Din Tai Fung Debuts UTC Dumpling Palace

Of all the restaurant openings at the newly-renovated Westfield UTC, perhaps none has been more highly anticipated as the arrival of Din Tai Fung, the internationally-renowned eatery that opens its doors to the public today. The in-demand restaurant has been taking reservations for tables, but reps tell Eater that they will eventually return to their standard walk-up format after the initial soft opening period.

Located at the top of the stairs just behind the mall’s valet parking station, Din Tai Fung spans 10,000-square-feet and seats over 200 guests. The restaurant’s entryway leads diners past a glassed-in prep area, where cooks industriously stuff and crimp hundreds of dumplings, wontons, potstickers, and more; on a busy day, the kitchen will prepare up to 1,000 xiao long bao, its signature soup-filled delight. The eatery recently upgraded to using kurabota pork for its dumplings and all other pork dishes on the menu.

Offering a full bar, as well as boba drinks, the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 9:30 on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. As for additional locations in San Diego, Din Tai Fun’s Ashley Yang tells Eater that they first want to test the market before making any decisions; next up for the company is a new outpost in Portland that’s launching by the end of the year and an expansion of its Costa Mesa branch in South Coast Plaza that will add another 50 seats.