How much dim sum is house-made?

[Dianabanana]

Twice in the past week we've gone out for dim sum at Jade Garden (Seattle), and now I'm wondering if everything was made from scratch or if some items are coming from a factory in Taiwan or something. Does anyone know what would be typical? The egg tarts in particular struck me as something that could probably be bought frozen. Just curious.

[Kent Wang]

I went to a place this Sunday that I've heard usually has xiao long bao. When I inquired about them, they said they didn't get their shipment this week. Is it possible to have good xiao long bao that aren't made in house?

[Chris Amirault]

Our go-to Chinese restaurant (Lucky Garden in N Prov RI) makes all their dim sum items in-house. That's usually a very good thing: if it's available, they made it that morning. However, two of the brother/owners are far better than the third, and thus sometimes it's disappointing.

I cannot imagine a frozen bao being very good. Ditto the custard tarts, siu mai, etc. etc.

[prasantrin]

Our go-to Chinese restaurant (Lucky Garden in N Prov RI) makes all their dim sum items in-house. That's usually a very good thing: if it's available, they made it that morning. However, two of the brother/owners are far better than the third, and thus sometimes it's disappointing.

I cannot imagine a frozen bao being very good. Ditto the custard tarts, siu mai, etc. etc.

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Even if dim sum items are housemade, that doesn't preclude many of them from being frozen--especially the ones that can freeze quite well (a lot of the steamed items, for example). If a dim sum place is busy, there's no way they could make the quantities needed for the day in one morning. Unless they have a huge kitchen staff which is eating all the profits, that is.

[aprilmei]

It depends - at least in Hong Kong. I think at the big chains, it's probably made at a central kitchen and is then distributed to the different outlets. Smaller shops might make their own - but not necessarily better. I went to a new restaurant today where the dim sum was made in-house but it wasn't very good. sometimes I'd rather have something made in a central kitchen because at least it's consistent - and often it's much better.