"Dim Sum" does not refer to a difficult mathematical calculation. It does refer to an internationally flavored, exciting dining adventure. In the United States, dim sum is usually served at lunch.
The duck at Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant is crisp and full of flavor.  |
The term "dim sum" is Cantonese for "touching the heart," a euphemism for something that is very pleasing.
The types of foods served as dim sum are usually small dumplings that are steamed or deep fried, stuffed with fresh, tasty ingredients, calculated to tempt and tantalize the palate.
Two of the best places in San Diego for dim sum are Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant and Jasmine Restaurant, both located on Convoy Street. On this day, I opted to dine at the Emerald.
The brightly lit room was filled with people busily lifting chopsticks holding small morsels. Servers wheeled carts between the tables quickly, removing cylindrical metal or bamboo containers from the deep interiors to place them before the diners. It was a bit noisy but fun. Beautiful Asian art set the theme for the room.
Dim sum is popular, particularly in Asian communities. I've had dim sum in Hong Kong and Vancouver in restaurants serving hundreds of guests clamoring for service.
Here's the way it works: people rarely order off the menu. Instead, servers bring by carts holding small portions of food and announce what they have. Sometimes, a small sign on the cart tells its contents. A single cart may hold four or five different dishes. Diners simply pick what sounds or looks appealing.
The tradition of dim sum goes back more than 1,000 years to the Sung dynasty in China. It began as part of a tea ceremony. Tea drinking became popular and elitist. Eating small morsels of food became part of the tea drinking ritual and then evolved to the more important part of the ceremony. Eating small morsels allows lunch to be fast (the original Chinese "fast food"?) but there is a tradition of lingering over the meal. On weekends, many Chinese families will spend hours over dim sum.
There are three elements usually associated with dim sum dumplings: the wrapping, the contents and the sauces. Albert Tam, manager of Emerald, told me that more than 40 different types of wrappings are prepared.
Some, like the wonton wrappings, are light and translucent, so that the contents can be seen through the coating. Others have a smooth, gelatinous texture that coats the contents like envelopes. When the dim sum is deep fried, the wrapping takes on a brown, crispy texture. The spring rolls were just amazing. Lamb and some beef are often wrapped in a bread dough, a thick white cover to the spicy contents. Some items are not wrapped at all, such as the duck and beef dishes.
The contents are the second element. At Emerald, the emphasis is on seafood, particularly shrimp and crab. The foods tasted amazingly fresh and firm. The duck was beautifully served, with the skin crisp and flavorful.
Sauces accompany some of the dishes and add remarkably to taste. Spring rolls came with two types of sauces. The deep-fried shrimp in wonton wrappings had a sauce on the plate. There was the ubiquitous soy sauce and a hot sauce available to accompany any dish.
There are even dim sum desserts, sweets that are sometimes wrapped or coated. I loved the "egg yolk" which looked like a yolk inside a cup but was sweet and fruity. The Mango Custard was delightful, with subtle mango flavor in smooth texture, topped with cream and cut fruit.
The dumplings are "big bite size." One picks a dumpling up by chopsticks or fork, dips it into a sauce, and makes it disappear. Eating dim sum is a fun experience best enjoyed in a group, where many dishes can be sampled and shared. Each wrapping gives its contents a different flavor and texture, so there is lots of variety of tastes. It is fun to experiment with combinations of tastes and sauces.
Prices for dim sum are by the dish. A card is placed on the table and marked by the server when a dish is given. At the end of the meal, the markings are all added up. In Hong Kong, my server simply counted the plates.
There are different prices for each dish, which range from $2.20 for small dishes to $6.50 for deluxe dishes. I usually order mostly medium dishes for $3.20. For a couple, a terrific lunch could run around $20.
If you've never tried dim sum, get ready for an adventure in fine dining. It is fun, fast and only moderately expensive. Dim sum is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant.
Locating the restaurant can be a bit tricky. It is on the ground floor of the Pacific Gateway Plaza but hidden by the building at the front of the property. It is located at 3709 Convoy Street in Kearny Mesa. Call (858) 565-6888 for information and reservations.
Rottenberg is editor of Dining San Diego Magazine and member of the California Restaurant Writers Association.
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