Dim Sum

One of our first days here, we were out shopping with Megan, our wonderful consultant from the relocation company.  The kids were getting bored and they were both complaining they were hungry (It was 1:30 and I was hungry as well.  They hadn't had lunch so I can't blame them.)  We decided we would get some Dim Sum.  Megan was going to show us the ropes.  

We found a little hole in the wall restaurant (she said to look for somewhere that was crowded with lots of people eating and lots of clanging dishes.)  She asked if they had an English menu, they said no.  We decided we would try it anyway.  First of all, we went in and all the tables were full.  There were 5 of us, and 2 men were sitting at a large table near the front.  I don't think the men were together.  The waitress moved one of the men to another table (with other people) and told the other man to scoot over and we would just join him and pull up chairs if needed.  (He quickly finished and left before we all sat down.)  Megan said this wasn't uncommon, although she said that as Westerners we would not be asked to move at a restaurant.  (I also don't think this would happen at a fancy restaurant).

Then Megan started to order.  The woman motioned us outside so we could look in the big steamer baskets to pick out our dishes by pointing (I guess that was easier than trying to understand Megan's Cantonese).  We picked out some pork dumplings (shaomai, I think) and some other dumplings that had meat as well as a hard boiled quail's egg in each one.  We also had chicken and rice and a steamed vegetable she said was kale, but it didn't look like the kale I am used to.  Everything was delicious.  The kids ate everything.  I was especially amazed because there were similar pork dumplings at the breakfast buffet at our hotel a few days earlier and they would barely try it and neither one finished one.  This time, they both went back for seconds and thirds.  I guess the key to getting them to try new things is to wait until they are really hungry.  :) 

Dim Sum literally means "touch the heart" and originated as a snack to have with tea.  It has evolved into more of a meal.  They served us tea with our meal, hot, in plastic drinking cups.  :)  The kids were excited they got their own tea.  When the bill came it was under $100 HK or around $12USD for 5 people!  (Most restaurants would be much more expensive, food in general is not super cheap, just the small, local restaurants).  I can't wait to have it again and try ordering on my own.