DIN by Din Tai Fung (JB Mid Valley Southkey Mall)

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)

Address: Lot LG-005 & LG-006, Lower Ground Floor The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, No. 1, Persiaran Southkey 1, Kota Southkey, 80150 Johor Bahru, Malaysia (Located within Mid Valley Southkey Mall)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3mt6P8iVA2XJ7o2v8
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🐔🥟 203 鸡肉小笼包 Chicken Xiao Long Bao (6 Pieces) = RM18.97
🐔🍚 512 鸡排蛋炒饭 Chicken Chop Egg Fried Rice (Original Non-Spicy) = RM31.04

Service Charge 10% = RM5.00
SST 6% = RM3.00

Click here for the Full Menu and Receipt 
(Opens in a New Tab, Price is accurate as of Posting Date)

Din Tai Fung DTF is a Taiwanese Restaurant Franchise that is World-Famous for their Xiao Long Baos XLB. 🇹🇼 I have visited both their Original Main HQ in Taiwan Taipei and also their Outlet in JB City Square Mall. 🇲🇾 This Particular Outlet in JB Midvalley Mall is their Only Halal Outlet in Malaysia JB, ☪️🇲🇾 that is specifically Branded as "Din" so lets take a look at it shall we? 👍

Interior of the Restoran

This Outlet here is Renovated and Designed on a Similar Note as their Other Branches with a Noticeable Subtle Light Green Colour Scheme on the Walls. 🟩 I like this Subtle and Clever Touch they use to accomodate this Green Colour Scheme for the Muslim Folks that also blends in seamlessly with the Rest of their Design Note. 👍 Impressive.

One thing I also noticed is the Lack of that Signature DTF Aroma you get. 🤔 Its hard to describe this in words, but you will know this Unique DTF Aroma if you regularly visit DTF. Other than that, that Classic DTF "酒楼 Atmosphere" you get such as the "Cling Clanging" of Plates and Utensils is replicated the Same. 🍽️ The Whole Place is of course Nicely Air-Conditioned and Comfortable. ❄️😌

The Staffs were Dressed Smartly in a Smart and Sharp Black Uniform 🤵🤵‍♂️ and Every Muslim Lady Staffs all wear the Same and Crisp Uniformly Dark Crimson Hijab. ☪️ They behaved as Professionally as the Staffs from the other DTF Non-Halal Outlets. 👍

I liked that they also follow that Classic DTF Service Protocol of checking if Customers need help Mixing their Iconic Vinegar Sauces for XLB. 🍯👍 Speaking Decent English with a Professional Smile. The Classic DTF Hospitality Service Level that you'd expect from DTF is also present here. 👍

I'm also impressed that even at a Off-Lunch Hour at 3.00pm on a Wednesday Afternoon, there were still Noticeably Quite Alot of Customers. DTF 就是 DTF. ❤️ Anyway it took 10 Mins for the XLB, and 12 Mins for the Fried Rice. Everything was served up within 12 Mins which was Acceptable Timing considering the Elevated Level of Customers.

🍯 Quality of the Sauce Condiments

Serving the Same Type of Vinegar, and I could be wrong about this, but I felt the Soy Sauce and Vinegar used here tastes a Tad Sweeter? 🤔 More Sweet than Salty it seems.

🐔🥟 203 鸡肉小笼包 Chicken Xiao Long Bao (6 Pieces) = RM18.97

Price of 6-Pieces of XLB now is RM18.97 compared to RM18.10 for their Regular Non-Halal Outlet in JB City Square 💵 although to be fair it was back in Feb 2025 when I visited. 🤔 I can't confirm but I reckon both Outlets should be the Same Price.

Served in the Same Type of Wooden Dim Sum Basket with a Premium Cloth Padding below. 👍 I like that Malaysia's DTF uses Cloth as Padding. Even DTF Main Taipei HQ use Parchment Paper instead. 😅


Outwardly, the Appearance of the XLB here don't look much Different.
It is when I took my bite of it that I immediately understood why the Hate for this. 🤔

Many People in Various FB Groups all Complain that this version doesn't taste as Good but No One is able to Elaborate or Describe Adequately why this is so. 🤔 I will dissect and describe the Reason here based on my Personal Perspective.

