While this is not the first time I have eaten at Din Tai Fung, it is, however, at this Torrance location, that I finally gave more attention to the food. I was able to truly appreciate how well the food is being executed at this famous eatery.
This particular Din Tai Fung has just recently opened at the Del Amo Mall in Torrance, The decor and atmosphere is outstandingly different than the one that I had been to in Arcadia.
The interior is modern and airy, which is rather different than the traditional Chinese restaurant. Perhaps somehow that enabled me to appreciate the food even more.
The dish that started my appreciation for this restaurant was the Sauteed String Beans with Garlic. I had ordered it because they did not have the Bok Choy that I had wanted on that particular day. I am not a big fan of string beans, but the plate of string beans was perfection at its best. Every single strand of bean was cooked evenly and impeccably. Not one of them was charred, as it is with most of the string beans that one gets in other Chinese restaurants. Not one of them had a black spot on them. To me, that is the mark of attention to details that distinguishes itself as a great restaurant.
Another detail that I noticed at this particular Din Tai Fung is that the food is not salty, as most restaurant food tends to be. To be honest, the food hinges being a tad blander than what one would expect from a restaurant. However, it is precisely because of this, that I find so appealing about this place.
The chef has enough confidence, control, and belief in the freshness of his food that he does not feel it necessary to add extra seasoning. It allows people like me to feel that I am eating somewhat healthier, instead of the usual heavy tasting restaurant food.
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I tried the Sticky Rice & Pork Shao Mai for the first time. It was well executed and quite filling. The Fish Dumpling, though good, did not have much fish taste. The Noodles with Sesame Sauce was extremely flavorful, but the serving size was rather small. The Wonton with Spicy Sauce was quite good as well.
I like anything made with sticky rice, so I ordered the Eight Treasure Sticky Rice. Being that my friend does not care too much for sticky rice, I ended up eating the whole dessert. Fortunately, it was not too sweet.
Din Tai Fung: 21540 Hawthrone Blvd.Unit 519, Torrance, CA 90503 Phone: 310-214-1175
