Where can you watch the dim sum master at work while you eat? With a flick of the wrist, he flattens a lump of dough into a flat skin, using a chopper. Then the stuffing is wrapped inside the skin. The edges are sealed. And a dumpling is made, all in less than a minute, right in front of you while you are eating, seated at your table.
In another minute, someone calls out from the back, where the dim sum are being steamed: “Dumplings are ready! Come and get them!”
A server carries out a tray with a stack of steamers, crying: “Shrimp dumplings! Spare ribs! …” The tray of steamers are destined for the front of the restaurant, where eager customers are waiting for their take-out orders.
If you want one of the dishes, you have to intercept the servers. If you hesitate, they are gone, never to come back again. To eat, one has to be alert, keeping ears open to the call of dim sum, and eyes open to watch for the servers coming out, carrying the dishes.
When you order your tea, you can specify whether you want it light, or dark.
Many of the customers seem to know each other. If you show interest, and humility, they may share with you which are the best dishes. A man claimed that he has bee coming for 40 years, since the days when he studied at HKU.
The food is good but not fancy. It is traditional dim sum. They don’t dress it up with gold foils. Not enhanced with fancy stuff such as bits of scallop, abalone, …, to justify charging you exorbitant prices. The best thing about them is that you get to intercept them the moment they come out of the steamer, piping hot. Food does not get more more honest than that.
We were so excited that we ate way more than we should. But the experience is so exciting there are no regrets. We will be back.
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