Din Tai Fung

Taipei

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DESTINATIONS taiwan taipei Dining Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung is a restaurant chain originating in Taiwan, which now has multiple branches across Asia and beyond (the fact it remains largely unknown in the West is a tragic shortcoming). They are famous for their steamed dumplings (xiao long bao), which are some of the world's best: each move of the dumpling chefs is executed with careful precision in the open kitchen. It was once named among the top ten restaurants in the world by The New York Times, and many of its branches were distinguished by the Michelin Guide, as well as heralded by celebrity chefs such as the late Anthony Bourdain. The service is truly impeccable, and the price-quality ratio needs to be experienced to be believed.

Dining

The regional cuisine is a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and aboriginal Hakka styles. It is also influenced by its island geography and the scarcity of arable land. Fish and poultry, therefore, play a major role in local cooking. However, the base of all dishes is made up of seasoning varieties particular to Asian cooking, such as soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil, supplemented with black beans, peanuts, chilli peppers, and a local variety of basil.