The Din Tai Fung Club

Din Tai Fung is a restaurant. No, actually, Din Tai Fung is an institution. Always a cue, always profess- ional service, always the best night out to dinner in Taiwan.

I was first attracted there when I had a dream about Xiao Long Bao, or pork steamed dumplings. Not long afterwards, I flipped through my little Taiwan guide to come across Din Tai Fung as highly recommended. After my first class, I went there for dinner. The dumplings were so good, I went again the next night. And the next night. And the next.

Pretty soon I was known around the restaurant almost as well as their famous dish, the steamed dumplings. I befriended most of the waitresses, most noticibly so Singing (who has a fantastic command of the English language and the beginning signs of an Australian accent). Over the weeks of eating there, the owner if Din Tai Fung began to take notice of my patronage.

One Wednesday night, after I helped myself to two baskets of dumplings, containing 10 each, Singing came up to me and asked if I wanted to join the owner for a private dinner that evening. Although I just stuffed myself silly on the dumplings, I enthusiastically accepted.

Abut 30 minutes prior to the start of the Dinner, the owner, Mr. Yang, joined me upstairs and we chatted for a little bit. I used what Chinese vocabulary I had and he used what English vocabulary he had to introduce ourselves.

It wasn't long before 10 o'clock rolled around and Mr. Yang's friends started to join us- doctors, lawyers, high society and Taipei's elite were sitting around a table at an exclusive dinner gathering at one of the most famous restaurants in Asia (with locations in Japan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Australia, USA, Hong Kong, etc). Politics, sports, and general ideas were naturally discussed. People were cerainly interested in where I came from. Surprisingly, nearly all of them had studied in Boston at one time or another.

The food was delicious, and consequently, not on the menu. The conversations evolved into comraderie and with the excellent french wine served (nothing outside Bordeaux and nothing under ten years of age). Soon enough, Mr. Yang told me that I was like his brother and that I was invited to all of their Wednesday evening gatherings and to the global Din Tai Fung corporate party on April 8th. Obviously, I was very honored. He even gave me VIP status, precluding me from the wait at the restaurant. This means that, on heavy trafficked weekends when the queue can last over 100 people, I will automatically be bumped to the front.

So now, I join Mr. Yang and his social circle every Wednesday night for good food, excellent taste in wine, and a tempered display of happiness and joyful dining. I have even joined Mr. Yang on private lunches around Taipei to glorious Thai restaurants with his family and other Chinese restaurants that have garnered fame (it's interesting to see where the owner of the most famous restaurant in Asia eats out).

Until next time, your VIP carrying Xia Long Bao loving, Din Tai Fung idolizing, new friend found revelling, Michael.