Eating at Ding Tai Fung

Ding Tai Fung (鼎泰丰) is famous for their xiao long baos (小笼包). You can find Ding Tai Fung in Taiwan, China, U.S., Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Korea, and Indonesia.

We’ve visited Ding Tai Fung in Taiwan and China before. Jason can’t actually eat the xiao long baos (or anything else they serve) due to his wheat allergies, but has been told by the xiao long bao connoisseur (Susan) that Ding Tai Fung wins the prize for having the best xiao long bao.

Last week, Susan spent the day in downtown Shanghai visiting some of Iris’ favorite places and restaurants. Iris visited Shanghai several times for both personal and business trips. The last time she visited Shanghai was in 2005 for our wedding. Susan wanted to walk the streets of Shanghai and reminisce the good old times.

Whenever Iris traveled, her number one objective is to eat all the good food the place/city/country has to offer. One of Iris’ favorite restaurants in Shanghai is Taipei Chu Chu Yuan (台北楚楚园). The one Iris visited in 2005 was located near Henan Road, but that place shut down in 2006. Another one opened up near Huang Pi Road, but when Susan looked for the place, it wasn’t there anymore. =( That place has fallen victim again to Shanghai’s ever changing urban development and progress! Susan ended up eating at Ding Tai Fung in Xin Tian Di (新天地) instead. The Ding Tai Fung Iris visited before is located in Gubei (古北) when all the ladies in the family visited in 2002. 

In 2006 for Grandma’s 80th birthday / family reunion in Taiwan, we ate at the Ding Tai Fung in Taipei. Below is a picture of Sam and Iris about to dig into the xiao long baos. It was Sam’s first time eating at Ding Tai Fung.

And here’s us with our xiao long baos. Jason watched enviously as Susan ate the entire steamer of xiao long baos all by herself!

In 2002, Iris visited Taiwan for a business trip. She took our cousins to Ding Tai Fung to eat the famous xiao long baos for the first time. Most locals (in China and Taiwan) wouldn’t eat at Ding Tai Fung because it’s a bit expensive. One steamer of xiao long bao costs about $8 USD, which isn’t much in USD, but in RMB and TWD, it’s a lot! 

Here’s a picture of Iris with cousins Pei-Hwa and Boy-I in front of Ding Tai Fung in Taipei.