Gladys Lim
Checked out the newly opened Din Tai Fung at IMM, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet the usual standards I’m used to. For starters, we had to wait quite a while before the food arrived, which was unexpected given how efficient most other branches are. The xiao long bao was a bit disappointing – the skin was thicker than usual, and compared to other outlets like Jurong Point, it just wasn’t as delicate or enjoyable. I also had the chicken soup with noodles, which turned out to be extremely bland. It lacked the depth of flavour you’d expect – no richness from the chicken, no warmth from the ginger, and it tasted like it hadn’t been simmered long enough. The sesame mala dumpling was, in my opinion, pretty bad. The flavours clashed rather than complemented each other – the mala spice and sesame just didn’t merge well, making it an odd and not very pleasant dish. On a more positive note, the fried rice with pork chop was consistent with what you’d get at other Din Tai Fung outlets – familiar and reliable. That said, I’m really not sure why they opened this branch at IMM, especially with a larger and well-established one nearby at JEM. Unless there’s significant improvement in both food quality and serving time, it’s hard to see this outlet standing out or surviving long-term.
