Dim Sum Adventure

Maxim Palace in City Hall, Saturday, September 26, 2009

We arrived at the restaurant around noon and the line was already pretty long. We got number 46 and they were just calling out number 24. Hmmm, good thing we brought our books. The restaurant is housed in the 2nd floor of the City Hall. Massive space that could host a wedding reception or two at the same time. About half an hour wait, we were called and showed to a table at the very end of the restaurant around the corner next to the bar. We were isolated from the masses and the trolleys. My first impression is wow. It was bright, white and big. The plate setting is impeccable and first rate. But how about the food?

The trolleys start to come our way and we ordered har gau, sticky rice in lotus leaf and spareribs. The har gau was fine but the spareribs were seasoned with lots of pepper and reminded us of Korean BBQ. The trolleys all have Chinese and English names placards so both locals and tourists know what they contain. We also ordered Chinese broccoli and rice with chicken. Both dishes were okay. The dim sum came fast and furious with the ladies speaking in rapid Cantonese directed at me. I just shrugged apologetically and asked in English. I had no time to whip out my camera to take pictures. The other dishes were roasted pork and siu mai. We also ordered others that we forgot.

We found the service okay. We did feel hurried and not as restful. Barely had time to read my book! Being in the corner away from the main thoroughfare, we felt we missed some dishes and the action in being in a dim sum restaurant. The bill was astronomical at $700 for an experience that was just so-so. Maxim Palace is nice place for beginners and wary.



Tai Woo, Causeway Bay, Sunday, September 27, 2009

Feeling a bit unfulfilled with the previous dim sum adventure. I scoured the books and blogs for a recommendation. I was surprised by the lack of blogs that chronicles dim sum experience. I found two blogs that seem to like Tai Woo Restaurant. We hopped on a taxi and got to Causeway Bay in no time flat. We were at the restaurant by 10am.

It is unfortunate that the way to the dining rooms is in disrepair. Not appetizing at all. The dining rooms are chopped up in sections which made it feel like you are in a maze. We were seated in the back room and felt a bit better. Not many patrons yet (lucky for us). We were given tea and a Chinese menu. The server came by and inquired if we would like an English menu (whew!). The English version was easy to navigate but we also asked him if there were some in the Chinese one (more items in it) that he recommends. He took the time to point out some and we ordered some off that menu.

The first one came roughly 5 minutes later. It was a dumpling stuffed with scallops, shrimp and cilantro. It was beautiful as it is delicious. We also had baked bbq pork buns and steamed char siu buns (both luscious). One of the highlights is the bbq spareribs with pumpkin (a great spin on the usual spareribs fare). We did not quiet like the xiao long bau although it came prettily in a stacked steamer.

We waited a bit on the sticky rise in lotus leaf. I think there was mix up in the translation so we ended up with 3 orders. Fortunately, they were delicious that they were gobbled up happily.

The whole meal cost $240. Aside from the difference in the ambience (Maxims definitely wins)and price (Tai Woo by a landslide), the food in Tai Woo is seasoned well. The service (aside from the mix up) was attentive and friendly. Will come back again but will put blinders on until we get to the table.

Scallops,shrimp and cilatro dumpling














Xiao Long Bau in small individual steamer



















Taking a page from the locals. Locals read (books, newspapers, magazine) while they have dim sum as well as talk to their companions. They take a long time at dim sum but it is expected and they are not hurried at all by the restaurant. That's why the table turnover can be quiet long.


































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