Dim Sung 101: the First Timer's Guide
Dim sum is an ancient Cantonese culinary custom. Translated as "to touch the heart," dim sum is the alternative of many for casual breakfasts and even lunches. An ever-present item in Chinese restaurants, dim sum are small portions of specialty food that are commonly served pushed on carts or trays that are brought to you by a server. The merit of dim sum is that it can be enjoyed by everyone, from an intimate gathering between two, to a larger group of diners. Dim sum gives the eater an opportunity to sample from a mixture of dishes. Here are some tips to make the dim sum experience more comfortable for first timers.
Selecting a Dim Sum Restaurant
If new to eating dim sum, diners should check with friends or locals who frequent dim sum establishments for recommendations. Here's a fact - no two dim sum restaurants are alike. Dim sum foodies tend to scour the place for the best, reserving the best places for special food trips. The rule that 'what is most crowded must be the best, seems to be the law in dim sum. Many restaurants serve dim sum throughout the day, while several only serve it in mornings, only on afternoons, or on weekends only. These restaurants can be very hectic on the weekends so be prepared to wait for a table. Although the basic staple offerings of dim sum are much the same across all restaurants, each wil hae an unique way of presentation. Also, each dim sum location may offer specialty dishes that may not be found elsewhere.
Dim Sum Waiter
Since the restaurant servers are assigned to push food carts and carry trays to many different tables, there's one waiter for each table, from whom tea or other drinks may be ordered. Upon seating, the waiter will introduce himself and begin to fill the table glasses with water. Also, customers at this point can begin to ask the waiter for pricing and assistance in packing up leftover dim sum.
Prices of Dim Sum samplings
The most complex part regarding eating dim sum for first timers is the method of pricing. There is usually no menu that contains listed prices for food items and prices are also absent on the carts being wheeled around. Dim sum restaurants may have a price list around the entrance to the place, categorizing prices by the size of the dish, but usually this list does not indicate which items belongs to which grouping.
Clients are handed a tally the size of a brochure with boxes. As diners select food items, the server checks off the appropriate boxes to keep a tally of what has been ordered. At the end of the meal, the diner takes the card to the register and pays the bill. It's rather difficult to have an idea of your running bill; it becomes known only when the card is taken to the register. To have an idea of the prices, ask the server about the pricing for specific items. Also, ask the billing clerk if waiter's tips or gratuity has already be included in the total.
About the Author
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