My beloved husband and I decided to take a short road trip to Bangkok during his vacation. We planned to visit Asiatique, but first we stopped by Central Ladprao. As we entered the mall, my husband said he was hungry. I glanced at an advertisement under the escalator for Din Tai Fung on the first floor. "Let's go!" I exclaimed. I've been wanting to try it for a long time. I once "tried" to go to the one at Central World, but gave up due to the horrendous traffic. Today, the restaurant was right in front of us, so we went for it.

Note: Photos taken with iPhone SE may not be at the best angle as I was holding my child while eating.

The delectable flavors of Taiwanese cuisine at Din Tai Fung have been passed down for 40 years, originating from the first restaurant in Taiwan and expanding to branches worldwide, including Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Japan, and America. The restaurant's reputation stems from its delectable dishes, premium ingredients, meticulous and standardized cooking techniques, and signature "Xiao Long Bao," which showcases the chef's skills through the use of smooth and delicious dough, perfectly seasoned fillings, and beautifully pleated 18 folds.

Upon arrival, we ordered food. The restaurant follows a Taiwanese style, where customers are provided with a menu and asked to fill out an order form by writing down the desired quantity and dish number. The completed form is then submitted to the staff, offering an authentic Taiwanese dining experience.

The anticipation for the food was palpable, with growing impatience evident on the faces of the waiting customers.

Our first order of business was to find fried rice, as our daughter is absolutely obsessed with it. If she doesn't like the fried rice at a restaurant, it's a sign that the food is not up to par (seriously, it's that important to her).

This dish cost 220 baht.

We ordered fried rice with egg because it was the cheapest option (we were on a tight budget and came unexpectedly). The waiter asked if we wanted chopped onions, and we said no (why not? Our child can eat vegetables. Oh, stubbornness! Look, it has no green color and doesn't look appetizing).

The dish was surprisingly delicious. The stir-fry was perfectly cooked, not too dry or oily, with fluffy rice and soft eggs. It had a wonderful aroma, and my child devoured almost half the plate. Even Kim, who is usually picky, said it was tasty. The simple combination of rice and eggs was elevated by the accompanying braised beef soup, making for a truly satisfying meal.

Here comes the food, let's dig in!

Next, let's take a look at the menu item that Papa Kim insisted on ordering, almost begging his wife to do so. He was eager to try it (it's a beef soup dish, and we're not big fans of beef - not that we have any religious objections, but we find the smell stronger than pork). The menu item is called "Noodles served in braised beef broth" (no actual beef included, just noodles and broth).

This bowl costs 170 baht.

The whole family enjoyed a delicious meal together.

As someone who doesn't particularly enjoy meat, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste.

"Oh my, this is so delicious! What is this amazing flavor?"
"The broth is so smooth and melts in your mouth. It's very fragrant, and the beef smell isn't overpowering or gamey. The sweetness from the braised beef is perfectly balanced, it's indescribable. And the soft, slippery noodles... oh man, this is pure bliss!"

"Coming from someone who doesn't really like beef (that much), this dish gets a 9/10 from me."

One point deduction for the fact that it must be eaten hot. Once it cools down, the taste drops significantly. However, the aroma remains fragrant. This aroma is something you experience in your mouth, a scent you get when you swallow. It's not the kind of smell you get from sniffing.

The food was so delicious that a child came and snatched it from our bowl.

She slurped the soup, ignoring the fried rice for a moment, focusing on clearing her throat with the broth.

Next menu item:

"Pork dumplings with spicy Sichuan chili oil sauce" - What a mouthful!

My dad ordered this again. My job is to take pictures and eat. It looks spicy, but it's not at all. We were indifferent to this dish. We think the chili oil is too much, and the flavor and texture of the pork dumplings are nothing special. This dish wasn't very exciting. It's okay for a snack, but if you're curious, you can try it.

Price: 175 baht per bowl.

Here comes the highlight! The staff is serving it now, see? I'm so excited! It's a condo of dim sum and xiaolongbao.

The photo captures the interior design of the restaurant. In the previous image, a glimpse of the staff's uniforms can be seen. The staff are dressed better than the customers. (We dragged our flip-flops there and they were covered in mud. But hey, each pair costs a thousand baht!)

