SOUP DUMPLINGS in New York: Din Tai Fung

THE SPOT: As I descended the exclusive-feeling NYC location of Din Tai Fung, I felt like I was entering a typical Midtown steakhouse but rather than businessmen, young tourists fitted with iphones clung to the lobby seats waiting on a table.

Din Tai Fung is not a local steakhouse, but a large chain of fancy dumpling restaurants that started in Taiwan, has blossomed into a viral sensation with over 150 locations, and is often touted as having the world’s best soup dumplings.

That’s a big claim and I think this restaurant is exciting for many, especially in parts of the world where soup dumplings are not nearly as common. When Din Tai Fung opened their one location in NYC in 2024 (in Midtown of all places), I think there was a level of skepticism mixed with a genuine excitement.

The wait at lunch was long (45 minutes), but I managed to sneak my way (honestly) to the sleek bar where I slid found the few business folk who seemed oblivious to the scene behind them.

THE SOUP DUMPLINGS: I was tempted by most of the menu items but could not bring myself to give into the high prices on anything but their signature Xiao Long Bao.

Surprisingly, their most famous version are the Chicken soup dumplings, rather than the more traditional Crab and Pork. So I figured I would try something different and find out what they claim to do best.

When the buns were revealed, it looked like one had sprung a leak and the fat oozed out of the side. It wasn’t terribly appetizing. Turns out this is a small piece of the dough (not sure why it looked like fat) in the shape of a chicken to indicate that these are indeed poultry based.

I have to say the broth, while it could have been hotter, was delicate yet rich. It did seem to lose its flavor rather quickly and became overwhelmed by the soy vinegar sauce. Maybe that as my fault.

The skins were thin and revealed the chicken meatball inside. These were smaller than I’m used top, but still mostly tasty. I’m not sure why the chicken is their specialty but maybe because it’s the more western option and appeals to a wider audience.

I’m glad I got to see what the hype was all about, but I can’t say I would consider these the best in the world or even close to the best in New York. I’d like to take all of these tourists down to Chinatown to show them the real deal and save them a bit of money.