Din Tai Fung Xinyi (Original Store)

Review

Din Tai Fung's story starts on Section 2 of Xinyi Road. Founder Yang Ping-yi originally sold cooking oil, moved the shop to this stretch of Xinyi Road in 1963, and from 1972 let a chef sell Shanghai-style dim sum from half the storefront before turning the whole place into a xiaolongbao restaurant. In 1993 The New York Times named it one of the world's top ten restaurants. The brand is now in many countries, yet travellers still make a point of visiting the original address.

The signature is the thin-skinned, finely pleated xiaolongbao; the brand stresses eighteen folds and a standard weight per dumpling, and each one holds plenty of soup, best with ginger strips and vinegar. Shrimp egg fried rice is dry and fluffy with a clear egg aroma, and the double-boiled chicken soup is clear and gentle, making a classic trio. Portions are modest, so three or four dishes per adult is about right.

Media and diners widely praise its consistent quality, attentive service and spotless dining room and restrooms, and many say the original tastes better than mall branches. Complaints focus on high prices, small portions and long waits; some feel the fame outweighs the surprise, and a few report uneven batches.

Sources disagree, so check before you go: some say this shop seats diners with a numbered queue, while recent visitors say the original now mainly handles takeaway and dine-in has moved to the larger Xinsheng branch diagonally across the street. Hours run roughly from 10:30 or 11:00 to 20:30, opening earlier on weekends. The official site shows live queue numbers, so fill in the order sheet while you wait; dine-in adds a 10% service charge.

It suits first-time visitors to Taipei who want the classic xiaolongbao, and family meals with older relatives. Two people can share a basket of xiaolongbao, shrimp egg fried rice, a chicken soup and a plate of greens; if you are short on time, get takeaway and eat it while strolling around Yongkang Street.