Okay, so the other day, I just woke up with this massive craving. You know the kind? It hits you hard. This time, it was for dim sum. Not just any dim sum, though. I wanted a dim sum buffet. The kind where you can just keep pointing or ordering until you physically can’t anymore. And crucially, I didn’t want to drive halfway across the state for it. It had to be a dim sum buffet near me.
So, the first thing I did was grab my phone, still half-asleep, and typed that exact phrase into the search bar: “dim sum buffet near me”. Simple as that. Got a whole list, as you’d expect. Some looked promising, others were clearly just regular dim sum spots people mistakenly tagged as buffets. You gotta read the descriptions carefully, you know?
Sorting Through the Options
I started filtering. This one place? Looked amazing, but it was a good 45-minute drive without traffic. Nah, too far for a casual Tuesday craving. Another one popped up downtown, but parking down there is a nightmare I wasn’t ready to face. I kept scrolling, looking at maps, checking opening hours. Some places only did the buffet thing on weekends, which was no good for me right then.
Finally, I spotted one that was maybe 15, 20 minutes away. The pictures looked decent enough. Not super fancy, more like a neighbourhood joint, which I actually prefer sometimes. Less fuss. They specifically mentioned “All You Can Eat Dim Sum” during lunch hours. Perfect. That seemed like the winner. Didn’t spend ages agonizing over it, just picked the most convenient-looking option that fit the bill.
Heading Out and Digging In
Got myself ready and drove over. Finding parking wasn’t too bad, luckily. Walked in, and yeah, it was pretty much what I expected. Bustling, noisy, lots of families and groups. Smelled good, like fried stuff and soy sauce. They sat me down pretty quickly at a small table.
Turns out, it wasn’t the old-school cart system, which I secretly love, but it was an order sheet system. They gave me a paper menu and a pencil, and I just had to mark down what I wanted and how many portions. Then you hand it to the server, and they bring it out fresh. Honestly, probably better for food waste, and things come out hotter.
So, I started ordering. Of course, I got the classics first:
- Har Gow (those shrimp dumplings) – gotta have ’em.
- Siu Mai (pork and shrimp open-top dumplings) – another must.
- Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork buns) – steamed ones, nice and fluffy.
- Some Cheung Fun (rice noodle rolls), went with the shrimp filling.
The food started arriving pretty fast. Steaming little baskets piling up. It was good! Was it the absolute best dim sum I’ve ever had in my life? Probably not. But was it tasty, hot, and plentiful? Absolutely. The Har Gow wrappers were maybe a little thick, but the shrimp was fine. The Siu Mai were solid. The BBQ pork buns hit the spot.
I put in a second order, trying some other things – fried shrimp balls, potstickers, some custard buns for dessert later. Just kept grazing, enjoying the variety. That’s the whole point of the buffet, right? Trying a bit of everything without committing to a full portion if you don’t love it. Though, I pretty much ate everything I ordered.
Was It Worth It?
I probably stayed there for a good hour, maybe a bit more. Ate until I was properly full, paid the bill (pretty reasonable for the amount I consumed!), and rolled myself out. Driving home, I felt satisfied. The craving was crushed.
So, the mission to find a “dim sum buffet near me” was a success. It wasn’t fancy, it wasn’t gourmet, but it was exactly what I was looking for that day: convenient, affordable, all-you-can-eat dim sum. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Found a spot, went there, ate food. Simple as that. Would I go again? Yeah, probably next time the craving hits and I don’t want a big adventure. It did the job nicely.
