Alright, so I finally did it. Went to check out that dim sum place in Soho everyone’s been yapping about. You know the drill, right? Soho, trendy, probably overpriced. But hey, gotta see what the fuss is about sometimes.
Getting there was the usual London chaos, but we managed. The place itself? Packed. Super loud, lots of chatter, people trying to look important. Felt more like a club than a spot for a quiet meal, if you catch my drift. We got a table eventually, crammed in like sardines.
Down to the Nitty-Gritty: The Dim Sum Itself
Right, the food. That’s what we were there for, supposedly. We ordered a fair bit:
- Siu Mai – they were alright, I guess. A bit on the small side, though. Expected more oomph.
- Har Gow – now these were a letdown. The prawn was okay, but the wrapper? Way too thick and kinda sticky. Not the delicate little things they should be.
- Cheung Fun (rice noodle rolls) – these were probably the best of the bunch. The sauce was good, texture was decent. So, one point for them.
- Char Siu Bao – the steamed ones. Fluffy enough, but the filling was a bit too sweet for my liking.
And the service? Felt like they just wanted to turn tables. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am. No real warmth, just get the food out, get you out. I get it, it’s busy Soho, but come on. A little bit of human touch wouldn’t go amiss, would it?
Honestly, the whole thing felt a bit… manufactured. Like it was dim sum designed for Instagram, not necessarily for people who actually love dim sum. Everything looked pretty, sure, but the substance? Meh. It reminded me of some of those tech companies that look all flashy on the outside, but then you find out they’re running on fumes and duct tape. You know, all style, no real engine under the hood. Lots of buzzwords, but when you actually try to use the product, it’s clunky as heck.
I’ve had way better dim sum in much less glamorous spots, you know? Places where they don’t charge you an arm and a leg just because of the postcode. This Soho joint, it was an experience, I’ll give it that. But it’s not one I’m itching to repeat. My wallet felt a lot lighter, and my stomach wasn’t exactly singing praises. It’s like, why bother with all the fuss when the core thing isn’t quite right? Same with some jobs I’ve heard about – great perks, fancy office, but the actual work is a mess, or the management doesn’t have a clue.
Maybe I’m just old-fashioned. Maybe I expect too much. But if you’re gonna call yourself a top dim sum spot in Soho, you gotta bring more than just fancy decor and a long queue. You actually need the food to be, well, amazing. This wasn’t it. Not for me, anyway. I’ll stick to my hidden gems next time. Cheaper, tastier, and usually run by people who actually seem to care about the food they’re serving, not just the postcode or how many likes they get online. It’s just honest, good stuff, no pretense. That’s what I’m after, really.