First visit: May 2022 (San Diego)
My overview would be: Stand in line and they will empty your pockets while you wait.
Our first get together with the immediate RJG family - which includes the bride and groom - for the upcoming wedding. The RJG brood is a beautiful family (Mrs. RJG's side of course) and they like to live it up as well. Money does not seem to be an issue for them, though funny how Mr. RJG always ends up with half the tab... You should see the outdoor mall this restaurant sits in - Hermes, Louis Vuitton, yea... that kind of thing. No one was buying at the shops of course (except my nieces), just browsing. But one sale pays the daily rent and staff, so volume isn't where the revenue lies.
In any case, Din Tai Fung has taken their enormous reputation and placed themselves right in the middle of the uber rich. It's a dumpling place for crying out loud. Whatever, they have mastered the marketing to such people, where waiting in line is just as important as eating. That's where you get to be seen! And it's much cheaper than shopping at Tiffany... The restaurant was half empty, but we had to wait an hour for a table. Many were outside still waiting as well. Perfect.
To be honest, dumplings aren't really my area of expertise, so I would have wished that Mr. Music was with me so he could tell the difference between Din Tai Fung and one of the many dives he has frequented in various Asian neighborhoods. I thought the entire experience was... OK I guess. Spicy chicken wontons were good, but maybe not exceptional. It was a large group and we sampled many things - including fish (fishy comes to mind) and some veggie dishes. I heard a lot of "it's amazing" from the table. And we even had chocolate filled wontons for dessert. Hot chocolate in a wonton. Wow.
For the record - the younger sister of the bride, and of course another one of our official niece's, says Din Tai Fung is her favorite restaurant ever. She's 22 and just graduated from college. She's model thin, so not really sure if she's the most qualified foodie out there. And she loves the shopping afterwards. Associative thinking it would appear. But we adore her, so if this is what she wants, this is what she gets. Seems some of the other family members loved it too, so what do I (or Mrs. RJG) know? I would avoid this place like the plague if I had a choice. But I could totally see myself back here for a business event - or one of their other locations. I'll need some lessons from Mr. Music before I go next time so I know what to look for.
5/19/22 (new entry)
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