My Hunt for Gluten Free Dim Sum in London
Alright, let me tell you about my recent adventure. I’d been absolutely craving dim sum, you know? Those little baskets of deliciousness. But, being gluten-free, it’s usually a no-go zone. Most wrappers are wheat, and don’t even get me started on soy sauce cross-contamination. So, I decided, right, I’m going to properly investigate this. London’s a big city, there has to be something.
First off, I did the usual. Typed “gluten free dim sum London” into the search bar. Loads of blogs and articles popped up, but a lot of them were either outdated or a bit vague. Some places mentioned “gluten-free options” but when I dug deeper, it was like, one sad vegetable dish. Not what I was after, you know?
So, I started making calls. This was a bit of a pain, I won’t lie. Some restaurants didn’t really understand what “gluten-free” fully meant, especially with things like soy sauce or shared fryers. I had to be super specific. “Are your har gow made with rice flour or tapioca starch? Is your soy sauce tamari or standard?” You get the picture. A few polite “no, sorrys” and a couple of “we can’t guarantees”. Fair enough, better to be safe.
Then, after a bit more digging, I stumbled upon a few places that seemed genuinely clued up. I specifically looked for spots that actively advertised their gluten-free dim sum, not just as an afterthought. I figured if they’re shouting about it, they probably take it seriously.
I decided to try out a place that had some good mentions. I booked ahead, and made sure to mention the gluten-free requirement again when booking. Always a good idea, I reckon. When I got there, I was still a bit nervous, but the staff were actually really helpful. They had a separate gluten-free menu, or at least, were very clear about what I could and couldn’t eat from the main one.
So, what did I actually eat?
- Steamed Prawn Dumplings (Har Gow): This was the big test. And you know what? They were pretty good! The wrappers were made with rice flour and tapioca starch, I think. They held together well, weren’t too chewy or too sticky. The prawns inside were juicy. Success!
- Steamed Vegetable Dumplings: Also very nice. A good mix of veggies, and again, the wrappers did the job.
- Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go): This is often naturally gluten-free if they don’t add weird stuff. This version was delicious, nicely pan-fried.
- Cheung Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls): I found a place that did these gluten-free! Plain ones, with prawns. The texture was spot on. I made sure to ask for tamari for dipping.
The experience was genuinely a relief. To sit down and actually enjoy a proper dim sum meal without worrying felt amazing. I had to be careful, of course, and double-check things with the server, especially about sauces and any shared cooking surfaces for fried items. Most places doing GF dim sum properly will use separate steamers, which is key.
My main takeaways from this whole process?
- Do your homework: Don’t just rock up expecting options. Search, read reviews, and specifically look for places advertising GF.
- Call ahead: Always. Confirm their GF offerings and how they manage cross-contamination.
- Ask questions: When you’re there, don’t be shy. Ask about ingredients, especially in sauces.
- Manage expectations: You might not get the entire dim sum menu gluten-free, but finding a good selection of the classics is definitely possible.
So, yeah, it took a bit of effort, a fair bit of sifting through information and making those calls. But finding proper gluten-free dim sum in London? Totally doable. And totally worth it when you finally get to tuck in. I was so chuffed to finally get my fix!