Disney diehards usually have one foot firmly up to now, lamenting what was once moderately than what is. That’s true in lots of regards, however a method it’s not is on the meals entrance. (Okay, aside from the Xmas Log at Plaza Inn and Fried Inexperienced Tomato Sandwich at Hungry Bear and the whole opening menu at Flo’s V8 Cafe and and and…)
For essentially the most half, eating at Disneyland retains shifting ahead. That was true final 12 months, when the parks noticed the opening of the great Tiana’s Palace Restaurant and superlative San Fransokyo Sq.. Each of these restaurant reimaginings, coupled with menu refreshes elsewhere, elevated the culinary scene final 12 months.
The story of 2024 as far as been eating exterior Disneyland getting higher. Pixar Place Resort and the Villas at Disneyland Resort each debuted new eating places with standouts. (A few of these technically arrived late final 12 months, however we didn’t get to them till 2024, so I’m counting ’em!) Extra considerably, the overhaul of Downtown Disney is lastly beginning to bear fruit, with a number of brand-new or reimagined eating places that not solely are among the many greatest in all of Disneyland Resort, however can maintain their very own in opposition to actual world highlights in Southern California…
Immediately we’re speaking about Din Tai Fung (DTF), a series well-known for its wide selection of Taiwanese meals, together with noodles, wontons, dumplings and buns, and their specialty, Xiao Lengthy Bao. Based in Taipei, Taiwan in 1958, Din Tai Fung was named one of many high ten connoisseur eating places on this planet by the New York Occasions in 1993.
In 1996, the primary worldwide location opened in Tokyo; the primary North American retailer opened in Arcadia, California in 2000. Din Tai Fung has exploded in recognition since, opening over 170 places all through america, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Europe, and Thailand.
With a menu boasting excess of simply Xiao Lengthy Bao, the model has gained many awards—together with the coveted Michelin star at its Hong Kong department on 5 separate events—and has turn into an internationally beloved model, providing a style of Taiwan to the world. Din Tai Fung now has over a half-dozen places in Southern California, with much more on the way in which.
That style now arrives at Disneyland in a model new location constructed from the bottom up, together with sky-high hype. So, does Din Tai Fung stay as much as that and the status of the restaurant’s different branches in Southern California? Let’s have a look…
Downtown Disney’s Din Tai Fung is situated within the space beforehand occupied by the AMC Theater and Earl of Sandwich (first location…not the second, third, or fourth). Nonetheless, in contrast to the sport of musical chairs performed with different tenants in Downtown Disney, that advanced was demolished and this can be a brand-new constructing. As might be apparent.
Regardless of the lots of of places, that is truly Din Tai Fung’s first stand-alone restaurant in america. The others are all in upscale malls and that kind of factor. Designed by the acclaimed Rockwell Group, the elevated design idea of the Anaheim Din Tai Fung serves to pay homage to the model’s cultural origins.
The constructing itself is a recent tackle a standard Chinese language pavilion rooftop. It’s beautiful by itself, albeit just a little at odds with the brand new mid-century trendy unifying fashion of this facet of Downtown Disney. Then once more, it’s all a little bit of a hodgepodge, with a mixture of Arts & Crafts from the unique incarnation of the district (and Grand Californian) plus modern types.
Inside Din Tai Fung, there’s a suspended, beaded set up over the round central bar greets friends upon getting into the restaurant, with conventional Chinese language pendants softly illuminating the area. Two predominant eating rooms flank both facet of the central bar space, with breaks up the area.
Past that, there are open and ethereal, floor-to-ceiling home windows surrounding the whole 7,500 sq. ft. restaurant. It’s moderately massive and loud, with a cavernous design that doesn’t actually subdivide the area a lot. That’s fairly typical of Downtown Disney or “mall eating places” all through Southern California, although, and hardly distinctive to DTF.
Let’s dig into the meals, with what follows basically being much less of a assessment and extra our best order at Din Tai Fung.
We’ve been going to the opposite SoCal DTF places for years, and it’s most likely the ‘actual world’ restaurant we’ve eaten second-most (after In-N-Out Burger) with our good friend Man. However it had been a couple of 12 months since Sarah and I final did Din Tai Fung (our ‘residence’ retailer is in South Coast Plaza, which I completely hate), so it’s not like the 2 of us are regulars or something.
