Dim Sum c/o Joy Tsin Lau

The Sunday morning after my grill fest found me once again on the deck. I may have even been blogging. I know I filled out a job application. At some point my phone rang and it was Mr. Ass asking if I'd like to join him and LBM for dim sum. I was skeptical about LBM, as I have been trying to get her to go to dim sum with me for five years and she never does, but Mr. Ass insisted that the chances were very much in our favor for seeing LBM in a dim sum context. I would have been happy to dim sum one way or the other, so I did not delay in accepting the invitation. Of course between that initial call and my actual arrival at Joy Tsin Lau, LBM had bowed out, which left just Mr. Ass and me to dive deep into dumplings. We were seated in a not-too-terrible spot, which pleases me given the number of times I've been put at a table that makes it impossible for carts to get to, or happens to be by a leaking fish tank. And all my favorites were in attendance. I'm always a bit fan of this shrimp and rice noodle dish, which is topped with a sweeter kind of soy sauce. I think some might be put off by the texture of the noodles, but I really dig it. Mr. Ass had a bowl of wonton soup. I don't think that in all my years of dim summing, which go back to my childhood, I have ever actually ordered a soup or congee on a dim sum day. Perhaps next time I'll try to branch out.

Mr. Ass is a bigger fan of these pork buns than I am. Perhaps it's the consistency of the bread/dough that surrounds them...not quite for me. I think when I was younger, however, they may have been one of my favorites...behind shrimp dumplings of course.

Here you'll see the bean curd wrapped mystery, shrimp dumplings, spinach dumplings and shumai coated with brown rice.

The brown rice element added to the shumai was something I'd never seen, but I must say it was actually a pretty good twist. The earthiness of the rice, which had a definite tooth to its texture, really complemented the salty meaty goodness of the hidden dumpling within.

While LBM was a no show, I was still glad to have a dim sum experience to counteract the shit show that was Ocean Harbor on Chinese New Year. I also walked to Chinatown and was glad for the exercise.

I May be a Hater, But That Doesn't Make me Wrong

That Sunday (the day after Miel) the T.s and my parents and I met up and went to Lucky Bamboo for dim sum. The addition of dim sum to its menu was covered by many a Nashville foodie, and positively. But, and this is just the truth people, the offerings weren't nearly as authentic or delicious as the many accounts suggested. The shumai looked awful. Nothing like the many other pork dumplings with yellow egg noodle wrapping them and a little nib of carrot centered in the middles that I have eaten over so many many many years. Instead, there were these brown, dried out lumps of grey meat with pale white wrappers clinging too tight around the middle. The shrimp dumplings made me feel funny, weren't hot and didn't taste so good. What can I say? If this was the best dim sum option in Nashville, I would abstain. Their fried options were slightly better but, come on, it really is almost impossible to fuck up a fried thing. I'm a hater. What can I say? Also: the tea tasted like moldy seaweed. Maybe this is authentic dim sum and each and every other place I have been - be it in Wheaton, Maryland, NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia or Seattle (oh man, Seattle dim sum made many of my earlier experiences pale in comparison) - is the pretender, but I think not. Vitriol! I guess my point is this: if you have stumbled upon this blog looking to learn about Lucky Bamboo as your dim sum haven in Nashville, go, maybe your standards aren't as high or your palate as snobby...but in case they are, be prepared to be majorly bummed.
After dim sum we went to the craft fair being held at Centennial Park. I was quite taken with the look of these wooden chairs. Something to tuck away in my head as I continue to dream about my own little place, with my own furniture and whatnots and whozits.

Disappointing Dim Sum c/o Ocean Harbor

Earlier this month I sent out the call for interested dim sum participants, of which there were a few. You can't really do dim sum without a critical mass of at least two, but really an ideal number is closer to four or six. With the help of BC's more extended social Philly network we got to four. Leave it to me to plan a dim sum outing on the Chinese Lunar New Year. Lines are always an issue with dim sum if you go much past 11, but on a holiday? Pissssssh, the worst. Of course I didn't actually understand it was a holiday until I was walking to Chinatown from Market Street and firecrackers were being lit all over the place. But thwarted I was not going to be. BC had arrived just a bit before I had, and already had a number in hand. Thus began the epic standing in the crushingly full lobby/stairs area waiting for our number to be called. We were joined by BC's friends S. and A. Eventually we got to the top of the stairs and our number was called. I'm not going to lie that I was pretty much entirely non-plussed and totally annoyed that we were then seated at the table immediately at the top of the stairs where a good 50+ people were all waiting for their numbers to be called. This crowd of humanity spilled up to the stairs and into the aisle between our table and another set of tables. Not only did this mean that people were constantly bumping my chair and generally breathing down my neck, but it also resulted in a complete barricade between the carts and our table. None of the cart ladies bothered to push through and we were simply sitting there sipping tea and craning to see what was going on. I get it, it's a holiday, space is at capacity. But seriously, why even have a table if the patrons are going to struggle and grump to get any service? Sigh. Between an arched eyebrow to the manager on C.'s part and my literally getting up and going to carts to get additional snacks and point out our unserviced table, we did ok, but I didn't see a number of my favorite treats. No shrimp dumplings. No sesame balls.

