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It’s been a summer of dumpling drama in Los Angeles, thanks to a big shake up at outdoor Rick Caruso-owned mall the Americana at Brand in Glendale. Last month, Eater was first to report that Taiwanese behemoth Din Tai Fung would be leaving the development, heading across the street instead to the Glendale Galleria. Now Eater has learned exclusively that none other than Paradise Dynasty, a separate dumpling operator known for its colorful food and booming growth across Asia, will take up at the former Din Tai Fung space. Talk about scandalous.
A lease for the new Paradise Dynasty has just been inked, and an opening date is not yet known. This will be the first Los Angeles location for the brand, after making its United States debut further down the coast at the upscale South Coast Plaza in Orange County. Known for its multi-colored xiao long bao soup dumplings and other dishes, Paradise Dynasty has become the big, bold new kid on the dumpling block across much of Asia as of late. The news of this new LA location comes just as the Singapore-based Paradise Group celebrates one year at South Coast Plaza, and is certainly a big get for the Americana.
That’s not to say that Din Tai Fung, a stalwart in the soup dumpling genre that has expanded across America in the past two decades, is losing steam. The company had long needed a larger footprint in Glendale, making the decision to move across the street even easier thanks to plans for a robust new build-out with lots of outdoor seating.
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As for Paradise Dynasty, expect a full rebrand of the 8,000 square foot Americana space, including more patio room as well. There will also be space within that square footage for a smaller outpost of sister concept Le Shrimp Noodle Bar, which already exists in Orange County.
“We couldn’t be more excited to expand to LA,” Paradise Group CEO Eldwin Chua says in a statement to Eater. “ We feel there is no better location than the Americana at Brand for our first LA location, and can’t wait to bring our soup dumplings to LA alongside an array of northern and southern Chinese cuisine.” The lease was brokered by Danny Liao and John Kim of Miren, Inc., with a targeted opening date of summer 2024.