You must begin with Din Tai Fung’s signature Xiao Lengthy Bao. That is what put DTF on the map, and you can’t dine right here with out ordering these dumplings. It’s the regulation.
Every of Xiao Lengthy Bao is rigorously weighed and folded by hand to realize DTF’s signature Golden Ratio of 18 folds and filled with top-quality Kurobuta pork marinated in a mix of carefully-selected seasonings. Paired with the piquant aromas of contemporary ginger and inexperienced onion, each chew is the right chew.
Don’t overthink this, simply order the pork model of the Xiao Lengthy Bao. I’m personally undecided they fairly stay as much as the hype, however they’re undeniably wonderful.
The style, texture, and complete expertise of consuming these little dumplings is incredible and price having your self. So in case you’re on the fence for no matter cause, simply place an order. I’d most likely begin with one order for each two individuals in your get together–you may at all times add extra.
Subsequent up is the Rooster & Mushroom Steamed Buns, which come two to an order.
Disneyland has been doing extra bao at meals cubicles for festivals and the like, however none are on par with this from a high quality perspective (even when I did love the flavour of that cheeseburger bun for Meals & Wine).
The variations at Din Tai Fung are completely pillowy and full of filling, with is likewise incredible. Easy, however tasty and certain to be a win with those that is likely to be on the much less adventurous facet (I often want the pork every little thing at DTF, however the rooster and mushroom listed below are high tier.)
The Noodles with Diced Beef & Szechuan Peppers is one other DTF must-order menu merchandise. They’re made with Din Tai Fung’s house-made skinny egg noodles topped with a spicy and herbaceous combination of diced beef shank, tomato, beancurd, complete edamame, sliced cucumber, contemporary cilantro, and Szechuan peppers.
These have a little bit of a kick, in order that they’re most likely not the perfect choice for unadventurous eaters. They’re however scrumptious–there’s loads occurring right here, and it’s like a symphony of flavors.
Extra approachable is the Noodles with Minced Kurobuta Pork. They’re additionally made with Din Tai Fung’s house-made skinny egg noodles topped with a savory combination of minced Kurobuta pork sauteed with diced tomatoes, beancurd, chopped inexperienced onion, complete edamame, and sliced cucumber.
Principally, that is the choice for many who need a milder dish. The entire noodles are equally wonderful, and we extremely advocate ordering one thing from this part of the menu. It’s not tremendous shareable (therefore two orders), however they’re incredible–and filling. That final half is necessary as a result of prices can add up shortly at DTF!
Talking of filler gadgets, there’s the Fried Rice. The fried rice choices are rooster, shrimp, shredded kurobuta pork, fried pork chop, or vegetable & mushroom. I’d personally decide the pork chop (it’s a literal topping versus every little thing else minced inside), however this was Sarah’s decide.
Per Din Tai Fung, that is their wholesome twist on conventional fried rice that includes Taiwanese cabbage, shimeji mushroom, wooden ear mushroom, and corn. Stir-frying over excessive warmth brings out the contemporary flavors and textures. The fried rice is value ordering, particularly to separate amongst a bigger get together.
Saving the very best for final (of the entrees) is the Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons. Stuffed with freshly-peeled shrimp and premium Kurobuta pork, and served with DTF’s signature home spicy sauce and topped with garlic and inexperienced onion, these handmade wontons are the sleeper hit of the menu.
The wontons are the favourite merchandise at Din Tai Fung of all three of us; the wontons are higher than the famed Xiao Lengthy Bao. In equity, it most likely helps that the wontons don’t have practically the hype round them, so expectations are extra manageable. Nonetheless, I’ve had quite a lot of wontons in Southern California and Asia, and these are among the many best possible.
These wontons are so satisfying–full of flavorful filling (I like the shrimp and pork), simply the correct amount of spice, silky and lightweight–however hearty and a pleasant little bit of texture from the home spicy sauce. You completely have to order a spherical of those (don’t mess with the wonton soup–get one of many varieties with pork).
Because the grand finale, order the Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Lengthy Bao for dessert. “A style of happiness in each chew” in response to Din Tai Fung…and Sarah. These dangerous boys characteristic decadent, premium chocolate truffle enveloped in a skinny layer of mochi—wrapped with painstaking consideration into DTF’s signature 18 folds. A burst of chocolate lava in each chew.
