Dim Sum

Dim Sum, Yum Cha, Dien Xin, what ever you call, we're all talking about the same thing.
Those delicious little treats carted around the restaurant by a self sustaining steamer on wheels. Different carts, not to mention different restaurants will carry different dishes but you can almost bet the ranch HaGao, Shumai, PaiGwat, and FongTzao, will be served anywhere you go.

The best place to have Dim Sum is usually at your closest Chinatown.
For "foreigners", it's that part of the city where you get that "we're not in Kansas anymore" feeling. ([wink] you know what I mean)
Chinatowns in the States are predominanty made up of Cantonese decent.
Hence, Dim Sum. It's food from Canton (aka Guangdong). Remember 101?

So if you don't speak the jive, no worries. Just point to what you fancy and follow that up by a finger gesture signifying the quantity you wish and you're set. (i know, you're mom told you to never point... but you're an adult now, and you know what that means... you can have ice cream for breakfast and nobody can stop you) Continue this until you and your guests are full.

And finally. There are a few pet peeves I need to address about when enjoying Dim Sum.
First, this is Cantonese cuisine. So it boggles my mind when people order Shao Long Bao. Yes, I know these little soup filled dumplings that Din Tai Fung made famous, are F'n Awesome! But you wouldn't order a New England Clam Chowder in Texas would you? Same principle here. Shao Long Bao is a Shanghai dish.

fyi...
[Northern China's terrain is conducive to growing flour
and wheat therefore dishes are often complimented
with Noodles and Mien Bao Buns while in Southern China,
you mostly have a side of white rice with a huge helping
of Wing Chun Kung-Fu]

And Two. Please don't add sugar to the hot tea served with the meal. Yes, I've seen it done numberous times and my eyes come close to popping out of their sockets every time.
Dim Sum is considered a snack to be enjoyed with chinese tea. Because of some of the oily dishes, tea really helps in the digestion of heavy foods. The slightly bitter (hence no sugar)properties are thought to "flush" away the oils during digestion and keep our bodies clean.

There is great emphasis placed on Ying and Yang in everything Chinese...
The ideal of living a balanced life is a great philosophy don't you think?