Chinese Soup Dumplings

When I was in California on vacation, I had to try the famous Din Tai Fung.  I wanted to see why people would wait hours for a table here.  Hubs and I went straight there from the airport.  It was a couple hours after they had opened for lunch.  Located inside South Coast Plaza Mall in Costa Mesa, there was already a queue about 40 people deep.  We jumped in the line.  About 15-20 minutes later we got to the hostess podium and added our name and telephone number to the long waiting list. They said we'd get a text when a table was available.  In the meantime we could download their app and track the wait time. That's some serious business there.

About an hour of wandering around the mall, a text came through saying we had a table.  I dropped whatever I was doing and rushed back to the restaurant, only to wait in another line with several other people who also received the same text.   Five more minutes of leaning up against a wall, we were finally seated.  

First up, their Shrimp and Pork Wontons with Spicy Sauce.  This was pretty decent.  Good flavors but I wished it had been a bit spicier.  My hubs really loved these.  He ate most of them.


Then came the crab soup dumplings Pork and Crab XiaoLongBao.  These were fine soup dumplings but surprisingly on the small side.


And finally what I had been dying to try, the Pork XiaoLongBao.  These were delicious.  I could have eaten two baskets by myself.  I'm glad I got the chance to try Din Tai Fung.  I wished I had ordered more.   I guess that gives me an excuse to come back the next time I'm in California.










 

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