The text message arrived after several rounds of steamed dumplings had been ordered and consumed: "Totally worth the hype!" wrote a pal, who just happened to be at Lincoln Square when Din Tai Fung quietly opened for business Saturday evening at 5:30. It didn't stay quiet for long. On Sunday, the wait topped out at three hours. No surprise, as rabid fans of this Taiwan-based dumpling chain had been counting the hours for months....

Din Tai Fung has been voted "Best Chinese Restaurant" in 2012 Los Angeles Times Readers Choice Best of Southern California 2012 poll.