For lunch #2, I got takeout from the soft opening at new XLB purveyor Dan (in Pasadena). (Lunch #1 was at original Arcadia Din Tai Fung, just to calibrate my tastebuds.)
Takeout comparison: Din Tai Fung (left), and Dan (right): The fillings were comparable in flavor and flavor. The skin is a bit thicker on the Dan XLBs (understandable; to properly contain larger volumes, a thicker membrane is necessary, given the same material). I actually like the thicker skinned XLBs here.
Scallion pancake: These tasted a bit too fried and taut, and not as supple as many might expect. And why is there a dipping sauce for these scallion pancakes? The pancakes are traditionally meant to be tasty enough to stand on their own.
“… It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do…”
I’ll come back to try Dan again after Grand Opening.