Dim Sum

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Dim sum means ‘touch your heart’ and with as many as 150 items on a restaurant menu, and 2,000 in the entire range, it is a challenge to not find something you love. As Cantonese people tend to avoid fried foods early in the day, steamed dishes dominate most dim sum menus. There are also snack-sized portions of pan-fried, deep-fried, and baked served in bamboo containers, which are designed to be eaten communally and washed down with tea. Hence, going for dim sum is known as yum cha, which literally means ‘drinking tea.’ Usually a brunch or lunch affair, it is a common form of family, co-worker and other group get-togethers.

Today, dim sum restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, from straight shooting to high falutin’. Start with one of the large mid-priced eateries where in the midst of boisterous conversations you will see multiple generations gather around the table for a no-nonsense family feed and office workers enjoying a short but effective break from the daily grind. When you enter, let the waiter know how many people are in your group, be seated, decide on what type of tea you want, order your dim sum, and enjoy a quintessential Hong Kong experience!

What to order?

Although a traditional style of dining, dim sum is in a constant state of evolution and there are always new and innovative dishes to taste. Here are some of the classics:

Steamed shrimp dumpling

Shrimp wrapped in a thinly-rolled piece of translucent wheat dough. Often, the dumpling will include pork. Ideally, the contents will be 70 per cent shrimp and 30 per cent pork.

The 2011 Best of the Best Culinary Awards Gold with Distinction Award in the Dim Sum Category, and the ‘King of the Shrimp Dumpling’ title, went to U-Banquet:

U-Banquet

Address:	1F, Pioneer Centre, 750 Nathan Road, Prince Edward, Kowloon
Tel:	+852 2811 1983
Website:	http://www.u-banquetgroup.com
Price:	Steamed Shrimp Dumpling, Deep-fried Mashed Taro Dumpling, Baked Cheese Cake with Egg White and Milk $58
How to get there:	MTR Prince Edward Station Exit B2, walk along Sai Yeung Choi Street South for about three to five minutes.

Shao mai

A type of Chinese dumpling. The typical Cantonese dim sum variant consists of ground pork, whole or chopped shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, green onions and ginger, wrapped in thin wheat dough, seasoned with Chinese rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, and garnished with a dollop of crab roe.

Barbecued pork bun

Tender, sweet, slow-roasted pork tenderloin, usually seasoned in oyster sauce, and encased in a fine, soft bun.

Veteran food critic, author and Best of the Best Culinary Awards judge William Mark recommends the Oyster Sauce Roast Pork Steamed Bun at West Villa Restaurant:

West Villa Restaurant

Address:	Room 101-102, 1/F, Lee Gardens Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island
Tel:	+852 2882 2110
Price:	Oyster Sauce Roast Pork Steamed Bun $24
How to get there:	MTR Causeway Bay Station, Exit F

Cheung fen

A thin roll of rice flour, filled with shrimp, beef, sweet barbecued pork or other ingredients. It is usually steamed and served with soy sauce.

Jacky Yu, chef, restaurateur, author and food critic recommends Rice Rolls with Pork Liver and Roast Duck at Tong Kee Steamed Vermicelli Roll Specialise:

Tong Kee Steamed Vermicelli Roll Specialise

Address:	26A – 26C, Man Wui Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Tel:	+852 2710 7950
Price:	Rice Rolls with Pork Liver and Roast Duck $19
How to get there:	A taxi from MTR Jordan Station will cost about $20.

Did you know?

How to make Cheung fen?
1. Pour the rice paste onto the steam cloth which has been placed on top of the steamer. 2. Before the rice paste solidifies, add the ingredients evenly. 3. When the rice paste is steamed and appears translucent, remove the steam cloth. The shape of the rice rolls is initially formed. 4. Cut into portions. Roll them skillfully into rice rolls. Serve hot.

Spring rolls

A variety of vegetable and sometimes meat ingredients are rolled inside a sheet of thin dough and deep fried.

A Silver Award in the 2011 Best of the Best Culinary Awards for a dim sum entry that included spring rolls went to Rouge, Regal Airport Hotel:

Rouge, Regal Airport Hotel

Address:	1/F, Regal Airport Hotel, 9 Cheong Tat Road, Chep Lap Kok, Lantau Island
Tel:	+852 2286 6868
Website:	http://www.regalhotel.com
Price:	Trio Delights: Steamed Shrimp Dumplings, Deep-fried Seafood Roll with Cheese, Frozen Coconut Mountain $60
How to get there:	Take the Airport Express to the Airport Station, proceed to Terminal 1 and then descend one level to Arrivals. Follow the signs to the Regal Airport Hotel.

Deep-fried shrimp dumpling

Shrimp, sometimes with pork fat, wrapped in dough and deep fried. Crispy exterior, juicy filling!

Veteran food critic, author and Best of the Best Culinary Awards judge William Mark recommends the Deep Fried Prawn Dumpling with Salad Dressing at Forum Restaurant:

Forum Restaurant

Address:	G/F, 485 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island
Tel:	+852 2869 8282
Price:	Fried Prawn Dumpling with Salad Dressing $46
How to get there:	MTR Causeway Bay, Exit C

Barbecued pork pastry

Sweet, barbecued pork in a thin, flaky pastry.

What they say

“Recently, it’s been a hit to serve Chinese dishes with quality wine. To do that with dim sum, especially for spring rolls, the best pick would be champagne.”

William Mark, veteran food critic, author and Best of the Best Culinary Awards judge. Mark has been a prominent figure in Hong Kong’s culinary scene for several decades.

Did you know?

Pay attention at a dim sum restaurant and you will see diners tapping three fingers on the table to express gratitude when someone pours tea for them. This ritual originated with a Qing dynasty (1644-1911) emperor who liked to travel the land disguised as a commoner. On one such occasion he was in a teahouse with his officials and took his turn to pour tea. His officials could not accept this honour without kowtowing, but also could not kowtow without blowing the emperor’s cover. Instead, they tapped three fingers on the table, one representing the bowed head and the other two the prostrate arms.

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