dim sum :: a style of eating chinese/cantonese food that’s all small, bite-size portions and usually served in bamboo steamer baskets. in some cases, the food is pushed around on carts and you pick which apps you’d like right then and there. typically, dim sum is a breakfast or lunch meal for the chinese that they refer to as going to “drink tea” since tea is always served at dim sum.
we were walking through our neighborhood around 11pm one night, we noticed the local dim sum restaurant across the street from our apartment – dimdimsum diumsum speciality store – was packed so we decided to pop in for late night eats.
after we sat down and they swapped out the chinese menu for the “western photo menu” (always appreciated), we saw a bunch of articles framed on the wall featuring anthony bordain of no reservations, Newsweek’s “top chef’s 101 best places to eat in the world,” and other splashy headlines like, “best dim sum in hong kong” and “100 meals you should try before you die.”
well, shit. i’m glad we stopped in.
we picked a variety of items including pork steamed buns, pork dumplings, chicken feet, vegetable rolls(?) and these delicious chicken pot-pie like creations. we loved how the servers would deliver our baskets and then handle the rest for us – not asking, just pouring and adding soy and spices.
chicken feet = not fun or tasty for these gringos. basically you’re working real hard to suck chicken skin of teeny tiny bones. and all the rolls and buns are just so doughy. even as a carb monster, it was just too much for me. we had dim sum a few times in hong kong, including once with a local who ordered everything, and we have officially decided it’s not our favorite meal. which, i find to be really strange since a) i love asian food, b) i love carbs and c) i prefer appetizers & snacks to entrees. you’d think dim sum would be right up my alley. it’s not.
if you’re looking for top rated dim sum in hong kong,
you may consider Tim Ho Wan – The Dim Sum Specialists.
this top tourist spot is also referred to as,
“the world’s cheapest Michelin-star rated restaurant in the world.”
be prepared for long lines and a packed restaurant.
