I am a big fan of small dish styles of eating – tapas, antipastos, and especially the great tradition of Dim Sum. For those unfamiliar with it, dim sum is a Chinese style of brunch where carts roll around the dining room with various types of steamed dumplings and other assortments of Chinese yumminess. As the carts come by the woman pushing the cart will tell/show you what she has, and you pick which ones you want. You receive a ticket when you first sit down, and the cart woman stamps the ticket every time you get a plate. Plates typically have about four dumplings on them, and just like Spanish tapas, dim sum is best enjoyed with about 4 people so that you can try a maximum of items.
In New York, bad dim sum is easy to find. The Golden Unicorn, which guidebooks all seem to recommend, it terrible. The service is atrocious, the food leaves something to be desired, and the price isn’t even all that cheap for dim sum. You could spend all day wandering around Chinatown, find a million different places and still not find good dim sum. Chinatown caters largely to the tourists these day, but if you know where to go, it still has some of the greatest dim sum in the country.
My favorite place is Delight 28. The name doesn’t sound like much, but it is a definite delight. It used to be call Hee Jin Wan or something like that
, but changed its name about a year ago and renovated the dining room. Luckily, it’s the same amazing food at the same unbelievable prices. You know its authentic when you walk in… and are the only non-Chinese person there.
A
couple warnings: As with most of the best Chinese restaurants, the staff speaks little English. Just be adventurous and try a whole bunch of stuff. Also, nothing (basically) is vegetarian. The vegetable dumplings generally have shrimp and/or pork inside as well. If you go as a veggie, your options are extremely limited. Lastly, dim sum is not for the faint of heart. Some of the best dishes look the most disgusting – like someone mashed together random parts of random animals and stuffed it in a jelly-textured rice noodle. I promise, it tastes amazing.
Yesterday I went back to Delight 28 with my best friend and adventurous eating buddy. We love dim sum. The fun rolls there are our favorites (thick rice noodles with a sweet brown sauce and either beef, pork, or shrimp stuffed inside). We also really like their har-gow (steamed dumpling with shrimp, bamboo and traditionally shark fin, in a rice flour wrapper), char-siu-bow (bbq pork in a puffy, sweet dough), and lie-wong-bow (sweet egg custard in a puffy sweet dough). If you see something that looks like a brick of steamed banana leaf, GRAB it! It’s sticky rice with all sorts of goodies steamed inside a giant tea leaf. Our meal yesterday stuffed us to the brim and had leftovers all for $20.00 total. As in $10 a piece, which for New York, is incredible.
A few other etiquette notes: 1. You are seated at a large table that holds about 6-8 people. If you are in a small party, you will share a table with other people. Just pretend they aren’t there. It’s not polite to introduce yourself, and they probably won’t understand you anyways. 2. The meal is served with tea, not water. If you want water, look for one of the people walking around wearing a maroon vest. They’re like cross between a waiter and a manager, and can help you. 3. Do NOT give into temptation and order off the menu. It isn’t as good, or as cheap, or as much fun. 4. Do tip. Leave tip on the table but you pay your bill at the front cash register. They are cash only.
And most of all, be ADVENTUROUS!
Dim Sum
Delight 28
28 Pell Street, just east of Mott
Chinatown
Saturday and Sunday from about 11 – 2
I’m ready for action IE when are we going?