Kimberly L.
Yelp
[Review #815]
2024-014
Food Order:
CUCUMBER SALAD (Persian cucumbers, mild fresno chili, DTF chili oil), SEAWEED & BEANCURD SALAD (bean sprouts, glass noodles, beancurd, seaweed, vinegar dressing, chili oil), KUROBUTA PORK XIAO LONG BAO (marinated Kurobuta pork, ginger, green onion), CHICKEN XIAO LONG BAO (in-house ground chicken, carrot, celery, ginger, green onion), COD DUMPLINGS (Alaskan & Atlantic cods, Taiwanese cabbage, celery, water chestnuts, chicken broth), VEGETABLE & KUROBUTA PORK DUMPLINGS (Kurobuta pork stuffing, bok choy), SHRIMP & KUROBUTA PORK SHAO MAI (Kurobuta pork filling, shrimp topping), STRING BEANS WITH GARLIC, SHRIMP NOODLES WITH SESAME SAUCE (house-made thin egg noodles, sesame sauce, chili oil, crushed roasted peanuts), NOODLES WITH SPICY SAUCE (house-made thin egg noodles, house spicy sauce), SHRIMP FRIED RICE (shrimp, scrambled egg, green onion, rice, salt & house seasoning), CHOCOLATE & MOCHI XIAO LONG BAO, CHOCOLATE BUNS
I first dined at Din Tai Fung about 20 years ago at its 1st U.S. location in Arcadia; refer to Review #s: 143 & 578. It was a XLB (小籠包) thing, especially with the open kitchen, you can watch the chef blast out tens of hundreds of XLBs... long lines & no reservations, we always got there at least 30-mins. before they open. Food was delish & almost worth the wait, until that year (2016) when I served cold, raw food while pregnant. \(*o*)/
I haven't been back to the now defunct original, but have dined at its relocated space in Westfield Santa Anita & my local Torrance one; located in Del Amo Fashion Center on the upper level (enter between MB Grille & North Italia). We came here as a team for 2 straight years to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day as well as infrequent 3xTs (Thursday Takeout Treats); it's one of the select favs for catering.
It seems the mall-located DTFs are prospering better than the former standalone location. I do find the XLB taste is different from the original (possibly due to frozen filling instead of fresh) & less soupy, filling slightly skimpier, noodles a bit greasier & blander, cucumber salad milder in chili heat. The dine-in experience is definitely better than takeout; food is served hot & fresh, though service can be slow during lunch/dinner rush. The team has their go-to favs: cucumber salad, kurobuta pork xlb, chicken xlb, vegetable & kurobuta pork dumplings, string beans with garlic, shrimp noodles with sesame sauce, shrimp fried rice, chocolate & mochi xlb, chocolate buns. I'm the outlier for seaweed & beancurd salad, cod dumplings, noodles with spicy sauce.
I need a bit more heat & will add chili sauce to the mild cucumber salad that's seasoned with mild fresno chili & DTF chili oil. Actually, I added chili sauce to practically every dish except for dessert. I'm not a fan of chocolate, so I can't comment on their desserts.
It's a sizable & routine menu with few add-ons over the years, & modest portions with heftier price tags. The restaurant has a spacious dining room to accommodates small & large groups, private dining in the full room & main dining area (with menu & group size requirements), with clean, well-stocked restrooms in the back. Fair to good customer service... with some lags for water refill, next course, additional condiments. I had a love-hate relationship with their previous reservation system, & loving the switch to the Yelp reservation system... no more issues with last minute business lunches for my boss. Whew!
Recommended: Cucumber Salad, Seaweed & Beancurd Salad, Kurobuta Pork XLB, Chicken XLB, Cod Dumplings, Vegetable & Kurobuta Pork Dumplings, Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai, String Beans with Garlic, Shrimp Noodles with Sesame Sauce, Noodles with Spicy Sauce, Shrimp Fried Rice, Chocolate & Mochi XLB, Chocolate Buns (my colleagues says they're dopalicious).