A One-of-a-Kind Cultural Experience | The Wonders of Dim Sum
If you ever have a craving for Chinese food, but want more than Americanized takeout food, then try dim sum. Dim sum is a mealtime, usually around breakfast and lunch hours, when a large variety of small dishes are consumed. The small dishes, which often come in bamboo or steel steamers, can range anywhere from dumplings to buns to egg tarts. They can include seafood, meat, vegetables, desserts, etc.
Dim sum isn’t just about food. No, it has to include tea as that is equally important. This is due to the origin of dim sum, which started off in teahouses in China’s province of Guangdong. Tea would be served with a few, small food items. Originally, the food was based off local Cantonese cuisine. As dim sum developed, other foods from various regions of China were added. For example, the xiaolongbao (soup dumpling), which is associated with Shanghainese cuisine. This allowed for the wide variety of dishes. However, make no mistake, dim sum is very much a Cantonese tradition, often associated with the places of Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Although I’ve been able to eat some of the foods commonly served during dim sum, I’ve never eaten at an actual dim sum restaurant. This was until I visited Hong Kong Bistro & Dim Sum in Jacksonville, FL. You could say I was pretty excited as this was on my bucket list. Although this was somewhat Americanized, it still felt foreign to me. Thankfully, I had a seasoned professional with me: my Cantonese friend, Erica.
When we got there, we sat at a booth. Usually, round tables with a rotating tray in the middle are commonly used in mainland China and Hong Kong. The rotating tray helps circulate food to other people around the table. I should mention that dim sum is usually shared between family or friends, thus creating a lively atmosphere.
After sitting down, we had to decide on the kind of tea we wanted. Erica showed off her Cantonese-speaking skills and ordered us oolong. This is my favorite tea as it’s slightly bitter.
Erica also taught me some rules and tips when it comes to drinking tea. When someone pours you tea, you can tap on the table with your fingers as a way to say thank you. If you need more tea, just leave the top off to signal you need more to the waiter. This non-verbal communication allows for an uninterrupted, easy-going atmosphere.
Now for the food, the ordering experience was truly unique as you get to choose the dishes off a rolling cart. The cart was stacked high with steamers of food. This feature is quite common in dim sum.
Seeing the food displayed like that was like having a candy shop on wheels roll up to you with various, colorful goodies. The large variety can make you ponder over your order in the moment, so I recommend having an idea of what you want ahead of time.
For our meal, Erica choose bean curd skin with pork, beef with seasonal greens, beef tripe, and egg tarts. I also asked for har gow (shrimp dumplings) and sesame balls as those are my favorite.
Since the food is already done, we were able to immediately eat. This is a plus in my eyes.
I first digged into the har gow. On the outside, the skin was transparent and pleated. It was also kind of sticky. For the filling, it was savory, salty, and juicy. It was overall delicious.
Next, the bean curd skin with pork. It looked like a wrinkly wrap or hot pocket. A small amount of mysterious liquid sat in the bottom of the dish. Taste-wise, it was like eating soggy paper made of tofu. It was quite good. However, the filling didn’t really stand out due to the texture of the skin. I believe the filling was only needed to give the dish some substance and volume. Overall, it was savory and salty.
The beef with seasonal greens were like meatballs. Like the bean curd skin, I didn’t have to worry about these being dry since they were sitting in some kind of jelly, resembling fat. Based on the appearance, I was expecting some kind of flavor explosion. However, they proved to be more subtle in taste. In terms of texture and substance, they were smooth and dense.
The beef tripe had a fun and spiky look to it as it’s edible lining from a cow stomach. It was like eating a slippery and chewy octopus tentacle. It had a wonderful pickled taste to it.
By dessert time, I was craving those egg tarts and sesame balls after eating all that savory food.
For the egg tarts, the crust was so flaky, you could practically count the layers. The filling had a lovely, orangish-yellow sheen to it. It almost looked like jelly. The taste was so subtle and light in flavor. Due to the name and supposed ingredients, I was searching for a milky, creamy, or eggy taste, but I wound up with this almost citrus flavor. It wasn’t even sweet, but just delicate in flavor. It wasn’t my favorite thing as it seemed to lack flavor.
For the sesame balls, they are made from glutinous rice flour, and have a sweet filling on the inside. They have a distinct look since sesame seeds coat the outside. They are my favorite due to their blend of various flavors, such as sweet and nutty. The outer texture is also a blend of crunchy and chewy. It’s like biting into a crispy mochi.
Now the sesame balls were a godsend, after consuming those egg tarts. Not only did the restaurant satisfy my craving for them, but it also raised my standards for them. The inside was filled with a lotus paste, which was sweet but not overwhelming. The restaurant definitely did not skimp on the filling as it was packed. This makes all the difference because too little filling will leave the pastry airy and empty.
By the end of the meal, I was stuffed full of food, but in a good way. It was like finishing up a good meal at your grandma’s house. I felt warm, fuzzy, and content. The kind of feeling that will allow you to knock out for a few hours, and wake up feeling like you don’t know where you are.
Due to the fast and lively atmosphere, it also felt like I was at a big family reunion, where everyone is passing along dishes and talking amicably with one another. It truly felt like a great, one-of-a-kind experience.
If this kind of food and atmosphere appeal to you, then explore the wonders of dim sum!
