Okay, so let me tell you about my hunt for dim sum in Hanoi. It wasn’t exactly planned. I’d been in the city for a bit, mostly eating amazing Vietnamese food, pho, bun cha, the works. But then one morning, I just woke up really wanting some dim sum. You know that craving, right? Just gotta have those little steamed baskets.
The Search Begins
First thought, where do you even find dim sum here? It’s not exactly the first thing that springs to mind when you think Hanoi. I figured maybe the bigger hotels would have something, but that felt kinda sterile, you know? I wanted something a bit more… local? Or at least, less ‘international hotel buffet’.
So, I started walking. Asked a couple of hotel reception folks, they mostly looked blank or suggested their own expensive restaurants. Not helpful. Tried asking some local shopkeepers I’d gotten friendly with. Got a few shrugs. It seemed like it wasn’t a super common thing, or maybe I was asking in the wrong places.
I spent a good chunk of the morning wandering around the Old Quarter and some of the surrounding areas. Saw lots of amazing street food, but no dim sum carts or obvious dim sum joints. Got kinda frustrating, honestly. Was about ready to give up and just grab another banh mi.
Finding a Spot
Then, down this smaller side street, I spotted it. Wasn’t flashy. Just a simple sign, some Chinese characters I couldn’t read, but also pictures of dumplings. Looked promising. Peaked inside, saw those familiar bamboo steamers stacked up. Bingo.
Walked in. It wasn’t packed, but there were a few tables of locals eating, which felt like a good sign. The place was pretty basic, nothing fancy. Plastic chairs, simple tables. Smelled right, though. That familiar smell of steaming dough and savory fillings.
Ordering was a bit of an adventure. They had a menu with pictures, thank goodness. Pointed at a few things I recognized:
- Har Gow (shrimp dumplings)
- Siu Mai (pork and shrimp dumplings)
- Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork buns)
- Some kind of steamed rice roll, Cheong Fun maybe?
The staff were efficient, didn’t speak much English, but we managed with pointing and smiling. Seemed like a family-run place.
The Taste Test
The food came out pretty quickly, steaming hot. First bite, the Har Gow. The wrapper was maybe a little thicker than I’m used to, not quite translucent. But the shrimp filling was fresh, had a nice crunch. Not bad.
Next, the Siu Mai. These were pretty good, actually. Nice flavor, good texture. Tasted meaty and satisfying. Probably my favorite of the bunch.
The Char Siu Bao were decent. Fluffy bun, the BBQ pork filling was sweet, maybe a touch too sweet for me, but still enjoyable. Warmed me right up.
The rice roll thing was okay. Sauce was a bit different from what I expected, but palatable.
Final Thoughts
So, was it the best dim sum ever? No, definitely not. If you’re comparing it to Hong Kong or even some places in major Chinatowns elsewhere, it’s not quite there. Some things were a bit off, wrappers a bit thick, flavors slightly different.
But, for a random dim sum craving in the middle of Hanoi? It absolutely did the job. It was hot, fresh enough, and satisfied that specific hunger. It felt like a genuine, no-frills neighborhood spot. The whole experience, the search, finding the place, the simple meal – it felt kinda rewarding.
Would I go back? Yeah, probably, if the craving hit again while I was in Hanoi. It wasn’t life-changing, but it was a solid, tasty meal that hit the spot. And sometimes, that’s all you need.