dim sum

A. Wong, London, 1/25/24

~ hsnixon ~ 4 Comments
exterior – 70 Wilton Rd, Pimlico, London SW1V 1DE, United Kingdom

A. Wong, short for Andrew Wong, is named for the chef/anthropologist.  With a 2 Michelin star rating, they serve dim sum at lunch Wed. – Sat and “Taste of China” dinner Tues. – Sat.  According to their website, it is the first and only Chinese restaurant outside of Asia with 2 stars.  The place is spread around an L-shaped counter with tables on either end and some outside tables available when weather permits.  The large wood tables are well spaced and we were the recipient of their one table that is embossed with 2 Michelin stars.  This is a real source of pride to them as you’ll find Michelin men statues placed around, even in the bathrooms.  There are tons of people working here but the service felt hovering.  The dim sum menu is on the table when you sit down and they ask you to submit your whole order, although you can add later so that was strange.  The items are charged per piece, except the Peking Duck which was to be shared.  Overall the food was very decorative but not special enough to merit the pricing.  I thought they would have more individual sauces to go with items but instead, you have the container of hot sauce and some mild fish sauce which you can use on everything.  The Char fun did come with a sauce that we elected to keep and use on other items.  It was a disappointment in that I thought it might be more unique. Continue reading →

Silver Dragon Restaurant, Calgary, 6/14/23

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exterior – 106 3 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2G 0B6, Canada

The Silver Dragon Restaurant is located in the heart of Chinatown in Calgary.  They offer over 200 Chinese dishes as well as brunch dim sum cart service daily (till 2:30).  It’s a fairly large place on the second floor of the building that has been successful enough to now have a second location in Banff.  The tables were well-spaced but not set with pepper oil, soy sauce or vinegar.  It’s old-school Chinese food and service was friendly and fast with lots of carts coming to your table at any time.  However, if you didn’t see what you wanted on a cart they would get it for you if it was presently being served.  If it wasn’t they would only serve it if you had 2 orders of it.  That made it tough since there were just the two of us but there was plenty of selection to choose from.  They did bring us a tray with a bit of hot oil and some vinegar, but the hot oil was gone quickly.  Some items came with sauce and then I saw others asking for soy, etc. and they cut most items when served.   I would not call it outstanding but it was perfectly satisfying, just not extraordinary. The only specialty item worth commenting on was the ginger beef – a dish invented in Calgary.  It’s a fried strip of beef in a sweet/spicy sauce.  Fun to try something new. Continue reading →

Brewery Bhavana, Raleigh, 4/1/22

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exterior – 218 S Blount St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Brewery Bhavana is an interesting combination of flowers, books, beer and dim sum in one shop.  The Laotian siblings, Vanvisa and Vansana(since left) Nolintha, that owns the spot next door made friends with Patrick Woodson who brewed beer.  They decided to combine forces and also make room for friend Deana Nguyen that sells flower arrangments right across the street from historic Moore Square.  It’s a large striking space divided by sheer curtains.  A long bar is one wall and it has about that many taps for available draft beers.  Books are on one wall just to look at while you’re there and another cabinet of them is for sale.  The flower shop is in the middle space just behind the greeter station.  It is filled with lots of natural light from the windows along the street and from a massive skylight that is above the center room.  Music was in the background and staff were welcoming and super friendly.  While the food was good it was not great even though the prices were on the high side for dim sum. Continue reading →

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, New York City, 10/17/19

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IMG_9254
building

We went for dim sum to Nom Wah Tea Parlor, a no frills place with plastic coated menus.  It has a long history, first opening in 1920 and moving to the present location in 1968.  It has had several movies and TV shows film segments there.  A paper ticket is given to each table where you mark off the dishes you want to receive and they bring them out as they’re ready. The large tables are formica and set with good space between and there a few booth tables.  One side of the room is a service area and the kitchen is in another room.  Windows to the street form one wall of the room.  It is an old looking place but clean with an old tin ceiling , an old tile floor  and there are lots of coat hooks on the interior columns and booth dividers.  Photos and framed reviews decorate the walls.  No music is in the background but you can hear the sound of an exhaust fan.  They do offer wine and beer as well as a selection of teas.  Tables are set with some condiments but interestingly enough there didn’t seem to be any pepper in oil sauce. Continue reading →

Tim Ho Wan USA, New York City, 5/21/17

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exterior
exterior

Tim Ho Wan serves dim sum and expect a wait.  Someone is at the front to take your name and they will text you when a table is about ready for you, so you don’t have to wait in the cramped waiting area. It is fairly large but judging by the crowds it could be much larger.  It has no cart service, everything is made fresh after you order it and therefore there are not as many options as many dim sum places but what they have is really good.  There is a check off menu on the table and after you hand that to your server the food will be brought out, usually one dish at a time.  There are even options on tea.  Tables are set with soy sauce and hot pepper sauce.   Continue reading →

Joy Luck Palace, New York City, 5/21/17

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exterior
exterior

The Joy Luck Palace is a huge dim sum restaurant.   It was very crowded with a waiting area full of people.  Also people were coming through to pick up orders of take out food.  Tables for 2 are often shared as was ours, with 2 older gentlemen.  There is no soy sauce, vinegar or hot sauce on the table.  Service is by cart and is fairly impersonal.  The place got some hype on the internet and was certainly well patronized but overall the offerings were bland and tasteless.  We left most of it on the table.  Below are pictures of the things we got.  The custard bun had gotten a lot of mention as it is known to squirt out the end.  I did not find that the case as the interior was mostly solidified and yucky.  It was a disappointing sweet entry. Continue reading →

Kirin Court, Dallas, 7/16/16

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building
building

Kirin Court is a large Chinese restaurant that serves cart style dim sum on weekends.  They also have it during the week but it is made to order. On weekends you best get there before 11:00 or you will have an hour wait and a hard time finding a parking spot. Once you get your number you can try and find a space to wait in the crowded waiting room full of families and large groups of friends as well as groups  of two.  The restaurant has a lot of tables for large groups so it is one place where a wait for a party of 2 can be about the same as a table for 10. Continue reading →

Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood Restaurant, Vancouver, BC, 11/15/14

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entrance
entrance

A huge place that is really busy. It’s on the second floor of a pretty lame mall but the dim sum is well worth the trip.

Continue reading →