Ding Tai Fung: Dumpling at its best

Ding Tai Fung is my all-time favorite lunch spot, whether in Shanghai or this one in London. Many food critics seemed to have another view and dozens reviews claimed Ding Tai Fung in Covent Garden as over- hyped. I can easily see why but disagree wholeheartedly.

Grudge 1: it's huge!

All Ding Tai Fungs are decently sized but this one in Covent Garden is just huge, 250 seats in sprawling 2 floors. Such size seems to be completely at odds with this era of ‘small is beautiful’ in the name of gastronomic restaurant (barring a few exceptions). Yet don’t let the size deter you!

Grudge 2: The decor

Ding Tai Fung had adopted a simple and clean style in all its stores, which had never been an issue in its Asian markets since traditionally Xiao long baos are more often than not served in family style eateries that are possibly 10 times humbler and many even struggling with the basic hygiene. In comparison, this one in Covent garden is ‘swanky’; yet it’s still relatively plain-faced should you compare it with other hot-named Chinese restaurants in town, many coming with the usual trinkets living up to the ultimate Chinese cliche: lantern, bamboo, fine ceramics

Grudge 3: the queue?!

Ding Tai Fung doesn’t take any reservation in advance; much dissatisfaction seemed to be around its queue; yet unless you turn up during the peak lunch/dinner hour over the weekends, the queue moves fairly quickly. An average 15 mins queue seemed to be perfectly worthwhile.

Grudge 4: un-instagramable

Ding Tai Fung unexceptionally arms its kitchen squad with face masks in its transparent kitchen whereby any eaters who peep through to marvel at labour-intensiveness of xiao long bao can be also impressed by the extent of hygiene effort in its kitchen. Though this is with all the good-will, the scene is not pretty.

Nonetheless, the critics (not all but plenty) are just missing the point: Ding Tai Fung is neither about the size, nor the décor, nor the photogenicity, it’s xiao long baos at its best.

Honestly, if you are in London and fancy eating Chinese, you go straight to Ding Tai Fung, not Hu Tong in the Shard, not Michelin-starred Yauatcha nor Hakkasan. While in Ding Tai Fung, if you have 15 quid you order a noodle wonton soup; if you have 200 quid you order dumplings, coming in all their varied shapes, folds, fillings and intricacy.

Either way you eat like king or queen.