Not as large a variety of dumplings on display. My suspicion is that they were grabbed by folks seated right by the kitchen in the slightly less densely populated areas of the space. If I had been in such a spot I would certainly be pleased with myself.

Chinese broccoli was decent.

I know that this crowded madness was a result of the holiday, but this is the third time I abandoned my generally favored Joy Tsin Lau to give Ocean Harbor a shot and I was simply not impressed. Dim sum is always a pretty cutthroat process - you really gotta work to get those dumplings, or more tea, or a glass of water - and generally that's part of its charm. But this was not charming, holiday or no. That said, I was glad to get a little taste of dim sum after quite a lull. And it was good to see BC and meet some of her buds.

Dim Sum c/o Jade Garden

On Sunday morning T&C and I went to the International District for dim sum. I think we went to Jade Garden, but maybe not? I have been eating dim sum for nearly ever, and I have long heard that west coast dim sum puts east and mid-west dim sum to shame, but I was skeptical of this truth.
Well, folks, it's actually pretty true. The dumplings were all plumper, the shrimp a little fresher, and the variety pretty good. I'd say this was some of the best dim sum of my life, though I'd say it with a little reservation. There weren't as many carts going around, which was a little sad. But I did try a crab topped dumpling, and consumed at least four shrimp dumplings with pleasure.
The Chinese broccoli was a marvelous little bit of green in a sea of dumplings.
This was a new dish I'd never seen before, and totally satisfying. Though I would have liked to get it when it was a little hotter.
And this was another great one. I can't remember what it was.

Dim Sum c/o Ocean Harbor (I Know, Right?)

So, for a while I tried to convince the few people I know in Philadelphia to come to dim sum with me...unfortunately they were rather resistant, which is really their loss. So I did something rather bold...I got onto the whole Yelp community board and asked for dim sum pals. On Sunday I walked the mile and a bit to Chinatown and met up with three relative strangers, one of whom I had met earlier but also in an internet context, and ate some dim sum. I saw some buildings on my hot walk.
They had a lot of broken windows.
We went to Ocean Harbor. The wait was kind of intense...I got there at 11 and got a number and we didn't sit until closer to 12. It was also a much smaller place than the beloved Furama. We were lucky enough to get the seat exactly where all the masses waited for their number and got in the way of carts trying to make their circles. And by lucky I mean we were screwed. My two complaints being noted, I will say that everything was hot hot hot and tasty.
Shu mai!
Shrimp in a bunch of rice noodley goodness and sweet saucey!
Shr'amp dumpling!
Egg custard!
Thank you to the dim sum partners in crime. It's good to find people willing to eat with a stranger or, for that matter, multiple strangers.

Dim Sum c/o Furama Part Eight

Another fabulous Sunday dim sum. We had a first-timer who seemed to enjoy himself, which is a relief...because if he hadn't liked dim sum I would have had to shun him...and no one wants to be the shunner.

This table below has a lazy susan. My dim sum goal in life is to get enough people to sit at such a table and then spin the lazy susan round and round...mmmm...dizzy dim sum.

Dim Sum c/o Furama Part Six

Yesterday I ended up not having any dim sum. Today I couldn't stand it any longer. I went to Furama and had some dim sum and a hot and sour soup. Dim sum on a non-Sunday is not half as fabulous as a Sunday excursion. The carts just sit there, the food stays relatively hot but there isn't as big a variety.
Dim Sum c/o Furama: Good any time...best on Sundays.

Dim Sum c/o Joy Tsin Lau

On Sunday morning Mr. Ass called me. I didn't answer my phone, as I had been asleep. But it did wake me up, and it was kind of late, so I texted him and asked him what was up. He suggested dim sum pretty much immediately, so I got dressed and we zipped on over (minus the zipping) to Chinatown. We had a relatively good spot, though the fry cart came awfully late and I never saw any pork shumai. Maybe it's time to switch it up and give Ocean Harbor, or one of the places that say dim sum in big letters on Washington Avenue a shot.
Full and dim sum coma-ey did we get. Thanks to Mr. Ass for getting me up and satiating a dim sum craving!

Dim Sum c/o Good Fortune Part Who Knows!

