Taipei Ding Tai Fung versus Kao Chi (part 1)

The hotel I stayed at is within walking distance of the original Ding Tai Fung and so we decided to visit it during lunch. We were warned by our hotel’s receptionists to go early as crowds were expected but silly us did not heed the warning. We thought, no biggie, we may end up waiting for 30 minutes at most? Wrong.

The entrance of DTF was crowded with sooo many people! The wait would take at least an hour. We made a decision in a split second and decided to try out the hotel’s other recommendation – Kao Chi, located just round the corner from Ding Tai Fung.

Compared to DTF, the 3 storey Kao Chi was quiet, though not unpopular. The tables were well spaced out and the servers were attentive, helpful and very courteous. Kao Chi means “high class” literally, and the service does give one that feeling! The menu is similar to DTF’s and we decided to try some of their popular dishes.

First up, we ordered a double boiled chicken soup with noodles for the little one. The soup is clear and very flavourful. Though I would have preferred the soup to be a tat bit less salty, my daughter seemed to like it as it is.

These fried pork buns are their specialty. The steamed pork buns are fried in a cast iron plate to obtain crispy bottoms and sides. The pork buns are therefore crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside. Ooh delicious!

These crab roe xiao long baos are also their specialty. I like it that the xiao long baos are not overly salty and I can enjoy the natural sweetness and flavour of the crab roe mingled with the fresh and juicy pork filling. Definitely a must try.

Other than Shanghai Dim Sum, Kao Chi also offers a small selection of Hong Kong Dim Sum such as their popular Har Gao or prawn dumpling. The prawns are fresh and succulent and the skin of the dumpling was made to perfection. If you are a fan of Har Gao, Kao Chi’s ones are worth a try.

We ordered the salted yolk cream buns (Liu Sha Bao). I tried to take photo of the filling but it turned out bad and so I am not posting it! The texture of the bao is rather interesting. It is slightly cake like and tastes very refined. Most Liu Sha Baos I have tried are rather salty because of the salted egg but this one is not. It is more creamy than salty.

Verdict of Kao Chi? Food is good, ingredients are fresh, and service is excellent. I especially like that the food is not salty (some may feel it is bland) such that I can taste the natural flavours of the ingredients. Check out the upcoming post to see my opinions of the original Ding Tai Fung.