An Anniversary Lunch at Din Tai Fung in Bellevue

 

An order of the mouthwatering Xiao Long Bao from Din Tai Fung. Each one has their signature 18-fold process with a perfect ratio of delicate skin to rich, savory filling. We like the Chicken Xiao Long Bao, but the pork is the most popular! 

My husband and I just finished a weekend of celebrating our 17th Wedding Anniversary. We treated ourselves to lunch in Bellevue at Din Tai Fung and brunch in Fremont the next day at El Camino, which I'll talk about in my next post.

Recently, the Din Tai Fung location in Bellevue moved from a 7,000 square feet spot in Lincoln Square to downstairs on the main level in a 17,000 square foot location. Their new spot ismore than double the size and much more striking of a space. The Italian restaurant, Maggiano's, used to be in this spot. This was another place we enjoyed dining, even celebrating my birthday and our sons' birthday before. 

This Michelin-recognized brand which first opened in Taiwan in 1958 and now has locations all over the world. They have a huge following and people go crazy for the Xiao Long Bao, and for good reason. They're full of flavor and each one is hand crafted on-site. You can even watch them making them, which is always a fun aspect. We made a reservation, which is probably the only way to get a table, as the lobby was packed when we showed up for our lunch reservation. 

Their new space is a gorgeous one, especially the glass art piece that hangs from the center of the dining room. The service is classy, and everything runs like a well-oiled machine here. They have a small list of specialty cocktails, and I can recommend at least three of them. Each drink is well-crafted and strong. I had the Yuzu Margarita and the fan-fav, the Pear Lychee Martini. My husband ordered the DTF Old Fashioned. You can't go wrong with either cocktail, and all of their drinks pair perfectly with the savory bites on the menu. 

To eat we ordered the Noodles with Spicy Sauce and the Chicken Xiao Long Bao. We've had both of these dishes before and they're both so delicious, we ordered them again on this visit. They knew it was our anniversary and were so kind to bring us some complimentary Chocolate and Mochi Xiao Long Bao with a side of the sea salt cream for dessert, also made in-house. We've also enjoyed these before, and they're so incredible tasting, I wanted to have them again for our anniversary. Dipping them into the sea salt cream took them up a notch, and I would highly recommend doing the same. 

This was such a good anniversary meal to enjoy with my husband, and we loved seeing the new space at Lincoln Square. 

My Yuzu Margarita was made perfectly, and tasted nice and sweet, just the way I like my drinks. 

The DTF Old Fashioned was your typical Old Fashioned and made very well. 

This eye-catching glass piece looks just right in the center of the dining room. 

These Spicy Noodles always hit the spot and I can really taste the quality of the ingredients. 

The Chicken Xiao Long Bao come with ten dumplings, perfect for sharing! 

The Pear Lychee Martini is such a pretty cocktail. This drink is fruity and sweet, and really refreshing. 

The bar area is a gorgeous one! 

These are so good, it's scary! These are the Chocolate and Mochi Xiao Bao and a must-try item at Din Tai Fung. 

Don't forget to order a side of the sea salt cream, for dipping! 

The bar area is right next to the lobby.

Din Tai Fung 

700 Bellevue Way NE Ste 280 

Bellevue, WA 

(425) 698-1095