On Dec 8, Din Tai Fung will open its 119th branch and it is in the Philippines at SM Mega Fashion Hall. Their latest openings were in Dubai and London. This space looks small but it’s actually a 600 sq meter dining area with 200 seats + 150 sq meter basement for the 150 staff where they will have their own cafeteria, their rest area and where they reportedly get massages just like in Taipei. Din Tai Fung is 57 years old with Mr. Yang or Mr. Happy OC 🙂 (because he is very OC with every single detail ) as second generation . He is very particular about cleanliness and how every detail should be! Hoping to meet this guy soon!!
We passed through the entrance on the other hallway and were surprised to see that the place was not yet finished and we were having dinner in a construction site!
Congratulations to the Moment Group!! Abba Napa, the restauranteur whose family opened L’Opera 24 years ago, Jon Syjuco who brought in the successful brand Havaianas and Eli Antonino the hospitality expert who worked for several years in Four Seasons New York. 3 friends that got together 3 years ago. Admiring how friends can work together successfully and admire how far they have gone with yet their biggest venture! More power!!
Candlelight dinner and this is how we celebrated Thanksgiving in Din Tai Fung Manila
They even brought the bar tender from the Bank Bar ( also owned by the Moment Group )
This is my most favorite Din Tai Fung meal in my entire life! Construction site, candlelight, parade of servers, Degustation, Jan the restaurant manager explaining each dish and serving each dish
Eli Antonino one of the owners of the Moment Group is the Din Tai Fung expert because she lived in Taipei for 6 months to train!
She knows how to make XLB ( xiao long bao) ! So if you need to know anything about DTF ask Eli! Pork Xiao Long Bao
Eli showing a photo of the crab roe for the crab xiao long bao You can make around 10 crab XLB with one crab – make sure there’s a crab shaped figure on your order
My most favourite is the Black Truffle Xiao Long Bao 🙂 This will be sold by the piece
Enjoyed spending thanksgiving with the Moment Group at Din Tai Fung. Chicken wings in shrimp paste ( yummy!) as our turkey for the evening.
Thankful that one of our favorite restaurants in the world is now coming to the Philippines
Their chef from 8 Cuts Burger will now be the chef in Din Tai Fung
There are several dishes that is tailored for the Philippines like sweet and sour pork, salted egg prawn
chocolate lava XLB and Foie gras chicken XLB which has 5 grams of foie! Pairing until the end!! Big block of ice
It’s not unusual that it’s the Filipinos – a lady at that – that shine in International markets. And Lisa is another one that proves this. It’s because of her that there are women in the work force in DTF. She is the XLB queen and can make 1,268 xiao long baos in a day!
4 Chefs from Din Tai Fung Taipei plus 40 more will be here for the opening
At Din Tai Fung it’s “HAPPY OC” – it’s about people that pay attention to all the details. That is Mr. Yang’s philosophy. At the same time he takes care of the people – so being OC means being HAPPY OC 🙂 at DTF – Happy vibes before the opening on Dec 8.