There’s a cause we’re repeat guests to Din Tai Fung, and if I’m being sincere, it’s the Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Lengthy Bao. Sarah craved these all through her being pregnant, and was extra excited for these than the rest. I don’t love them fairly that a lot–for me, the spotlight at DTF is the wontons–however I do love them.
Combining the feel and tastiness of DTF’s signature Xiao Lengthy Bao with a chocolate lava ‘cake’ is simply an enormous win. You is likely to be inclined to share them since they aren’t low cost, however resist that temptation.
One factor I do need to tackle earlier than concluding the assessment is price. It ought to most likely go with out saying, however eating places on-site at Disneyland cost premium pricing. That is doubly true of extraordinarily standard actual world places which have storied historical past and shall be vacation spot eating for vacationers and guests. I’ve usually joked that my dream is an on-site In-N-Out Burger, however that the dream would die as soon as I noticed the menu costs.
With that stated, we have been greatly surprised by simply how costly Din Tai Fung is at Disneyland. There’s a couple of 20% surcharge over the opposite Southern California shops, that are considerably costlier than their counterparts in Asia. You would possibly assume that this shouldn’t be stunning, due to the placement–lease might be actually excessive at Disneyland. However it’s not like the opposite DTFs are in run-down strip malls–they’re all in ritzy retail the place lease can also be actually excessive!
Anyway, only a phrase of warning, as we bought a gentle case of sticker shock when perusing the Din Tai Fung Anaheim menu. It’s nonetheless value doing, but it surely was costlier than we anticipated it to be. Maybe they’ll provide an Annual Cross low cost ultimately…or possibly not, as I’m guessing that, like the opposite places, it’ll be perpetually packed. Simply keep in mind: there’s a cause for that!
In the end, it’s secure to say that Din Tai Fung is among the greatest eating places at Disneyland Resort. It’s going to simply make our Listing of the 24 Greatest Eating places at Disneyland Resort, and arguably may make an identical record of Orange County (however most likely not Los Angeles) eating places. It doesn’t barely make the minimize, both–DTF is close to the highest of the DLR eating record.
None of this could actually come as a shock, as Din Tai Fung is a recognized amount that’s been a spotlight of the Southern California culinary scene for the final twenty years. The actual query is whether or not Din Tai Fung is the #1 restaurant at Disneyland Resort?
I wouldn’t take situation with anybody awarding it the highest spot, however for me, it’s not. Exterior the parks, I’d nonetheless moderately dine at Napa Rose or, truthfully, even GCH Craftsman Bar & Grill. Inside the parks, I’d want to do Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lamplight Lounge. This isn’t to say that any of those spots are objectively higher than Din Tai Fung, however for me, that’s not essentially what it’s about. These are Disney eating places with an accompanying expertise that I can solely get at Disney.
As nice because it is likely to be, Din Tai Fung is an actual world restaurant with one other location that’s nearer to us than its Anaheim department. This additionally opens it as much as competitors from cheaper or (debatably) higher dim sum eating places round Los Angeles and Orange County–areas that haven’t any scarcity of such spots. To make sure, DTF at DLR can nonetheless maintain its personal in opposition to these, but it surely’s not the clear-cut favourite.
After all, that is my perspective as a neighborhood and solely applies to different Californians or these touring to Disneyland and prepared to enterprise off-site. In case you’re an out-of-state vacationer (the presumptive demographic of this weblog!) who needs to remain within the Disney bubble, Din Tai Fung needs to be extremely excessive in your record of locations to go to.
Positive, it’s costly…however so is actually each restaurant at Disneyland. That’s the on-site premium pricing in motion. It’s additionally constantly wonderful, and in contrast to the rest at Disneyland Resort. We might extremely advocate eating at Din Tai Fung, as no matter all else, it’s simply the #1 restaurant in Downtown Disney and is a superb dinner choice in your non-parks day or date night time.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Resort Critiques & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Critiques. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas
Have you ever dined at Din Tai Fung? How do you assume it compares to different eating places at Disneyland Resort? Prime 10? Prime 5? Number one? Will DTF be getting into your eating rotation at Downtown Disney? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of the meals high quality, ambitiousness, worth for cash, and so forth? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!