Before I came to Los Angeles, I made a huge list after hours of research on where to eat. I wrote down all the restaurants by area (mainly Santa Monica and Venice), marked the ones I should refer back to with a star, and noted their distance. To be honest, I haven’t stuck to it or made any sort of plan based on this. It always happens; I have the best intentions, then I ignore my efforts.
Deep down, I’m not someone who likes to organise and book day by day in advance, because plans and feelings always change. Do you really want to be stuck with a million cancellation fees just because you changed your mind? I’ve also noticed that even very casual places now request a credit card. It really is getting out of hand, isn’t it? I like to go with the flow, see where my mood takes me, and revel in a bit of spontaneity. It’s becoming harder and harder to be off the cuff, so to speak.
I opened Google Maps and typed in ‘lunch’. It was 14:00. By 14:15, I was already there. How’s that for speed? Din Tai Fung, Santa Monica, has only been open a year and had exactly what I was craving: dumplings, or a broth with noodles and some green vegetables. Score.
Service was good. My server, Jim, kindly explained how to eat the xiao long bao. It was useful information and wasn’t forced (of course, you can eat it however you wish), but I followed his instructions and had a much better experience than trying to figure it out myself. I’d already burned the roof of my mouth once earlier that day.
“Would you like me to pour your sauce?” he asked. “Yes, why not? You can show me how it’s done!” I replied.
With a 3:1 ratio of vinegar to soy sauce, the sauce was poured into the ginger bowl, allowing it to mellow.
The crab and pork xiao long bao were filled with broth. I dipped it into the prepared sauce with my chopsticks, topped it with a little ginger, and placed it back onto the spoon. I pierced a tiny hole to let the hot broth escape, then navigated eating it from there. No more burning myself today.
Opposite me, the chefs were meticulously hand-crimping the dumplings, which, for a chain restaurant, I have to admit, felt more upmarket than most. For my greens, I chose broccoli, cooked perfectly — tender with bite but not overdone, just right. I made sure I had some vitamins.
The steaming baskets felt higher quality than those I was used to — heavy and solid — and everything was simple but done extremely well. I ordered far too much, as usual, wanting to try both the dumplings and the bao, but I couldn’t help it; I like to sample different things.
The location is on level three of a half-empty shopping complex (Santa Monica Place), but for lunch, that didn’t bother me. What mattered more was having a decent one — and that’s exactly what I was given today.
