Dim Sum in Chinatown

Why Not Try Brunch the Chinese Way?

By Megan Linkfield

A waitress pushes the dim sum cart around the dining area.

If you’re anything like me, your idea of Chinese cuisine is probably a chicken-and-broccoli platter from the Chinese store around the corner. But if you want to sample some more traditional fare without having to worry about spending a lot on an entree you might not actually enjoy, why not check out dim sum in Chinatown?

Dim sum  is essentially the Chinese version of brunch, and it’s a great way to taste-test small portions. Two popular restaurants in Chinatown serving it up daily are Joy Tsin Lau located at 1026 Race St. and Ocean Harbor, which is just across the street at 1023 Race St.

A close-up of a cart loaded with food.

Dim sum is truly a unique experience. Once you’re seated, a steady flow of shiny stainless steel food carts continually circulate throughout the dining room and pass by your table. The carts, some of which are heated to keep certain foods nice and warm, are filled with a variety of small dishes.  Loaded with dumplings, meats, seafood, buns, noodle dishes, vegetables, and even desserts, each plate easily contains enough food to share between two or three people.  You pick and choose what you want and the prices are reasonable. At Joy Tsin Lau, the plates are priced depending on size. Small dishes run $1.95 each, medium dishes are $2.35 and large dishes cost just $3.35.  So grab some friends and head to dim sum for an affordable and different dining experience.

Some savory dim sum goodness.

A few tips:

+ The earlier you go the better, especially on the weekend. Not only will you avoid the long lines, but from my experience it seems that there’s also more variety to choose from. (11 AM seemed to be a good time to arrive).

+ You can definitely ask the wait staff what certain dishes are, but be prepared to not understand all of their answers. Some of the waitresses only speak broken English.

+ If you have enough food on your table, don’t look up when the next carts pass by (as tempting as it may be!) Once you look interested, the waitresses will stop and try to convince you to choose another dish.

+ Parking in Chinatown is tight. The parking garage next to Joy Tsin Lau validates parking for both Joy Tsin Lau and Ocean Harbor customers.

contact Megan at meganlinkprh@gmail.com

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