This post was written by Chad Merchant
EIGHTEEN DELICATE FOLDS. Yes, you can count them. Yes, they’re all there. Easily the signature dish at the world-famous Taiwanese-bred restaurant chain Din Tai Fung, the delectable steamed xiao long bao dumplings are simple in concept, but painstakingly challenging to perfect and execute. No visit to Din Tai Fung is complete without reveling in these freshly made, precisely portioned, and perfectly cooked parcels of sheer culinary delight. It’s not for nothing that two Din Tai Fung outlets have each been awarded one Michelin star.
Though the chain is now truly global, with restaurants not only in the expected Asian locales such as China, Singapore, and Hong Kong, you can find Din Tai Fung in Australia, Thailand, and even the USA, as well. And,naturally, the brand is well-represented here in Malaysia, with the fourth and newest branch recently opened in Mutiara Damansara at what was formerly Cineleisure, now curiously rebranded as e@Curve.
The dining room is smartly furnished with minimalist décor and appealing shades of beige and black. There is ample seating for over 100 diners and the staff work with a marvellously choreographed efficiency. But make no mistake: here, the star of the show is the food, and at every turn, Din Tai Fung scores big.
From the scrumptious xiao long bao, with just the right procedure for enhancing the flavour (the server will show you – julienned strips of fresh ginger bathed in the proper ratio of soy sauce and rice vinegar) to the exquisite pork chop fried rice and the decadent truffle xiao long bao (oh yes, that’s genuine black truffle inside the dumpling), there simply weren’t enough superlatives to go around. We simply kept eating happily, savouring each new dish as it appeared.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected delights was the serving of baby green beans, stir-fried with flavourful bits of minced pork. Though I enjoy vegetables on most any occasion already, this dish was a thin slice of heaven. The green beans were perfectly cooked, just the right crispness, and absolutely bursting with flavour. Should you reach the end of your meal and still find you have a bit of room, place your order for the mini sesame buns. Steamed to typical perfection, these little buns are filled with a slightly sweetened black sesame paste, and together with some hot tea, mark the perfect end to a perfect meal.
If you haven’t tried any of Din Tai Fung’s outlets here in KL, by all means avail yourself the chance to taste some of the best steamed pork dumplings you will ever taste. And if you’re a fan already, be sure to visit the distinctively appointed, relaxing new branch in The Curve’s annexed mall, e@Curve.
Fact File :
Din TaiFung – e@Curve
Lot G17-G20,
Ground Floor e@Curve
Mutiara Damansara
Tel: 03.7728 3218
Prices:
Most dishes: RM5 to RM19++
Xiao Long Bao: RM10.30++ (6 pcs) / RM12.30++ (8 pcs)
Set lunch, including 6-piece Xiao LongBao, choice ofentrée, and a beverage: RM23.80++
Business Hours:
11am to 10pm, seven days a week(opens one hour earlier on weekends)
For more restaurant reviews visit: www.DineMalaysia.com
Source: The Expat September 2012
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