On Sunday my parents, B., D. and I went to Good Fortune for dim sum. As any good follower of my blog would know, I've been a frequent dim-summer for some time...but have you ever wondered why? Of course not, you know that this stuff is freakin' great, so of course I would love it. That said, dim sum was a large part of my childhood...or at least as I remember it...no, I really think that's true. My parents and I first started going to Dynasty across from Wheaton Plaza...back when Wheaton Plaza was waaaaaay smaller than it is now. Then we went to another place on Georgia Avenue (China something) and then we went back and forth between 'China Something' and Good Fortune. By the end of our days in Maryland it was pretty much Good Fortune all the time...which is probably just as good since, when I drove past 'China Something', I found out that the other restaurant is now a laundromat (sad face).
It was great that, when we walked in, the same man I remember meeting us and sending us out to a table was still there. If he's not the owner, I don't know what his deal is. He looked the same, just older. I had a small little, tiny hope that he would magically recognize me/us...and we'd have weird 'oh my I remember you when you were this big type moment'...but it's been at least a million years since we've been and we weren't such regulars that he would have known us...point is that I liked the continuity and that they were clearly doing well.
They had all the standards, shu mai, shrimp dumplings etc...but they also had the dumpling below: some sort of magical meat and...and...and...cilantro! Oh my. I do love me some cilantro and I think this was the first time I have ever had a cilantro dim sum dumpling. I will inform Philadelhphia upon my eventual return.
The sticky rice wasn't all that, to be honest. The Furama/Chicago sticky rice is still the bestest I've ever had.
This was an egg roll/spring roll type thing. It may have had cilantro as well. I liked it, I liked it a lot.

Dim Sum c/o Furama Part 39

On Sunday I packed up my belongings and headed north to meet up with T., C., M. and D. for dim sum at Furama. Oh Furama, my dim sum stomping grounds of old. How often I used to sit at your tables, flagging down waitstaff for more hot pepper or soy sauce (or the occasional bubble tea). We were seated at a relatively large table for five people, complete with lazy susan. All the regulars of the meal were in attendance...though no taro.


So many of the Furama faces remained the same: the dude with some sort of disability (is that passe? am I supposed to say learning difference?) pushing the same cart of sticky rice around, the sullen teenagers closer to graduation wearing team Furama tee-shirts, new babies running around the stage at the front of the large banquet hall space, the same tall skinny guy seating each one of us, the same older gentleman with a scar on his face filling our water and adding up our check. Oh man. There were changes, Furama now has a strange gift shop area in its entrance area and the oft strewn beer bottles and cigarette butts from big parties on Saturday nights seemed to be a thing of the past. I did not expect to be remembered, and I wasn't, though the fact that the ebf and I managed to go so frequently is a feat in and of itself...seeing as how I go to dim sum in Philly once every three months or so. It was a good last meal for Chicago; a fitting last meal. Afterwards D. drove us back to his and M.'s house, taking a circuitous route that took us all through Andersonville's streets...the streets I knew so well, sniff sniff. Enough of this.

Dim Sum c/o Joy Tsin Lau, Part 2

After my shopping, I met up with my N. and his visiting friends for dim sum at Joy Tsin Lau.
The last time I ate dim sum at Joy Tsin Lau, we were put in an awkward corner at the front of the restaurant, right by a wall of dingy aquariums. At the end of the meal I realized that my purse and jacket, which had been placed on the floor, were soaked as a result of this seating. This time around we were wedged in a corner right by the water station, away from the main concourse of carts and constantly knocking elbows with one another and the waitstaff. It was not ideal. I'd like to think it wasn't because we were white, but the number of times I've been given a crap-tastic table at dim sum makes me have to consider the possibility that race is a factor. Not that there's anything wrong with that, in this case, except that it pisses me off when I need binoculaurs to see the food carts.

I hadn't been overly fond of Joy Tsin Lau's shrimp dumplings in the last go round, but this time they were great. We also ordered the amazing dumplings from the live fry cart...still meaty with a wonderful lemongrass undertone. Good all around.

Dim Sum c/o Joy Tsin Lau

On Sunday I walked to Chinatown and met up with Mr. Ass and N. for a rousing round of dim sum.
We went to Joy Tsin Lau and properly stuffed ourselves with tasty treats and tea.


There was a fry cart.
Scallion dumplings.
Meat dumplings...with some lemongrass component in the meat, so very good.
Appropriate dim sum comas and crazy dim sum giggles were had.

Boxing Day Dim Sum c/o Joy Tsin Lau

No visit from my father would be complete without dim sum. And dim sum we did do. This photograph was seriously photoshopped, but I like it better now.
This was tofu with shrimp on the inside.
Dad wanted to try the crawfish, but was disappointed, which wasn't too terribly surprising to me. I have found the larger, more expensive, plates at most dim sum places to be lackluster. The one exception to that general rule would be the broccoli.
The inner workings of the tofu/shrimp cubes, on display for everyone.
The taro was good.