Our bamboo steamer basket arrived, and it was time to prepare the dipping sauce. The sauce is self-mixed, so we just estimated the proportions. We tried looking up recipes online, but in the end, we just went with our gut feeling. The restaurant provides chopped ginger, so we just poured the mixed dipping sauce over it and stirred it together. The dipping sauce was good. The flavors were not overpowering, and the ginger was finely chopped, so the aroma was not too strong. It was a good balance of flavors.

The first layer of the steamer basket revealed the xiaolongbao. My beloved husband had ordered the crab meat and minced pork filling (the most expensive of all the fillings).

The xiaolongbao should be eaten whole, not broken apart. This allows you to see the filling and soup inside. If you're not afraid of the heat (it's not as hot as some websites claim), dip the xiaolongbao in the sauce, add 3-4 slices of ginger, and use a spoon to take a bite. The taste of the soup inside is amazing. You have to try it to believe it.

This small basket contains 6 xiaolongbao for 245 baht (other fillings are much cheaper).

Let's take a look at the second floor of our condo basket.

Upon reaching the middle floor of the condo basket, we were greeted by shrimp and minced pork dumplings. Of course, my dad ordered them again, and they were the most expensive of all the dumplings (as usual).

They were almost like xiaolongbao, with soup inside, but not as much, and the dough, in my personal opinion, felt thick and not as soft as xiaolongbao (or maybe that's just how nature dumplings are).

A close-up of the dumplings, but I won't be showing you the inside this time. The broth inside is delicious, though. 😉

This basket contains 6 pieces for 180 baht.

The bottom floor of the condo is a dim sum restaurant.

Shrimp and minced pork dumplings, as usual. My husband ordered the most expensive ones (I'm paying for this meal, so he can splurge).
The dumplings look like little bags with shrimp on top and a puffy bottom filled with soup. The soup is delicious and plentiful, just like a xiaolongbao. When you bite into it, your mouth fills with soup. It's so good!

Fresh shrimp, crunchy to the bite. Delicious broth. Highly recommended.

This basket contains 6 pieces for 245 baht.

A Culinary Delight: Savoring the Custard Buns

The arrival of dessert brought with it a delightful surprise: custard buns. Among the various options, we opted for the salted egg custard buns, the most expensive on the menu at 118 baht for three. Other fillings were available at 85 baht for three. The filling was a harmonious blend of milk, salted egg yolk, and custard, expertly combined.

Initially, Kim took a bite and remarked that it was a bit bland. I agreed, finding it simply pleasant.

However, when my turn came to savor the bun, a revelation unfolded.

This was nothing short of the eighth wonder of the world! The taste was exquisite, a symphony of flavors that danced on my tongue. The soft, fluffy bread enveloped a filling that was perfectly balanced between sweet and savory. Every element harmonized beautifully, creating an experience that could only be described as "perfectly round," to borrow from the language of advertising. It was truly exceptional. Anyone who visits this establishment and skips this treat is missing out on a culinary masterpiece. (Though be warned, the cholesterol content is likely sky-high!)

The aftermath of this war.
1 bottle of water
1 can of Coke
7 other food items
The total cost was 1,633 baht.

Two adults and one child, we were stuffed!
The price is high (somewhat), but compared to having to fly to eat it abroad, well, I give in. I'd rather spend the airfare on eating here in Thailand and give my taste buds and digestive tract some experience. Hehe.

Recommendations

Enjoy everything hot! Order in small batches to savor and appreciate the flavors gradually. Ordering everything at once for a small group can lead to cold food, which compromises the taste.

The storefront is a glass room that allows customers to see how the food is made, similar to the "made in candy" shops. In front, there is a menu with prices clearly displayed. Customers can stand and look at the menu to calculate the cost before ordering.

Delicious food, pleasant atmosphere with soft Chinese-style modern music playing in the background. The staff was attentive (or maybe because I went before下班 and on a weekday, I'm not sure), and they even had high chairs for children. I loved it!

Even though my husband doesn't particularly enjoy Chinese food, he loved it. Next time I bring my mother, I'll make sure to order some vegetable dishes and review them for you.

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