8 Los Angeles restaurants to try this summer

DIN TAI FUNG

The Americana at Brand, 171 Caruso Ave, Glendale, CA 91210

In truth, it is not hard to find xiao long bao (soup dumplings) around LA. Many small dumpling houses from Koreatown to the San Gabriel valley serve the piping hot, delicately-wrapped delights. What is also true, however, is that one must be willing to wait for the very best XLB.

Din Tai Fung, an award winning Taiwanese chain, migrated to select locations in the US, and now serves up expertly-folded XLB at multiple locations in Los Angeles and Orange County. Thin, almost translucent dough surrounds rich pork and a soupy broth – a composition that necessitates one-bite eating.

Wait times can be brutal, over an hour and a half at times, so hit up the location at the Americana at Brand, a new mall in Glendale, and shop while you wait for your table.