 5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. Instead of your typical weekend plate of scrambled eggs, head out for some dim sum - a Cantonese tradition of communal small plates. Feeling hesitant? Chinese culinary authority Ed Schoenfeld from the newly opened dim sum-inspired restaurant, Red Farm, is here to cart you toward success. Five Ways to Up Your Dim Sum IQ: Ed Schoenfeld In the United States, the busy period for dim sum usually starts at 11 a.m. and begins to slow by 1 p.m. By 2 p.m., the chefs are packing up and getting ready to leave. So suggestion number one is this: dine on the early side. It should be less hectic, easier to get a table and the food will be at its freshest. And rule number one is this: if it’s close to 2 p.m., eat something other than dim sum; you don’t have to leave the restaurant, just order from the regular menu - say some barbecue or a noodle or rice dish." 2. Look for the fresh stuff
3. Choose your beverage Second, most restaurants have different kinds of tea, and if you’re a known regular they may (should) ask you what kind of tea you would like. (My tea of choice is made from dried white chrysanthemum flowers. I prefer it briefly steeped for just a minute with a small amount of sugar added to the pot.) Another thing to know is that many dim sum restaurants make delicious coffee that you can request instead of tea. It costs more than the tea, is often served in a paper cup, and if you don’t drink it black, you should direct the server to put in milk and sugar - and say how much of each. Dim sum restaurants with creamers are rare." 4. Holidays and weekends have more variety The best variety is on weekends and holidays when there are frequently many more preparations available than at any other time - in some restaurants this may mean 100 percent more things. And between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. most dim sum restaurants produce the largest volume of food and the greatest variety of items. Go early and you get the standards: shrimp dumplings, filled rice noodle crêpe, shu mai (steamed dumplings) and rice porridge. By 11 a.m. the number of offerings is likely to double. The more uncommon dim sum are made in smaller quantities and when they run out, the kitchen reverts back to the basics - and a smaller number of items." 5. Don’t be afraid to order from a menu Previously - Sundays are for Dim Sum Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down. |
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I'm going to tell you some well known secrets about Chinese restaurant where either you know it or you don't because the restaurant do not advertise them.
From 5am to 8 am is the early-bird special, all dim sums are 50% off. (not on weekends)
From 8 am to 2pm is the prime dim sum hours, everything is priced at 100% weekends and holidays add another 20%
From 11am to 3pm on weekdays is the lunch special hour, where you can buy from the lunch special menu(ask for it)
From 2 pm to 5 pm is the 75% off all dim sum hour (again, not on weekends)
From 5pm to 10 pm is the regular dinner hour (the most expensive time)
If the restaurant opens late then from 10 pm to 2 am is the happy hour (there are specialty items depending on the day)
So, I say you should go on weekdays, late ~ after 2 pm when all dim sum are 75% off. And yes, that means you have to take a late lunch break, but 75% off means all dim sum cost around $1 to $1.50 each. That also means you would only spend around 8 bucks because 6 dim sum + $1 tip. (6 dim sums are almost 2 pound)
He should also list where you can find the best dim sum places. Hong Kong, as he alluded to. Vancouver is up there. Then the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles. San Francisco China town, not so much... Not tried NY – how does that rate?
America loves the Chinese! The only people who know less about their government than we do.
Holy crap people, don't feed the troll.
Obviously there are some things in America that you can't live without... CNN, and the ability to banter and rant any stupid comment you want about the U.S.... can't do that in China, can ya? I hope you're not the one who boasted about going to MIT... obviously Chinese students attend U.S. schools and not Chinese ones for a reason huh?
Diu la xing.
Wow, i guess i'm on a wrong page, i see a lot of hatred and animosity here.
People, people! Don't feed the troll. He's an idiot pretending to be someone he's not. He's not even chinese- just some emo-tween getting off on making other people mad and flustered. If you want to get back at him, heckle him back.
Thanks for this article. It is good "insider" information and makes me want to explore the dim sun experience. Disgusting USA, you sound like the Lao guy on "King of the Hill".
Please do not listen this troll who is pretending to be Chinese.
"since you have killed more than mio. of iraqis, you can make new dim sum called iraqi dim"
First of all, who is mio? You mean Mao Zegong? Second, you say Mao killed a lot of people? You never been to China have you? That statement alone is forbidden and would get you into a re-education center.
"iraqi dim" ? seriously? You can't even speak Chinese. You can't take characters or phrases apart because that would change the meaning. "Iraqi dim" means a location in Iraq. And NO! "Iraqi sum" means the heart of Iraqi.
You want some real Chinese insult? Learn some Chinese first! You man-dog hybrid.
Quit disguising as Chinese.
You're not Chinese. Just pretending to be one.
amen!
Does anyone know of a good Dim Sum place in the DFW area?
There are several in Arlington. I like Kowloon restaurant; it's off pioneer parkway.
