Dim Sum lunch quickly replacing sushi as the next stylish thing to eat

By: Carlos C. Olaechea / Contributing Writer
You know that a cuisine has become mundane once you find it prepackaged in grocery stores and even gas stations. This is the case with sushi. California rolls are almost household dishes now, and almost every Asian restaurant, from Japanese to Indonesian, has a sushi bar. It has come to the point that most Americans in metropolitan areas have tried sushi at least once. Needless to say, after about a decade, trendsters and gourmets alike have been searching for a successor to the sushi craze. So far, there are three contenders: Ceviche, tapas/mezze, and dim sum. Although the first two are slowly gaining popularity, it has come in waves; one year ceviche is popular, the next year it’s tapas and mezze’s turn in the limelight. Dim sum is the only one of the three that is growing steadily in popularity, and it is already well established in New York City and San Francisco.

But what exactly is dim sum? Literally, dim sum means “to touch the heart” in Mandarin, China’s official language. Dim sum, like sushi, is more than just food. It is an experience. Traditionally a breakfast/early lunch specialty, dim sum basically consists of small portions of food, most often dumplings and filled buns, that you select from a series of trolleys that cruise around a restaurant. In Manhattan’s Chinatown, most restaurants serve dim sum from about 6 or 7a.m. to no later than 3:00 p.m. However, there are some that specialize exclusively in dim sum, some serving it 24 hours a day. The charming aspect of dim sum is that it is almost like a buffet, you can savor a variety of dishes but pay only for what you eat, so you never feel compelled to eat your money’s worth.

There is also a more civilized feeling to dim sum. Unlike a buffet, the food comes to you rather than giving you more time to converse with your dining partners. Yet, the best part about the whole dim sum experience is that it lacks in the pretentiousness that so many sushi bars and Japanese restaurants are all too eager to assume. Attitudes are left at the door, and, upon entering, you are invited to get comfortable and allow these little delicacies to “touch the heart.”

Now that you know a little about dim sum, you’re probably eager to know where you can get your hands on some. South Garden Chinese Restaurant II, located in Kendall, adheres to the traditional hours of dim sum and its modes of service. That is, dim sum is served Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The ambiance is a little classier than many Chinese restaurants, but the décor is nothing exceptional or out of the ordinary. As soon as you sit down, a trolley approaches the table and the person pushing it removes the lids from the metal steamers to reveal an enticing array of steamed dumplings and buns, each one as mysterious as the next. You pick the dim sum you want from a large, freshly made selection. Although some of the mystery can disappear upon asking the wait staff, you ultimately discover what’s good, what’s mediocre, and what would be considered a bit more adventurous primarily through trial and error. The Fun Gor Special, the Siu Mai, and the stuffed sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf are all good choices. This recommendation consists of a special type of “glutinous” rice that is stuffed with chicken, pork and Chinese sausage, wrapped in a lotus leaf, and then steamed. The dumplings are usually very good, but the buns can be a bit too “bread-y” for this diner’s taste. After the steamed trolley leaves, another trolley approaches. This one brings all the sweets, but, best of all, this is the trolley where the baked pork buns are. These are my personal favorites and are basically yeast rolls stuffed with barbecue pork, almost like a Chinese barbecue pork sandwich.

South Garden also offers desserts like egg custard, mango pudding, and custard-filled steamed buns, as well as the classic Chinese rice porridge, Congee. If you don’t feel like dim sum, the restaurant also offers a superb a la carte menu offering all the usual Chinese dishes, as well as some specialties like Chinese melons and bean vermicelli with dried shrimp, a very exotic and tasty dish. Dim sum is typically served in portions of two to four pieces, depending on their size. Prices range from about $2.25 to $9.95, but most don’t cost more than three dollars. Once again, one can eat as much or as little as one wants. Every portion of dim sum that you select is marked on a card that has the names of all the items available and their respective prices. This serves as your receipt and is given to the cashier at the front of the restaurant when you pay.

Dim sum is an experience worth trying. However, will it really replace sushi as the trendy thing to eat? I don’t think sushi will ever be replaced, but as more and more people begin to eat dim sum, I believe that sushi will eventually be put on the back burner of the dining population’s conscience. But don’t take my word for it. Go ahead and try dim sum for yourself and see what the outcome of this gastronomic battle will be.