巢飯 麵食館 錦州店

Recently, many former Din Tai Fung chefs have opened affordable eateries, and this place, Chao Fan, is one of them. The quality is up to Din Tai Fung's standards, but the prices are very budget-friendly!

Chao Fan has two locations, one at the MRT City Hall station and another on Hejiang Street, a famous food street. They specialize in affordable shrimp dumplings and pork fried rice.

During lunchtime on weekdays, it quickly fills up with customers, mostly white-collar and blue-collar workers from the vicinity. The kitchen staff consists mainly of young men, who seem very energetic. The kitchen is also very clean, likely because it's newly opened; the entire cooking and dining area is spotless and comfortable.

I can only say that their meals are really cheap and delicious. Personally, I highly recommend their signature combination of shrimp dumplings with red oil and fried rice.

The shrimp dumplings taste very similar to those at Din Tai Fung, and the red oil sauce drizzled over the fried rice takes the flavor to the next level. I think the fried rice might even be tastier than Din Tai Fung's; the rice is already flavorful, which is something I can't find at Din Tai Fung 😂.

I've never really liked Din Tai Fung's hot and sour soup; it's neither spicy nor sour. However, Chao Fan's version is quite successful at recreating it, haha.

Their vegetable and tofu soup is refreshing, with the bok choy and tofu being very sweet. I really enjoy this light, clear soup.

Their dry noodles are also impressive. The noodle texture is perfectly cooked, and the scallion dry noodles are on the lighter side, not too salty, making it a great recommendation for those who prefer mild flavors.

For the side dishes, I recommend the spicy cucumber. The cucumber is crunchy, and the spicy oil isn't too hot, making it appetizing—a must-try! 👍

Overall, this place positions itself as an affordable Din Tai Fung, with food quality meeting expectations, and you don’t have to squeeze in or wait in line. The prices are very reasonable, making it a great option for frequent visits~