Din Tai Fung - Review - University District - Seattle - The Infatuation

"It’s no secret that Din Tai Fung is hands-down the best dining option at University Village. This means you’ll wait at least 45 minutes for a table as you compete with big families, out-of-towners, and people with delusions of grabbing a "quick lunch" before an Apple Store appointment. Just throw your name on the waitlist before shopping and stick it out. Because once you're in, the famed soup dumplings inside this massive, steamy dining room will be the most exciting meal you'll experience at an outdoor mall. It's an easy process—jot down orders on a paper slip, and sit back as bamboo steamer baskets multiply until your table smells like a saxophone reed. We all know you're here for the juicy xiao long bao, stuffed with soupy ground pork that tastes just as excellent with or without a dose of black vinegar. But don't ignore the rest of the lineup, including wontons in spicy sauce, potstickers underneath a crackly cornstarch sheet, creamy sesame noodles, pork chop-topped fried rice, and garlicky green beans that likely account for a percentage of Altoids sales. Food Rundown Cucumber Salad They’re crunchy, sweet, and absolutely poundable. Pork Xiao Long Bao An order is not complete without these bundles of broth and pork fat. Go nuts. photo credit: Din Tai Fung Sesame Noodles For carbs that aren’t in dumpling form, have at the noodles. There’s a pristine balance between sticky peanut butter, sesame oil, and a chili-backed kick. Chicken & Vegetable Wonton Soup We see you there pretending that the wonton soup doesn’t exist. Don’t do that—it’s one of Din Tai Fung’s greatest contributions. Especially if you’ve got a gnarly upper respiratory infection. Garlic Green Beans Hey, it turns out that green vegetables taste really freaking fantastic if you deep-fry them and rub garlic all over. Pork Chop Fried Rice We’re pretty sure that the thin, peppery meat watched around 18 hours of Bojack Horseman before getting plated—they’re that tender." - Aimee Rizzo