Dim Sum is a Hong Kong style breakfast or lunch that could be considered the Chinese version of Spanish Tapas. Dim Sum is the Cantonese pronunciation and in Mandarin it is Dian Xin. It literally translates as a little bit of heart. The only few words I know in Cantonese are, in fact, Dim Sum dishes. Because Dim Sum is served on small plates, it is best enjoyed with a larger group of people so that you can order a greater variety of dishes. I’ve had a couple of birthday celebrations at Golden Bridge on Bowery and Canal Street. The other place that I like in Chinatown is Grand Harmony on Mott St. They still have the nice (relative) ladies who push around the carts of the steamed, fried, sauteed, and dessert carts. There is also a congee cart and sometimes there is a nifty cart that they grill savory diakon radish cakes on. Be aggressive when ordering your food and don’t be afraid to ask specifically for anything! Once you get a dish from the cart, the ladies stamp your bill and at the end of your meal, a waiter tabulates your bill on the spot without the use of a calculator. It’s best to pay cash, as they add a percentage to the bill for credit card payments.
Clockwise from the top: Spareribs, Crispy Fried Shrimp, Sesame Balls, Chinese crullers wrapped with rice noodles (my friends always tell me but I can’t for the life of me remember the name), Har Gao (shrimp dumplings), Dan Ta (custard tarts), more Har Gao, Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce, and Chinese Greens with Hoisin sauce in the center (You Cai in Mandarin). Missing from this photo are every man’s favorite, Siu Mai, and we also ordered the Fried Rice with Chicken and Salted Fish. Dee-lish!
