#Dim sum boston cart full

You’ll likely also spot har gow, steamed shrimp dumplings instantly recognizable by the translucent dough taro dumplings and sesame balls. These are all good starting points for dim sum amateurs.īut that’s just the beginning when it comes to dumplings and buns. There are some basic dim sum items you might have encountered before: pot stickers, spring rolls, steamed pork buns, soup dumplings, and pork or shrimp shu mai (open-top dumplings). Unlike Sichuan food, in which peppers are central ingredients, Cantonese food is much milder and focused on fresh ingredients. Keep in mind that if you like spicy Chinese food, like hot pot, you won’t find it here. While you can certainly order a side of rice, you’re not missing a crucial element of the ritual if you decide to skip it. At Chinese restaurants that aren’t dim sum focused, rice is a central part of the meal. Once you’ve settled in, it’s time to start thinking about food. These traditions take some getting used to. Traditional etiquette dictates that your companions always refill your cup of tea during the meal, but if you slip up, don’t feel as though you’ll be dragged out by your collar for violating the rules of the restaurant. Once the teapot is empty, prop the lid open so the top is uncovered to indicate you’re ready for a refill. You might also find the much more familiar green tea (commonplace at most Americanized Chinese restaurants) on the menu. But if you want to branch out, there are other options available: A potent black tea - another traditional staple at the dim sum table - cuts through the oily dim sum dishes while a refreshing chrysanthemum tea has a slightly sweeter flavor. The most common variety of tea at a dim sum restaurant is jasmine. However, yum cha is technically the phrase for a meal eaten in the morning and early afternoon, consisting of tea and dim sum. In fact, dim sum is so closely linked to tea that the term is sometimes used interchangeably with yum cha. Dim sum is intended to be enjoyed alongside tea it should not be treated as an afterthought. Conversation and laughter over dim sum - the apex of comfort food - alongside the ones you love is likely to touch your heart, too.īefore tackling the expansive array of dim sum on the menu, order a pot or two of tea. Dim sum is, by nature, a communal meal, meant to be shared.

#Dim sum boston cart full

Translated literally, dim sum means “touch the heart,” a poetic reference to the fact that dim sum is considered a light meal of snacks, not a full course dinner (though you’ll likely fill up quickly if you order enough from the menu). Today, dim sum is one of the most popular forms of Chinese food in America, and it’s now commonly served for dinner, though in China its generally served for breakfast and brunch.ĭim sum started out as a way to gossip, gather news, and catch up with old friends and family members, and not much has changed about the atmosphere of a dim sum parlor: Gathering for dim sum is still a high-spirited social occasion, a time to bond with friends and family over good food. Immigrants brought dim sum to America where it flourished, particularly in the burgeoning Chinatown neighborhoods of places like New York City. Popular medical wisdom at the time dictated that tea helps stimulate digestion and cleanse the palette, so the tea houses began serving small snacks to enjoy while drinking tea - a tradition known as yum cha. Eventually, farmers from the surrounding areas would drop into the teahouses, too, hoping for companionship and stimulating conversation. Tea shops popped up along the route to accommodate weary travelers. Dim sum probably first appeared at the height of the Silk Road, a trade route connecting China to India, the Middle East, and North Africa. Like most Chinese food popular in the US, dim sum is Cantonese, originating in the province of Guangdong (sweet and sour pork, congee, and chow mein are all Cantonese in origin).