When Din Tai Fung opened its doors at Scottsdale Fashion Square in April, marking the restaurant’s 20th restaurant in North America, it instantly became the most desired reservation in town. Now that the fanfare has died down a touch, the globally recognized Taiwanese restaurant brand makes finally nabbing a seat at their table well worth the wait.
Founded in Taiwan in 1958 as a cooking oil retail business by Bing-Yi Yang and Pen-Mei Lai, Din Tai Fung transitioned into a dumpling and noodle restaurant in the early 70’s. Over the decades, the family-owned company has evolved into one of the world’s most recognized restaurant brands. The newly opened Scottsdale location joins a portfolio of more than 165 locations worldwide; a second Arizona location already planned for Chandler Fashion Center next year.
The restaurant’s welcoming 10,000 square feet of space marries warm wood tones, gold and cream accents, stone finishes, glass details, and metal textures, with a standout feature being the peek-a-boo window that shows the chefs at work, handcrafting the dumplings. A sculptural tree anchors the main dining room, symbolizing growth and connection, while the bar area showcases lantern-inspired pendant lighting, amber tile, and a beautiful coved wood ceiling.
Din Tai Fung originally gained international recognition for its Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings, which are prepared using what the company describes as its “Golden Ratio” process. Each dumpling is crafted through an 18-fold technique and measured 21-gram preparation process. The decades of culinary refinement and training are apparent in each bite of the savory signature dish. Guests will even notice a how-to placard on their table with instructions to maximize each bite…