It sounds strange, but we've never reviewed Din Tai Fung before - partly because this respected Taiwanese restaurant chain opened its first Malaysian outpost at The Gardens in 2007, shortly before we started this site. Din Tai Fung has remained a reliable force in the Klang Valley, steadily expanding to other malls too: Pavilion, eCurve, Empire Shopping Gallery & 1 Utama.
Our recent search for a venue for a family meal led us to Din Tai Fung in Subang - a choice that proved satisfying from start to finish. Don't skip Din Tai Fung's unique appetisers - from the tangy house speciality of pickled seaweed, bean curd strips & bean sprouts (RM6.90) to beautiful rolls filled with fragrant pork, cucumber & garlic (RM15) to savoury stewed wheat gluten with edamame beans (RM7.90), each plate packs a memorably flavoursome punch, leaving us eager for the main courses.
Din Tai Fung is renowned for its xiao long bao, which are as sumptuous as these steamed soup dumplings get in KL. The original pork xiaolongbao is the perfect primer to this treat (RM11.20 for six pieces, RM17.80 for ten), but Din Tai Fung also offers spectacularly tasty variations. We love the crab roe & pork xiaolongbao - RM16.20 for six, RM25.80 for ten; bursting with savoury juices - & the truffle-pork xiaolongbao - RM7.80 per piece, the ultimate indulgence, robust in its earthy aromas.
Seafood dumplings are available too - distinctively shaped shrimp-stuffed siu mai (with pork within; RM15.80 for six pieces) & fish dumplings (RM13.20 for six), both more delicate in taste than the pure pork ones, but still enjoyably fresh & well-executed.
For returning customers, Din Tai Fung keeps things lively with its slate of specials - December brings the truffle chicken soup (RM25), an exquisite enhancement of a recipe that tastes wonderfully nourishing even in its regular rendition (RM14.80).
Fans of fried rice will likely love the interpretation with a meaty-succulent pork cutlet that's thoroughly delicious, a fantasy in the flesh for carnivores; the alternative with perfectly cooked prawns is also well worthwhile, though a bit less of a guilty pleasure.
Noodle aficionados aren't neglected either - slurp up the smooth, slick ones with shredded pork & spring onions (RM16.50) or for a richer form of fulfilment, the hearty, soupy-spicy noodles, generously brimming with braised gelatinous beef (RM20.50).
There's so much to sample on the menu here that it's wise to come in a relatively large group of family members or friends (or keep coming back) to share the ravishing salted egg pumpkin, the plump chilli prawn & pork wantans (RM12 for six pieces) ...
... & the bouncy prawns on a bed of crisp stir-fried pea sprouts, which had Grandmother - the fiercest, fussiest food critic - seeking a second helping. Din Tai Fung wins her complete approval!
Desserts ensure that dinner remains a delight to the end. Enjoy the hot-&-cold interplay of steaming-hot fluffy layer cakes (RM10 for large), alongside creamy chilled glass jelly topped with purple glutinous rice (RM9). Boiled red bean broth & lightly sweet papaya with snow fungus also illustrate Din Tai Fung's expertise, with professionally balanced flavours & textures.
Din Tai Fung
G15, Ground Floor, Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya. Open daily, 10am-10pm. Tel: 03-5022-2522
This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.
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