Dim Sum: the Beginner’s Guide
Dim sum is an age-old Cantonese culinary custom. Transliterated as “to touch the heart,” dim sum has become an increasingly familiar option for a casual breakfast or lunch. An ever-present item in Chinese restaurants, dim sum are tiny helpings of special food items which usually comes on carts or trays which are conveyed to your table by a server. The merit of dim sum is that it can be enjoyed by everyone, from an intimate gathering between two, to a group of many eaters. Dim sum allows one to have a small taste from a different variety of foods. Here are some must-do’s to make the experience pleasurable for newbies.
Dim Sum Restaurant Selection
Diners new to dim sum would do well to check with locals or friends for the best places in town. It is said that no two dim sum restaurants are ever similar. Dim sum foodies tend to scour the place for the best, reserving the best places for special food trips. The maxim that ‘the more crowded the restaurant, the better the food’, is often true in the case of dim sum. In some restaurants, dim sum is available daily at any time, while in some, it’s only served on exact days or hours. These restaurants can be very bustling on the weekends so be prepared to wait for a table. Although restaurants offer somewhat similar dim sum samples, each wil hae an unique way of presentation. Also, each dim sum location may offer specialty dishes that may not be found elsewhere.
Dim Sum Waiter
Servers at the restaurant push carts and carry trays to many tables, each table is assigned a waiter from which drinks and tea can be ordered. On being seated, the waiter introduces himself and begins pouring tea or water for everyone. At this point, the waiter can answer the diner’s questions on pricing and on assistance for packing leftovers.
Pricing of Dim Sum items
For those sampling their dim sum for the first time, probably the most confusing part concerns the pricing of the items. Usually, the menus do not list the prices for the items, and neither do the carts carry a hint of the pricing. Some locations may offer a general price chart near the door that lists prices by dish size such as small, medium, large, or specialty, but often do not indicate which food items are classified into each size group.
At the restaurant, diners are given a card, a brochure with boxes on it. The server ticks off the boxes to make a tally of what the customer has ordered. When the customer is done eating, the card is then presented to the counter where the bill is issued. It’s rather difficult to have an idea of your running bill; it becomes known only when the card is taken to the register. Do not hesitate to ask the server about prices for specific dishes. In addition, it is a good idea to ask the cashier if gratuity has been included as it is often already calculated into the total.
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