Another day and another challenge to reserve at a new and popular New York City restaurant.

My most recent attempt was at Din Tai Fung, the long awaited Korean dumpling restaurant that took  two years to open. 

The sleek dumpling doyenne has arrived on the east coast located in midtown west close to the theater district.

Din Tai Fung has branches in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington State.

Worldwide there are more than 200 outlets offering a taste of Taiwan to customers in Japan, USA, China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Din Tai Fung originated in Taiwan, where it was first established in 1958 as a cooking oil retailer by founder Mr. Yang Bing Yi with his wife, Madam Lai Pen Mei. Mr. Yang’s previous employer’s bulk cooking oil business was shut down in the same year.

In the 1970s the tinned cooking oil industry overtook the bulk cooking-oil industry and Din Tai Fung’s business was badly affected. To survive, Mr. Yang and his wife converted half of their shop to sell steamed soup dumplings known as Xiao Long Bao and the rest is history.

The interior of the restaurant is a trip.

Take a short tour and then we shall dig into the food.

I opted to sit at the bar.

You are handed a sheet and pen to check off your desired orders.

I started with the Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs. The Shanghainese classic were tender and delicious ($16.50).

The chilled Wood Ear Mushrooms in a vinaigrette dressing were surprisingly wonderful ($9).

The next selection was Din Tai Fung’s signature soup dumplings. The Crab & Kurobuta Pork Cuao Long Boa were delicate and moist. I enjoyed the traditional dish, but the crab was a bit strong in taste for me. Next time I think I would order the shrimp and pork for a more mellow flavor ($22).

We followed the soup dumplings with tasty steamed Vegan Dumplings filled with a balanced mixture of bean curd, baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles and jicama. Freshly squeezed spinach juice is rolled into the signature dumpling skin to give them the verdant hue ($18).

I must rave about the String Beans with Garlic. They were so fresh and crispy, prepared perfectly with a light scattering of garlic ($17).

The Shrimp Fried Noodles were wonderful, tossed in a wok over an open flame with fresh vegetables and succulent shrimp, served with crunchy napa cabbage, tender spinach leaves and green onion-infused oil ($18).

You must head to the rear of the restaurant to check out the dozens of diligent white clad dumpling makers working feverishly behind the glass windows.

They literally look as if they are floating on a cloud of white dough.

If so inclined attempt daily to grab a reservation on Yelp.

Din Tai Fung sets you up in an authentic Asian environment, providing very good food at reasonable prices. Craft cocktails, wine, beer and sake are also offered.

Din Tai Fung 1633 Broadway New York City. Open 12-9:30pm daily. Online reservations are released 30 days out at 12am. The restaurant is currently not accepting walk-ins.