Din Tai Fung: An expanding dumpling empire

WHEN you see a line of people waiting for tables outside a restaurant, it's simultaneously intriguing and off-putting. Sure, there's usually something about the spot that's memorable, often a good deal (Versailles' garlicky roast pork, for example) or an after-hours experience (think Pink's), but just as often, there's bound to be disappointment because our dining options in this crazy city are so many and so varied that you know you can get even better food somewhere just down the street from wherever you see the people lining up.

By Susan LaTempa

February 6, 2008