Make no mistake, Dim Sum is a sport. It’s a full contact, intense, competitive sport, and only those that have mastered the sport enjoy it. If you’ve ever had Dim Sum at P.F. Chang’s or a tourist spot, then that stuff sucks and is not representative of Dim Sum. Real Dim Sum. Just as Chinese food isn’t just beef and broccoli or Kung Pao chicken.

The Dim Sum places I’m talking about are those that patrons will get up to meet the cart lady with her fresh and straight-from-the-kitchen dishes. The place where the waiters give you the look like “What can I do for you” and it’s not actually a question. Where the tea spills all over the table. Where the cart lady barks at you just as much as you bark at her. Where you relax once you’re done eating. The restaurant that has everyone’s favorite dish and the meal isn’t over until everyone gets it. Where the bones are thrown on the table. Pink tablecloths if you’re lucky. That’s Dim Sum.

I arrived at Lin Heung Tea House in Hong Kong on a weekday at 11am and hoped it wasn’t crowded. Guess again, it was packed. Mother fing packed! What do these people do, seriously. My GF and I are on vaca, what’s your excuse?

We got herded to a table of 5 and there are two open seats. Mind you that there is tea spilled everywhere, and our stuff, a bowl, cup, and pair of chopsticks. For those that don’t know, when in most restaurants in Hong Kong (China and Taiwan too), there will be a few bowls out there, not for eating, but for cleaning. You clean your bowl, cup, chopsticks with drinking tea, then you’re ready to eat. If you don’t, you one nasty dude. And there are no napkins on the table, and toilet paper in bathrooms.

This dude looks like he stole something, cause he did! The first dish! Mudda F.

So we sit down, Maria gets to cleaning and I get to ordering. I see a few people with carts and make my way over there. The speed and velocity of my walk is closer to a New Yorker than anything, gotta be quick. Get my food and get the fuck outta there. Then do it over and over. Maria wanted a few other dishes, so casually I yell out to the server and he points me in the direction of cart that’s just come out of the kitchen. Game on! Get the dishes and by the time we’re done eating, the adrenaline is coming down and we’re relaxing.

I kinda blacked-out for a second from the adrenaline, but the food was great. Not mind-blowing, but solid, well-seasoned, fresh Dim Sum. Dim Sum is about feeding the body and Chinese among all are very particular about their food, thankfully this place was packed filled to the brim of people when other restaurants were trying to get customers in. I was sufficiently full and so was Maria. Not sure if I like boozy brunches better or Dim Sum, but Dim Sum for sure is more exciting!

Source: Lin Heung Tea House