If True Love could be described as a food, for me there would be no other that I would be as sincere, devoted and loyal to as my adoration of the dumplings at Din Tai Fung. If they would open in Brisbane, I would pretty much move house next to the store so I could eat there three meals a day and die happy. But unfortunately they have still yet to open in Brisbane, so in the meantime I travelled to Chatswood with Queen V to have some dumplings at their Westfield store.
Arrived somewhat late in the afternoon to see my all time favourite dumpling mascot beckoning me to come and join him for lunch. Of course, I acquiesced with little hesitation, and were immediately given a table by the friendly waitress.
Along the way, I spied some of the hardworking chefs in the practice of their art. I couldn't wait.
Like all the other DTF stores, there was a hard cover standard menu, and a tick sheet to allow ordering with minimal risks of miscommunication and incorrect ordering. Minimal discussion was required and Queen V and I were almost immediately ready to put our order in.
First to arrive was Queen V's Dan dan noodles. With its perfectly ordered noodles, even looking at the dish was a sight that stroked my OCD. The noodles were perfectly tender, and the spicy chilli, sesame and peanut based sauce was thoroughly enjoyable and clung well to the noodles.
Between the two of us, we also ordered two baskets of the love of my life, Xiao Long Bao. The consistency was spot on in this store as well. With its perfectly thin and elastic skin, juicy interior and meaty soup, it was the most flawless dumplings I have had in my life.
As if to challenge my love of the original, I also indulged myself an ordered one truffle xiao long bao. It was all of the above, but more. Infused with truffle pieces and truffle oil, it had an almost buttery taste to it and my heart melted as I bit into it.
To finish off, we had a dish of pan fried dumplings to share. The skin was thin and wonderfully crispy, but nothing comparable to the XLB, but the meaty filling was just as satisfying, albeit without the soup. The base was the highlight of the dish, being wonderfully crunchy and infused with seasoning without being overly doughy. I really enjoyed it.
Price Range: $15 - $30pp
Taste: 9.5/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: 8/10
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