Ding Tai Fung, the well-known dumpling place, does offer delicious, exquisitely-made xiaolongbao (steamed buns) with pork, shrimp or crab-roe fillings. However, if those are the only things you order when you visit the stores, you’d be missing out on other good stuff.

For those who like their food a little spicy, I would definitely recommend the beef noodles. Compared with similar fare offered by other famous noodle eateries in Taipei City, Ding Tai Fung’s braised beef noodle soup (紅燒牛肉麵) is more refined and less greasy. Choose the half tendon half meat (半筋半肉) beef noodle as the tendon is even richer in flavor, with fewer calories.

Non-beef eaters can try “noodles with spicy sesame and peanut sauce” (擔擔麵) or “sauced noodles with pickled mustard greens and shredded pork” (菜肉紅油抄手). These noodles do not swim in broth but in an aromatic and hot sauce. You’d probably need draft Taiwan Beer or the “egg flower soup with tomato and tofu” (番茄豆腐蛋花湯), both refreshing choices, to wash the noodles down.

Ding Tai Fung’s desserts are on my list of must-eats as well each time when I am there. The “steamed taro xiaolongbao” (芋泥小包), with purple taro filling, not only look cute but smell good and taste even better. “Eight flavored sticky rice dessert” (八寶飯) is appealing with its colorful ingredients and is ideal for celebrations. But my favorite is the “steamed red bean rice cake” (赤豆鬆糕) for sure. It’s fluffy, not overly sweet and has a simple but elegant taste that’s perfect when taken with Chinese tea. All these treats are best when just taken out from the steamer, so if you take them home, make sure your warm them up before digging in.

The two Ding Tai Fung stores that I go to – one is located in the food court of Taipei 101 and the other is in the basement of Sogo Department Store’s Fuxing branch. The one in Taipei 101 is newer and larger, making the waiting time more reasonable – less than one hour during peak hours at noon and in the evening. Not so for the Sogo store, where the wait could be half an hour to 40 minutes during off-peak hours and almost always two hours at lunch and dinner time. They don’t do reservations.

 

Photos via Ding Tai Fung website