Quality of the XLB Dough Skin

I have no issues with the XLB Skin Quality. 👍 It was Not Doughy and Thin but also Strong Enough to not have any Breakage when picked up using a Chopstick. 🥢

🍲 Quality of the XLB Soup Broth

The Amount of Soup Broth within is also about 1 Tablespoon, around the same given in other Regular DTF Outlets. 👍 The Real Main Issue here is that this Soup tastes Overly Oily. 🤔 Really Noticeably Oily as you can see the Splotches of Oil within. 🤔

Drinking this Soup has this Oily Oily Texture that is not present in their Regular Non-Halal XLB. 🥟🤔 The Soup itself taste alright although not Super Amazing. It has this Taste that is like "Chicken Soup but also not quite Chicken Soup" 🐔🤔 and does not have a "Premium Taste" to it that you would normally expect a DTF XLB to have. 🤔 That aside though, it is this Oiliness that made it Taste Jelak. 

🥟🐔 Quality of the XLB Meat Filling

The 2nd Issue for this XLB is the Meat Filling itself. 🤔 Instead of that Quick Shot of Savoury Meaty Pigginess that most People are accustomed to, the Texture here tasted Noticeably Mushy and Not Salty enough when it needs to be Saltier. 🧂🤔 The End Result is a XLB that not only has an Overly Oily Soup, but also a Not Salty Enough Mushy Meat Filling. 🤔

Adding the Classic Vinegar and Soy Sauce to this helped to Slightly Mitigate the Overly Oiliness of this XLB but as I suspected, 🤔 this Noticeably Sweeter Version of the Sauces seems especially Magnified when used like this because now the XLB tastes Oily, Not Salty Enough and Sweetish in all the Wrong Ways. 😅 This Sweet Oily Combo doesn't hit the Mark for me resulting in an Unfamiliar Taste that you don't expect from a DTF XLB. 🤔

🐔🍚 512 鸡排蛋炒饭 Chicken Chop Egg Fried Rice (Original Non-Spicy) = RM31.04

The First Thing you will notice about this Dish in the Menu is that its actually Not Listed as a Recommended Dish as compared to their Iconic 猪排炒饭. 🤔

Presentation-Wise I thought the "Droopy" Look of the Chicken Chop and how they half-draped it over the Fried Rice looked Adorable. 🐔😅 I suppose this is done to showcase how Beautifully Done their Fried Rice was. 🤔


🍚 Quality of the Fried Rice

Filled with Decent Amount of Egg Pieces, 🍳 a Sprinkling of Spring Onions, the Whole Dish looks alot more Vibrant compared to their Non-Halal JB Version at JB City Square which in my Past Review actually looked Much More Dull and Unappealing 死死 in Appearance. 😅

I liked that they used Authentic Taiwan Pearl Rice 珍珠米 for this 🇹🇼🍚 and the Texture was 粒粒分明 leaning slightly towards a Softer Side with Zero Mushiness. 😋 Wok Hei is not alot but just Enough with a Decent 油香味 to it. Slightly Salty and Not Overly So with a Savoury Filling Bite.  I have mostly no issues with the Taste of this Fried Rice. 👍

🐔 Quality of the Chicken Chop

When I laid eyes on this Chicken Chop, I can't help but smile. 😄 I immediately understand what they're trying to do here because they are trying to make this like a Taiwanese Street Food Style of Chicken Chop! 🐔😅

It comes in 6 Cuts and made out of Thigh Meat. 🐔 I noticed that it also tries to mimic the Savoury Marinade and Slight Hint of Pepperiness that is used for the Pork Chop. 🤔

The Outer Skin Crust is Not Crispy, more on a Softer Flakier Side. Decent Tasting at first, it quickly became More and More Jelak to eat because of the Combination of the Softer Thigh Meat and its Oily 油油 Nature. 🤔

Pairing both the Fried Rice 🍚 and this Fried Chicken Chop 🐔 here doesn't do it for me because both Components lean more towards the Softer Bite Texture. 🤔 I personally feel this 软软再加油油 was not a Combo that Worked Well Together. 🤔 If you think back to their Non-Halal 猪排炒饭, it was a Combination of Softer Fried Rice + Slightly Firmer Pork Chop's Contrasting Texture that paired Better and didn't feel as Jelak. 🤔

