Whether you call it dim sum or yum cha, there are few more enjoyable culinary bonding experiences than sitting at a round table with family and friends, peering into trolleys full of steam baskets and making a selection. The choices are vast: steamed dumplings with prawns, pea shoots, mushrooms, or pork, braised meats and offal, plates filled with pan-fried vegetables stuffed with minced shrimp, noodles, squid, and steamed sponge cake, egg tarts, or deep fried orbs with bean or lotus paste filling.
Dim sum halls in Montreal reflect the Hong Kong and southern Chinese roots of Montrealâs Chinese community, providing the chance to âdrink teaâ, as itâs called, from early morning until mid-afternoon. Chinatown is a good starting point for restaurants where you feast on a never-ending parade of dishes pushed in carts by servers who know their stuff and keep a running tab by stamping a bill on your table with the dishes selected. But other parts of the city â Brossard, Ville-St-Laurent, and Lasalle â have worthwhile options. Most restaurants can easily accommodate large groups, either at huge tables set together or in private dining rooms.
To learn about dim sum traditions and how to order wisely, two local food bloggers have excellent resources for exploration: Victor Yu offers an informative Chinatown tour which provides insights about dim sum dining protocol, and Jason Leeâs Shut Up and Eat food blog provides a handy Dim Sum for Dummies guide online.
Looking for other non-dim sum Chinese food recommendations? Thereâs another map for those.
Read More