Timothy K.
Yelp
We made a reservation for DTF through Yelp for a Friday afternoon. When we arrived, there were about five parties waiting, though that may have been for take out. We were seated within about two minutes in a booth, as requested. Our server was immediately attentive and, when she learned that it was our first visit, provided a brief history of the restaurant, walked us through what to expect and, most importantly, how to eat their signature XLB (Xiao Long Bao). We ordered drinks and a few dishes. She asked how we wanted the meal and we let her know we'd be happy to enjoy as the food is ready.
Our drinks came out quickly. A milk tea for my wife, which was tasty but not surprising. Essentially, it was a great execution on a predictable classic. We've both had similar but this did it well. I had the Pear Lychee Martini and that was a whole different story. After taking a sip, my wife said, "This is why people drink alcohol." It was exquisite. Drinkable, beautiful, and delicious, I think this cocktail more than anything else on the menu would bring me back to DTF.
The XLB came up next and, thanks to our server's instructions, we felt like experts. These were, by far, the highlight of our meal. If we return, these are likely the only dish we'll repeat, except we'll get far more of them. The soup dumplings were cooked to perfection, flavorful, and fun to eat. They disappeared quickly and left us excited for the rest of the meal.
As we were waiting for the next dishes, we had some time to look around. At 1PM on a Friday, the place was BUSY! New parties would consistently be seated at open tables within about three minutes of the previous party leaving. The wait staff here looks to be a finely tuned machine, with an appropriate amount of bussers to keep food flowing and tables clear. The décor was comfortable, luxurious, but not over the top.
Pork buns came out next (not pictured, sorry). The bread reminded me of the bao I had in Singapore and my wife of hers from China. It was slightly sweet, fluffy, and a delight to eat. The filling was a bit of a letdown though. The meat had formed a dense puck inside, totally separate from the bun. It's as if the meat was shaped, frozen, inserted into the dough, then cooked. The pork was also a bit light on seasoning for my taste, which is surprising because I think it's a similar filling to what goes into the XLB. Maybe I should have poured some of the vinegar/soy into it, but I haven't had to season similar styles of buns elsewhere and it didn't occur to me at the time.
Next up were String Beans with Garlic. Wonderfully cooked but woefully under seasoned, they had a perfect crunch and texture but after a split second of mild garlic sauce, all we could taste was the green beans. The sauce was visible but was either too thin or there simply wasn't enough of it. Granted, they were fresh and tasty beans, but the experience would be similar to blanching beans at home with a bit of salt. We'll pass on this next time.
Noodles with Minced Kurobuta Pork were delivered, which my wife planned as her main, though dishes feel like they're meant for sharing. She enjoyed it and commented especially on how the cucumber provided a welcome change of texture. I tried a few bites and also enjoyed the crunch of the cukes along with the well-cooked noodles. I wouldn't order this for myself, but my wife was content.
My dish to selfishly keep to myself was the Spicy Chicken Wontons. I wouldn't consider them spicy, but it did have overtones of the Sichuanese food I love. My wife tried one and liked it, but focused on her noodles and left the rest for me. I made sure to coat each wonton with as much of the sauce as I could fit into my spoon without making a mess. They were well seasoned, cooked, and I would order them again.
Throughout the meal, our server would unobtrusively check in. What's odd in hindsight is that we didn't actually like the food itself as much as expected, but we were enjoying the experience so much that we didn't notice until after it was over. We'd comment, "Oh, the beans could use more sauce" but we were having so much fun that it didn't even occur to me to ask our server.
I'd come back for that martini and the XLB, but none of the other food left a really lasting impression. The ambiance and attentive waitstaff ensured it was a positive experience but, for $120 (lunch and dinner menu is the same), I know a few places where the food leaves us raving for days afterwards.