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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM18.97 (S$5.90), for their Chicken XLB, this is about the Same Price as their Regular Non-Halal Pork XLB. 💵🤔 The Main Issue I have with this is the Overly Oily 油油 Soup Broth 🍲🤔 which didn't pair well with their Overly Mushy Chicken Meat Filling that didn't feel like its Salted Enough. 🧂🤔

Chicken can be done very well in a Dumpling like this, but not in the way its being done here. 🐔🤔 I personally feel they really need to try get rid of this Overly Oily 鸡油 that Chicken tends to Secrete. 🍯🤔 The Soy Sauce and Vinegar used in this also Noticeably Tasted Sweeter compared to their Non-Halal versions? This resulted in a Oily, Not Salty Enough and Sweetish XLB that tasted Strange Culinarily. 🤔

At the Price of RM31.04 (S$9.60), this is probably also priced similar to their Iconic 豬排炒飯. 💵🤔 It was RM30.17 when I ate it at their Non-Halal JB City Square Outlet back in Feb 2025.

I have no issues with the Quality of the Fried Rice. 🍚👍 Compared to their JB City Square Outlet, it even looks More Colourful and Vibrant in Comparison. No issues with the Taste of the Fried Rice either, this tasted Decent. 😋

It is their Use of a Fried Chicken Chop however that Derailed this Dish for me. 🐔🤔 Now don't get me wrong, I applaud their Very Clever Use of a Taiwanese Street Food Styled Fried Chicken Chop as a Replacement for a Pork Chop, 🐔🐷 but a Batter Fried Chicken Chop does not work for me of which I will list out the Reasons:

1) A Batter Fried Chicken Chop like this with a Soft Thigh Meat and Soft Skin clashes with the Equally Soft Texture of the Fried Rice. 🐔🤔 In my Main Review I mentioned 软软再加油油 was not a Combo that Worked Well Together.

2) Taiwanese Street Food Styled Chicken Chop is usually eaten on its Own and usually not Paired with another Carb like Rice. 🤔 The Texture of the Floured-Up Fried Crust together with Rice will very quickly make you "Carb Jelak" is how I would put it. 😅

How I would go about Modifying this Dish. 🤔

Chicken CAN be used if done right. 🐔🤔 If it was up to me, I would use a More Roasted / Pan Seared Chicken Chop Cooking Technique instead of a Taiwanese Street Food Styled Fried version. 🐔🔥 In addition, instead of Thigh Meat, I would use Breast Meat instead for a More Firmer Bite Texture. 🐔🤔

With this More Meatier and Less Fried Crust Chicken Cutlet, I feel this would pair much better with Fried Rice and actually lean closer to how their Iconic Pork Chop is done. 🐔🤔 Anyway, this is just my Humble Suggestion from someone who is just a Home Cook with No Actual Restaurant Experience. 😅

At the End of the Day, I'm afraid these 2 Iconic DTF Dishes do not work for me. 🙅‍♂️ This does not mean that they are Trash though, far from it. 🤔 There is Definitely alot of Effort and and I appreciate the Thought Process that has gone into them and they are not a Lazy Slapped Together Low Effort Job. 👍

Utilizing a Taiwanese Street Food Styled Fried Chicken Chop is a Clever Idea to showcase and introduce yet another Iconic Taiwanese Cuisine like this. 🇹🇼👍 I appreciate the Thought Process that has gone into this. 👍 I just Personally and Respectfully do not agree with how they were Executed Culinarily. 🤔 But perhaps someone else might prefer them more than I do.

Dishes aside, I have Absolutely No Issues on Every Other Aspect of this Restoran. 👍 The Place is Renovated Beautifully with a Special Care and Emphasis to accomodate Muslim Customers ☪️ with the Personal and Subtle Touch of a Green Colour Scheme 🟩 and the Professional Service you've come to expect from a DTF. 🤵‍♂️🤵👍

While I can still recommend this, I would advise for you to keep your Expectations in Check especially if you are someone who have eaten Regular Non-Halal DTF before. 🤔 Keep an Open-Mind that this definitely does not taste the Same as a Regular DTF. Think of it as an Alternative Version perhaps? 🤔

I'm actually More Interested to get the Opinion of Muslim Folks ☪️ who have actually eaten from this as they are the Real Intended Target Audience for this Branch. 🤔 What do you feel about this? How do you find the Taste for these 2 Dishes? 🤔

With that, this concludes my Very Lengthy Personal Analysis of this Unique DTF Branch. 👍
Thank you for Reading! 😄