The famous Din Tai Fung in Taipei

People say the Din Tai Fung in Taipei is superior to any other outposts in the world, but upon my brief trip to Taiwan in late November to do a TEDxTaipei talk, the only DTF I’ve ever experienced is the one in Taipei. But then there are also multiple outposts within Taipei itself, so which one is supposed to be the best?I didn’t go to the main DTF, but instead dined at the one inside a mall. We went fairly soon after opening hour, and there was already a 15-minute wait. If you find yourself in this unfortunate position, you can stare hungrily through the window at the cooks making dumpling after dumpling.The restaurant itself was unglamorous, not something you’d expect when you hear it’s a Michelin-rated establishment, but I prefer unstuffy settings anyway. DTF reminded me more of a typical Chinese restaurant: servers shouting in their native tongue, boisterous diners clnking chopsticks against ceramic bowls, runners dashing around the floor plopping down steaming baskets of dumplings onto forgettable tables.Also like most Chinese restaurants, service was fast. We ordered a variety of dishes, including xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), wontons in chile oil, fried rice, and beef noodle soup.The soup dumplings were excellent, but the best? It is uncertain. The fried rice was also fantastic, but the best? Outlook hazy. I will say, though, the beef noodle soup ended up being the best one I had during my short stint in Taipei (more on this in a later post).All in all, DTF, while conjuring offensive slang, was a worthwhile experience and definitely one you should seek out while in Taipei. Have you been to a DTF anywhere in the world? What’d you think?Din Tai FungMultiple locations in Taipei, Taiwan