This place really is the best in the GTA for soup dumplings. My first experience with Ding Tai Fung was at the tender age of 16 at the original restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan... where I had 3 LARGE bamboo steamers full of meat dumplings by myself (growth spurt phase). No wonder this place was ranked as the top 10 restaurants to try by the New York Times (back before it grew internationally) and also had a special on CNN. Then, my craze for the dumplings led me to their location in Singapore and HK (TST location which by the way has AMAZING SERVICE!) I am glad we have one here, so I won't compare.
This place is always packed. I just come here for the dumplings. My way of eating the precious pouch is with two bowls - one for dumping out all the oil and soup from the dumplings, leaving the other bowl for me to eat the skin (first) then meat (second) with vinegar. I always have the fried pork dumplings (lots of oil), fried onion pancake, noodles with vegetables, white steamed buns with condensed milk and their lovely and fluffy shrimp fried rice as well. My family goes through 6 bamboo steamers full of meat dumplings. No shame.
This place is popular and I can see why. The only 'hate' I have with this place is how much it wreaks havoc on my 'weight' as I invariable stuff myself to the point where I have a muffin-top each and every time after a meal!
2/30