. The first bite will send you into a state of nirvana…the fillings, from pork and chicken to truffles and shrimp, are delicate and tasty, not hard and meaty like inferior versions. From our choices below, you’ll see that we indulged in a serious feast. By the end, I was in a dumpling coma…a very nice place to be.
- Pork Xiao Long Bao/Dumplings: the best pork dumplings on this planet
- Chicken Xiao Long Bao/Dumplings: the best chicken dumplings on this planet, too
- Truffle Xiao Long Bao (yes, real truffles): a heady treat if you love truffles like I do
- Shrimp Pork Dumplings: always a winner
- Spicy Shrimp Pork Wonton: one of my favorite dishes, a soft dumplings in a spicy sauce dusted with scallions
- Fragrant Spring Onion Noodles: wonderful noodle dish with pork and spring onions
- Hot and Sour Soup: well balanced flavors and textures…I added a bit more spice
- Baby Green Beans with Minced Pork: a lovely and flavorful way to eat green beans
- Thousand Layer Cake: this steamed cake was a bit bland, but dipped in black sesame sauce and condensed milk it was yummy
- Mini sesame buns: surprisingly good flavor of sesame paste in the middle
- Chilled Mango Pudding: good but not incredible, was hoping for something a bit less jello-ee
- Yam Paste with Gingko: delicious purplish yam sauce with ginko resting on top
- A Pot of Jasmine Tea: perfect beverage to go with every dish
More about Asian, Dining Out
