The Disaster First Time
Walked into this dim sum spot hungry as hell last month, grabbed the pencil and paper menu without reading squat. Saw “crystal shrimp dumpling” and went “ooo fancy” then ticked off like 10 random boxes super fast. When bamboo baskets came, panic set in – turns out I ordered five sweet custard buns plus two identical shrimp rice rolls! Total rookie move wasting money.
Observing Regulars Like a Spy
Next weekend camped out early Sunday watching locals. Peeked over shoulders and noticed three smart moves:
- They asked servers “what’s fresh today?” first instead of ordering blind
- Never picked more than one sticky rice dish per person (those fill you up crazy fast)
- Checked how many pieces per order – that “$4.99 har gow” was three tiny dumplings not full portion!
My Battle Plan Execution
Armed with intel, marched back Tuesday ready for war. Did it step-by-step:
- Told server “teadrinker” to get proper oolong tea first
- Asked chef’s recommendations – he said pork ribs were killer that day
- Ordered only FOUR types: har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork dumplings), char siu bao (BBQ pork buns), plus those ribs
- Made damn sure steamed stuff came before fried ones
Holy Grail Moment
Teapot arrived steaming right as first bamboo basket hit table. Took bite of har gow – translucent skin wrapped around plump shrimp bursting hot juice. Rotated trays so nothing got cold. That rhythm of tea-sip then food kept everything perfect. Best part? Left happily full without wasting single piece! Felt like damn master when I paid check.
Hard-Earned Golden Rules
Now my dim sum commandments are simple but ironclad:
- Always ask “what just came out of kitchen?” – fresh tastes 200% better
- Pick one from each cooking style: steamed dumpling + baked bun + pan-fried something
- Cut portion guessing crap – three to four items max for two people
- Time fried items LAST – grease taste murders delicate flavors