din tai fung.

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this venerable purveyor of the humble xiaolongbao is another stop you’ve got to make when in taipei. despite it’s outpost in singapore the standard is completely different. it’s next to yongkang street which i made a beeline for three times during the course of my trip because the food there is simply hella good. here’s a  tip: go early, before the tourists arrive (11.30am would be ideal), or end up in the notoriously long queue. the place (or the steamed dumplings)  is a magnet for hordes of japanese tourists. aunt and i were in the bookstore next door (its got the loveliest chillout music) thinking it was too early for lunch (11am) and by the time we got out a tour bus just dropped off a whole batch of tourists:( but thankfully we were still early enough and didn’t have to wait. it’s kinda small but it’s got about 2 storeys of dining area nonetheless.

on to the food. i can’t think of anything else to describe the xiaolongbaos except in superlatives – they were the freshest, juiciest, tastiest ones i’ve ever eaten, and exquisitely crafted with finesse. also tried the shrimp wanton noodles, where the soup was aromatic and flavorful, and the dish on a whole garnered the same reaction as the dumplings. we rounded off our meal with dou sha baos (red bean buns, not pictured). mildly sweet and smooth filling enclosed in delightfully chewy buns. service was first-rate, friendly and swift (it’s one of those establishments that run like clockwork) to top off a wholeheartedly mouthwatering and fulfilling gastronomic experience.

Location: No. 194 Xinyi Road Sec. 2, Taipei (on the corner of Yongkang Street)
Contact: (02) 23218928

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Filed under dining out, food, taipei, travel