Tea and Dim Sum!

It's a snack, it's an appetizer, it's a spiritual experience! Directly translated, dim sum means "touch your heart," an apt reference to these little  dishes that both delight the palate and capture the imagination.

Dim sum are Cantonese snacks (known locally as Yam-Cha, which literally means "Drink Tea"), tasty little dumplings and pastries stuffed with meats or vegetables.  This is perhaps the most popular form of southern cuisine, since a meal of dim sum is a great way to pick and choose a variety of foods without feeling overly full.  Waitresses push around carts laden with small, freshly cooked snacks, and diners simply stop them and are served what they want.

Tea and Dim Sum

The custom of tea drinking in China dates back to the legendary Shen Nung, who is said to have personally tried hundreds of grasses and herbs to test their medicinal effects and toxicity. Tea was a popular drink in the Sung Dynasty (A.D. 960-1280), and gradually innovations in the tea drinking custom were introduced. In addition to a high level of connoisseurship of the various types of tea and improvements in the quality of tea leaves, a broad variety of accompaniments to tea drinking began to appear--dim sum.

If you’ve never experienced dim sum, be prepared for a sensory feast of new flavors, textures and aromas. Don’t rush — allow an hour or two to savor the culinary delights and soak in the atmosphere. It’s as much a social affair as it is about dining.  Once you’ve tried it, you’ll be hooked.

Various typical Dim-Sum dishes in their usual form and appearance (Click on the thumbnail to get a good look!)
Curry Chicken Turnover	Deep fried Shrimp Dumpling	BBQ Pork Turnover	Seafood Dumpling	Deep Fried Shrimp Ball
Steamed Scallop Dumpling	Fried Turnip Cake	Vegetarian Dumpling	Pork Dumpling	BBQ Pork Bun
Shrimp Dumpling	Deep Fried Sesame Ball	Steamed BBQ Pork Bun	Crystal(clear) Dumpling	Egg Custard
Sticky Rice with Pork and Vegetables in Lotus Leaf	Shrimp Roll	Shrimp Dumpling	Steamed Chicken Dumpling	Chicken Dumpling

We usually go to Maxim's restaurant in Richardson, off of Greenville and Beltline.  They have really good food and the place is usually packed.  Dim-Sum is served between 11:00am and 2:00 pm every day.  Kirin House is also excellent, and is on the second floor where the Hong and Kong restaurant used to be, on the corner of Beltline and 75.

Below is a map to get there, many consider this to be the best Dim-Sum in the area, including me and D Magazine!