Dim Sum

[shoeshine boy]

we'll order ala carte at China Delight if we don't see what we want on the carts. as long as the makings are in the kitchen they always get it for us.
Oriental Pearl was one of our first dim sum places in Atlanta. we stopped going when they converted to a buffet restaurant. we were going to return when they went back to the old way but then they started getting scary health inspection scores and for all the bad reasons, we decided to stick with China Delight since they did such a great job of taking care of us every time we came in.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

We want to plan either Dim Sum or a nice noonish brunch for this coming Sunday.  We have decided to give ourselves ONE meal out a week during this menu-planned experience.   We have looked over a bunch of usual suspects, for brunch and we know that East Pearl is damn good (or at least has been in the past) for a noon-time Sunday Dim Sunday walk-in. 

Anyone else want to fill out our table on Sunday ?   It does NOT have to be at East Pearl.  Give us a good Brunch option that is not too far away and we will show up...

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[CodePoet]

Anyone else want to fill out our table on Sunday ?   It does NOT have to be at East Pearl.  Give us a good Brunch option that is not too far away and we will show up...

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My husband has forgotten that we are hosting a birthday party this Sunday at our house. So the invite stands but the day would have to be April 3rd.

[Barnum]

Has he ?  :-)

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

Has he ?  :-)  

He did ...     I would LOVE TO  get together with a small group one Sunday for Brunch on a weekend that is NOT scheduled.

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[Hrothgar]

After years of being East Pearl devotees (see above), we tried Royal China this past Sunday with my folks and our allegiance is forever switched. Yes, the place is a dive, but the proof is in the potstickers, as they say. All of the seafood items tasted fresher, nothing was cold or room temp (unless it was supposed to be, of course), and the selection was better. I especially liked that they had a special grill cart for radish cakes and these insanely good griddled-to-order shrimp dumplings. We inadvertently ordered four plates of the latter when we'd meant to order one or two, and we didn't even mind. That's how good they were. Each time we'd wonder aloud if they had ______ and then it would come rolling out, and it was better than any version any of us had had previously. Service was SUPER attentive, even when the dining room got full. And the frequency of carts was excellent. There did seem to be a lack of vegetables and some of the more elaborate items like clams in black bean sauce, etc., but we got there relatively early (10:30) and noticed after we had stuffed ourselves that heretofore unseen items were coming out. So we probably missed out on some stuff.

Chloe clued me in to the fact that Royal China is the only dim sum joint in Atlanta headed by a Catonese chef (though much of the staff still appears to be Vietnamese). Most other places around town, including East Pearl, use Vietnamese chefs, and many are reheating frozen items.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

This may inspire a move to the correct place?   What do you think ?

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[totm]

First experience at East Pearl yesterday after watching grandson perform at JapanFest*.  We weren't real hungry so only got a few things.  We were also after the rush so not that many carts.  Tofu skin with pork very tasty.  Shark fin/shrimp dumplings very good.  Rice sheets (I know there is a proper name/description) with bbq pork ordered a la carte had dry pork and the bottom rolled rice sheet was the left overs with very little pork.  Seafood dumplings order a la carte came out steaming after the young waitress checked to see if we had received yet, mostly shrimp but still good.

I've found that different restaurants have different items available with some have regular standbys.

The 2 lobsters for $24 was a popular item as well.

*It was quite amusing to see one towhead mixed in with all of the mostly Asian kids performing on stage.

[Hrothgar]

Slightly off topic, but we actually unveiled the news that my wife is pregnant with twins to my folks (their first grandchildren) during dim sum at Royal China. We had purchased a small plush baby ahead of time and at one point during the meal I snuck away and grabbed one of the floor managers. Between her broken English and the unusual nature of the request, it took a few tries for me to successfully explain what I wanted her to do, which was to put the doll inside an empty dim sum steamer and deliver it to the table in front of my folks as a "special delivery." Worked perfectly and when they lifted the lid, SURPRISE!

Didn't hurt that that place is always packed with families toting young infants.

[shoeshine boy]

congrats!
we went to Royal China for the first time a few weeks ago and were quite impressed. they had most of the standard dishes that we like from China Delight as well as plenty of items we've never seen there. service was pretty good and the price was fair. East Pearl is our next stop before we award our lucrative dim sum contract.
has there been ANY official word on China Delight?

[Jmolinari]

congrats!
we went to Royal China for the first time a few weeks ago and were quite impressed. they had most of the standard dishes that we like from China Delight as well as plenty of items we've never seen there. service was pretty good and the price was fair. East Pearl is our next stop before we award our lucrative dim sum contract.
has there been ANY official word on China Delight?

Us too. We went to Royal China after we saw China Delight was "rennovating" and much prefer it. More selection and overall much better. Even if CD reopens we're not RC customers!

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

I have to say that East Pearl is our favorite.  We do NOT go during off hours and almost only go on weekends at 11am and deal with the crowds.  I/we have eaten at the others and we are mostly impressed by East Pearl.  I would be glad to test any of the others if someone wants to put an event together......

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[LizR]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: folks' restaurant preferences seem to have to do at least somewhat with the kind of items they like to order. Me, I look for great shrimp and vegetable dumplings, good congee, turnip cakes, tofu skin rolls in gravy. My FIL likes things that I don't like sweet sticky rice and those bbq buns. I think different places do some things better than others. I still like Oriental Pearl for my fave dishes but can see how YMMV. Also, the rotation of chefs doesn't help a lot in deciding which place is "best" in any given month/year.

[totm]

I don't have a favorite or one I consider "best".  I enjoy going to the various dim sum houses and finding interesting items that I only see at that particular location.  And finding those surprises can vary based upon day of week and time of time and who is in the kitchen.

As to items I gravitate towards it would be the more savory items and those that are not fried.  There are certain items (Chinese broccoli, clams in black bean sauce) that I will only get if they are hot.  If those items have been sitting on a cart with no means of staying warm then I will just pass.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

I really wanted to go today, but we bailed, and had a good omelette using up some leftovers.  I love breakfast and I think of Dim Sum as a Brunch/Breakfast food (mostly)...

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