I've only been to the Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, the original Din Tai Fung by the Dongmen MRT Station in Taipei, and the Fuxing SOGO basement one.

It's been nearly a decade since I went to the one in Arcadia, so I can't comment. The original one is as you can expect --- pretty darn good. The SOGO one comes close, but I prefer the old-timey atmosphere of the old one.

Had the XLB at DTF today in Costa Mesa. Wow....rather disappointing for all the hype it gets. Let me be clear though, the shrimp and pork potstickers and shrimp and pork wontons in spicy sauce were good. Definitely above average. The XLB itself was a let down. The wrapper was thinner than most around here but still doughy with chew, nowhere near Paradise Dynasty in the soft pillowiness department. The pork stuffing was the worst part. Overcooked, small and crumbling portions with little flavor or presence. Forget the soup part of the dumpling too. Just relatively bland broth light on texture or flavor.

I have no doubt the one in Taiwan is better, but I won't be having XLB at DTF in Costa Mesa again. Overall, a 3.5/5 dinner with the other dishes trying hard to make up for the XLB here.

I miss Singapore. 

Yah, Din Tai Fung is known for its high-end delicate Xiaolongbao. I think that it is pretty good but I am happier with a more full-flavoured version. I want that drippy tangy pork. Tang Palace in Shanghai does a a good basket that is more in your face. A lot of dim sum places do good Xiaolongbao there.

(Visiting family in Toronto - not sure what is to be had here. I'm too busy eating steak anyway. Carpe Diem!)

Hit the Glendale DTF for lunch today after many demands for xlb by my five year old daughter.  Best experience yet, as between the Glendale and Arcadia locations.  The pork and pork & crab xlb were as good as I've had them, and the green beans and spicy shrimp and pork wantons were also amazing.  Seasoning on the fried rice cakes with shrimp was lacking compared to past trips, but on the whole, it was totally worth braving the Americana with a five year old and six month old.  The latter did his best throughout the meal to jab himself in the eye with a straw, but thankfully isn't yet coordinated enough to succeed.  Good times!

Went to Tasty Noodle in Irvine and tasted the Xiaolongbao (pork inside I think). Pretty good. Me likes

If you're in that zip code, you should try the new Din Tai Fung in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa (where it displaced a large McDonalds...), it's mo' better than Tasty Noodle IMHO. It's perhaps not always up to the standard of the Arcadia branch in the Valley, but it's usually very good, unless they are having a chaotic day. The lines aren't as long as they were a few months ago, and it's always fun to watch the XLB "surgeons" in their "operating theater" - like watching a culinary ER.

I have eaten at Din Tai Fung in Taipei (both the old, slim, pile-em-high store and the one in 101), in Shanghai and Beijing, and even had some on an airplane... I think I can assert that the ones at SCP are up to snuff.

Eww....

http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2101.msg63943.html#msg63943

sorry - you might have been there on an off day. I've been there five times, and only once (of course when my parents were in town) was I disappointed (but certainly not eww). even the red bean ones were not as good as expected. not sure what explains it, other than overwhelming demand at certain times, which might influence the skins if they're in a rush.