This is more of a guide to help the uninitiated get the grasp of the intricacies of eating Dim Sum.
First a little background. Dim Sum in Cantonese means touching the heart. So in a way you are touching the heart when you eat. It is immensely popular, especially in Canton region. This practice originated from China as a way for people to socialize and enjoy each others company. People would often sit for extended periods of time sipping tea and discussing the latest news.
Now you must be aware that Dim Sum can be quite adventurous. Beaware that there may dishes that may seem bizzare to you.
First, you must decided which restaurant you want to eat at. There are many social outlets like yelp that can help you get started. However once you tried a few restaurants you'll develop your own favorites. Dim Sum can be a bit dividing since often most some restaurants can serve different styles. My personal favorite is Koi Palace for Dim Sum, but we'll get to that someday.
Now, once you know which restaurant to try, you can see if they take phone in reservations or have give out numbers by phone. The most popular Dim Sum places can have waits up to several hours long. See the photo below. One way to ensure a table is to get there early before the restaurant opens, especially on Holidays.
Upon getting your table, the server will ask what type of tea that you want. There are different types of flavor. You can even order combination. My dad likes a combination of chrysanthemum and olong, or chrysanthemum and red tea. When dining by myself, I generally prefer just chrysanthemum by itself. It is a lite and refreshing tea and goes well with some of the heavy foods of Dim Sum.
Next we will discuss some of the etiquette involved in Dim Sum. When the tea arrives, it is generally polite to serve others first. Never just pour tea to yourself only. Always serve others before yourself. Generally go from oldest to youngest, then yourself. When someone else is pouring tea to you, the receiver generally thank the pourer. Older Chinese individuals can be seen rolling the index and middle finger in a C shape and tapping the table several times. This is old time way of saying thank you. You'll still see this from time to time if you pay attention closely. Just remember others before yourself and you'll be fine with the etiquette.
Now we can get to the food. There are two ways to get the food. Most modern Dim Sum restaurants give you a sheet with a list of food. You would mark which dish you want and how many. Do not worry about the names, often there are often english translations. There are different tiers to the pricing. So pay attention. Dim Sum can be both affordable and quite expensive. The "special" tier tend to be most expensive, so limit how many of those you get. The "small" tier is the cheapest and usually ranges only a few dollars per dish.
The second way is that the food is brought out by carts or servers. And they would announce the type of food they have, usually in Cantonese. If you do not understand it, ask them to show you the food and then point to the ones you want to try. However there is no pricing guide with this and you'll only find out what tier the food is by where the stamp the server put on your bill. There are several draw backs to this method. One, is that some of the more popular dishes often sells out, sometimes before it reaches your table. Another is that sometimes some of the restaurants best dishes are only found on these carts or servers, so you'll have to keep a sharp eye for the dishes you want.
Here is a tip for you. Sometimes you'll see the desert on these carts. If you are at all interested in these dessert, I often get it early and just set it aside. Why? Well, some the desserts often sell out or are offered at select times. By securing the popular dessert early, you won't have to worry about it latter or try to track it down latter. One of my favorite desserts is mango pudding. Some restaurants makes the pudding quite flagarant with real pieces of mango. Others make it from a powder and you'll know if it is good from the first few bites.
There are several food that people always get at Dim Sum. Ha Goi and Shu Mi, you'll often find at all the Dim Sum tables. Ha Goi is more commonly known as shrimp dumpling and Shui Mi is the pork dumpling. Both of these are steamed items. Here is another tip, eat the steamed items as soon as they are served. The are usually steamed on the carts and once they leave the carts they can get cold rather quickly. Other steamed items that are quite popular are the steamed pork ribs. For those that are more adventurous, there are the Phoenix claw, otherwise known as chicken feet.
Buns and pastry are often steamed as well. Different fillings can range from egg custards to BBQ pork.
Some of dishes can be served with dipping sauce. Like the shanghai dumplings, often served with a sour vinegar sauce. You don't have to ask for the sauce, the server will know which sauce is served with which dish.
Fried foods often are served on a separate cart. It can be either savory or sweet. There also can be different fillings in them as well. Always ask the server if you are not sure what filling are in the item if you are not sure.
There are some specialized carts that carry specialized dishes. There are some carts that carry con gee or the cow stomachs. Some carts even pan fried certain foods right infront of you. For instance, one of our family favorites is the pan fried chive and shrimp dumplings. Some of the better restaurants fry it infront of you and gives the outside a nice crisp.
If these dishes aren't filling. You can order noodles to fill those eager tummies. Some of the noodles be spicy. You can also order different vegetable dishes ranging from stuff egg plants, mushrooms, and Chinese broccoli.
Dim Sum for me is for a way for trying something new. Everytime I go, I always have to try something new. Take for instance, my last outing. They offered a Chinese Buffalo wings. Well having just read the name alone, I must give it a try. It turned out to be just fried chicken wings. It was okay, but I was glad I tried it. There are some food, that are even too much for me. Take the Duran Dumpling. Yes, Duran. The stinking fruit in dumpling form. I could not bare to eat it. I ordered, but I couldn't put it in my mouth. My mom loved it though. I have eaten Duran in the past, and the memory apparently still lingers.
Now, remember when I said earlier that certain restaurants are known for certain things. Do your research. Like for instance the Hong Kong Lounge was known for their Baked BBQ pork bun. It had a crispy outer shell with a sweet BBQ pork filling. It was quite popular, and like all popular dishes in a Dim Sum restaurants, it goes quickly.
Now that you know a bit of Dim Sum. Go out and give it a try. Be adventurous and be mindful of the price. Above all, just have fun with your family and friends.
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