The famous Din Tai Fung comes from Taiwan, its predecessor was established in 1958 Din Tai Fung Oil Company, because the oil business is declining before turning to Jiangsu and Zhejiang snacks and side dishes. In the Michelin Hong Kong and Macau edition, Din Tai Fung has been awarded one Michelin star. Today's Din Tai Fung stores are all over the world, and have customers like Sophie Marceau, Jackie Chan, and Stephen Chow, which has considerable influence in the pastry industry. Din Tai Fung Shanghai may not be rated a Michelin-starred restaurant, but it is on the Bib Gourmand Cheap Food List.
Din Tai Fung's xiaolong has always been controversial among Shanghainese, after all, as a traditional delicacy in the Jiangnan region, Xiaolong is made by a Taiwanese brand to the world. Although it cannot be recognized by the old Shanghainese in terms of taste, its strict quality control and consistent standard have to be convincing. Din Tai Fung has its own flour mill, its live pigs are slaughtered in-house, and the hairy crabs in its mainland branch are selected from the whitewater waters of Yangcheng Lake. Din Tai Fung Pastry only recruits employees aged 18-23, preferably without foundation, so that employees can develop a near-machine-like and consistent approach through repeated operations. Each meal at Din Tai Fung has SOP (Standard Operation Procedure), and each link has a standard temperature, and the whole process uses computers to monitor the progress of cooking dim sum in the stove, and the staff must follow strict operating procedures to control the uniform quality of the xiaolong. All products have their own golden ratio, such as the tare weight of 5 grams of crab roe xiaolong, the diameter of the rolled skin is 6.5 cm, the filling weight is 17 grams, the bun is a total of 22 grams, and the weight is only allowed to have an error of 0.2 grams. The dough should reach 18 pleats and have the same texture. Because of this, Din Tai Fung is able to ensure a consistent and balanced taste around the world.
In addition to the common fresh meat cages and crab roe cages, Din Tai Fung also has chicken cages, mushroom cages, and loofah shrimp cages. Many uncommon ingredients are also added to the meat filling, such as black truffle pork xiaolong, black truffle chicken xiaolong, and shark fin crab roe xiaolong. The black truffle is added to the cage for innovation and to appeal to the tastes of both French and Italians, and it has the reputation of being the "black diamond on the table".
The traditional fresh meat dumplings are not very large, and the meat filling can be faintly seen through the thin skin. Inhaling the soup, the soup has a fresh taste and a clear ginger taste, which is different from other xiaolong, which is also the controversial place of Din Tai Fung xiaolong. However, the soup is clear in color and looks very clean. Although the skin is thin, it is extremely tough and chewy, and the meat filling is very tender. Chicken noodles are a good choice to pair with xiaolong, the noodles are soaked in boiled chicken broth, the soup is light yellow, and the soup is very fresh. The noodles are smooth, but they lack some chewiness. There are also chicken nuggets on top of the noodles, and the chicken pieces are large and generous.
Din Tai Fung's service standards have always been praised in the industry, and diners are guided to sit down by waiters as soon as they enter the door, and it is natural to serve tea and pour water. The waiter is fluent in English and needs to sign the order to confirm when paying.
Din Tai Fung currently has 10 stores in Shanghai, the largest number in China, with branches in several key neighbourhoods, and diners can choose from the nearest place to their choice given the high level of standardization of its menu and service.