Come to Oklahoma City and enjoy dimsum at Grand House restaurant located around the area of NW 24th Street and Classen Blvd.
303 west of 360. in little china town. I don't remember the name but it's just past the oriental supermarket to the left just past the soccer field.
don't mean to burst your bubble but there isn't really any good dim sum restaurants in the DFW area. The best one that I don't mind going to is Kirin Court. It's a little pricey but i'll pay for it cause the other places i've tried are inedible.
Mmmm ...I love Chinese food, especially in the right atmosphere.
Lights too bright? Dim Sum.
This is a food conversation, NIMROD! Food. F...O...O...D. Learn it, then maybe grow up some, and keep you're nonsensical blather to at least relevant pages, hmm?
the best dim sum restaurant is in huntsville, al.....ding how, i love the beancurd sheet roll
I highly doubt one will find the best dim sum in Alabama
Wat
hahahahahahahahahahahaha,
do you have a chance to go to MIT and Yale?
if you have the chance to go to MIT and Yale, do you have the money to support your study there?
you stupid normal US people.
they are played by big boss and politians every day.
and they say that is freedom.
and now they have the same debts as their GDP.
now they have 500000000 poor normal US people.
dim sum?
they do not know dim sum is the wrong name.
but how do these stupid normal US people dream of eating dim sum.
hahahahahahahahahaha
Im a student at an ivy. Its sad that most americans are so stupid. When I travel abroad i have to say im from new york and i have to be very careful to watch what i eat and work out to not look american. Not all americans are like this of course. Republicans are.
I feel so sorry for you and please take some English classes before you start typing... your grammar is making a fool of yourself... it's quite entertaining... trash.
This message is directing and dedicating for China.
Everybody knows,
dim sum in contonese is Dianxin in mandarin.
and everybody knows the official language of china is mandarin, not contonese.
except debts and wars and iraq,
can you US people learn more?
SC
Dim sum is a Cantonese term for snack. However, dim sum more typically refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food, traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum is also well known for the unique way it is sometimes served in some restaurants, where fully cooked and ready-to-serve dim sum dishes would be pushed around on steam carts by servers who go around the restaurant offering the dishes to customers and marking orders on a card on each customer's table. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha), as tea is typically served with dim sum.
Apparently, it has nothing to do with your ignorant live-monkey-brain-eating-inhumane-uneducated-Mandarin-speaking-Chinese, and what are you doing on US CNN page btw, you illegal immigrants from China that's so desperate to stay illegally in the United States?
As a member of a Chinese American family, I agree with almost everything listed here. The only exception is that every restaurant charges for tea. That is not true. Many do, but not all. I have only been to 2 restaurants in the last 15 years that charge for tea, and at those restaurants I order water. I figure if I'm going to drop $50 for some dim sum, they can give me 3 cents worth of tea. If not, I'm not paying $1.25. I don't really enjoy it that much anyway.
what dim sum?
such stupid name!
it is Dianxin in official mandarin. dim sum is the name in contongese not in mandarin.
stupid US people.
except debts and wars they can nothing.
"Instead of your typical weekend plate of scrambled eggs, head out for some dim sum – a Cantonese tradition of communal small plates."
Not sure where you got the Mandarin reference from....
China: What did you just typed? This clearly demonstrates that you have never been to the United States... We only know it as "Dim Sum", don't care if it's Mandarin, Cantonese, or your-stupid-language. At least dim sum here doesn't consist of cat/dog meat, moonbear bile's extract, tiger bone wine, and many many more inhuman and illegal food you guys are eating in China... I bet you couldn't even get a Visa to the US, so you can shut your mouth and rot in hell in China as the rest of the cruel citizens.
@ China: At least we know...FREEDOM.
I see from your grammar you're an Indian
Dim sum is a Cantonese term for snack. However, dim sum more typically refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food, traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim sum is also well known for the unique way it is sometimes served in some restaurants, where fully cooked and ready-to-serve dim sum dishes would be pushed around on steam carts by servers who go around the restaurant offering the dishes to customers and marking orders on a card on each customer's table. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha), as tea is typically served with dim sum.
Apparently, it has nothing to do with your ignorant live-monkey-brain-eating-inhumane-uneducated-Mandarin-speaking-Chinese, and what are you doing on US CNN page btw, you illegal immigrants from China that's so desperate to stay illegally in the United States?
dim sum is the name in ENGLISH, my friend.
You want the chinese name, you write out the characters, preferably with a brush.
Blah blah blah blah gag – this restaurant owner wants customers to adapt to his work schedule instead of the other way around. doughnut bakers go home by eight, but guaranteed they left everything in perfect order. Dim sum (dum dum for those who rave about it) is the same way. It's a freak'n appetizer and I don't like to make a meal of appetizers. Server me dinner on a spoon and I'll throw it right back. WTF!