Din Tai Fung

"If LA’s soup dumpling scene were a high school, Din Tai Fung would be the starting quarterback - so prolific you almost want to roll your eyes, but nonetheless, they win every game. Each dumpling is weighed by hand and crafted with some god-like ratio of exactly 18 folds, top-quality pork, etc. It’s all a bit… heady, but in essence, Din Tai Fung has cracked the xiao long bao code. Each dumpling comes out perfectly crafted—uniform, with no soup spilling out. The skin is thin, just membranous enough to keep everything together, and the marinated ground pork pairs well with the hot POP of broth and fragrant ginger and onion." - kat hong

"Din Tai Fung has officially arrived on the Westside. The popular soup dumpling chain’s newest location is on the third floor of Santa Monica Place, which means you can now enjoy their xiao long bao with an ocean view. Along with their usual menu of dumplings and noodles, look for fun touches such as booths shaped like steamer baskets, a huge outdoor patio, and of course, their signature window into the dumpling-making room. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Cathy Park

"Located in a prime shopping mall, this Din Tai Fung branch serves as an anchor tenant and features the chain's signature menu items, including handcrafted dumplings and a variety of noodle dishes." - Matthew Kang

"Known for Taiwanese xiao long bao and dumplings, packaged like a romantic gift." - Rebecca Roland

"If Westfield Century City were a high school, Din Tai Fung would be the starting quarterback—revered and undefeated. This upscale Taiwanese chain specializes in soup dumplings, which are folded by xiao long bao maestros in a glass room next to the host stand. But the noodle soups, spicy wontons, and lychee martinis are also great. Despite being a pretty huge restaurant, Din Tai Fung fills up quickly, so book ahead or get there early. Weekend wait times can get scary, but the speedy servers seem to thrive under pressure." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren