Lunch & dinner in Chinatown on Sunday

[Bux]

Dim Sum Go Go (East Broadway) is the premium dim sum place in my book. Portions are small and prices seem a little higher than at other places, but the rise in quality is at least as proportionate. Lately we've been tasting a dish or two from the regular menu. The few we've had have been very subtle. Lunch this Sunday was no exception. Moreover we've discovered that they will take reservations except between noon and 2:30 on Sunday. What a pleasure to show up at 11:30 and not to stand in line.

We almost decided to return for dinner, but didn't want to overdo it. It's possible to use up a restaurant and tire of it too quickly. I'm not sure why we chose Ping. We'd been there once before and had mixed feelings. This time it was very disappointing. Every dish floated in too much oil. Every dish had a fault.

[robert brown]

Bux, as you know I'm a fellow fan. I noticed that the evening dim sum menu says that the items on it are served from 4-11 p.m. I've never been at lunch. Can you remember the lunch dim sum menu at least in terms of choice? The evening one has a selection of 10 steamed and 10 vegetable also available in a sampler of one piece of each. Let's make an honest gesture and urge our fellow readers to patronize this wonderful restaurant. They have really been hurt by the Sept. 11 attack by losing their momentum of patronage. We would hate to see it close.

(Edited by robert brown at 6:06 pm on Dec. 24, 2001)

[Bux]

The lunch dim sum list (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) has:

* 8 deep or panfried items from turnip cakes to spring rolls (listed under the general heading of "fired" which I assume is a typo).

* 3 baked goods (pie, bun and custard).

* 4 steamed rice rolls

*10 steamed items which include soup, spare ribs, chicken feet, sticky rice in lotus leaf and buns.

*10 steamed Dumsumgogo - a variety of delicate steamed dumplings as well as a stuffed mushroom.

*10 vegetarian dim sum - a variety of delicate steamed vegetable dumplings

* 2 dim sum platters - one of them a vegetarian platter

* 4 desserts

In addition there is a fried rice and noodle menu as well as a menu of general dishes which includes the live shrimp at market price and when available. I have neither of the latter menus in front of me.

I've not had many of the regular menu dishes, but from what I've had in the way of dumplings as well as my limited selection of other dishes, I'd agree that it would be a severe loss if this kitchen were not to survive in NY. At the same time, I'd want to be careful about how, and to whom I recommended this place. It's not everyman's idea of Chinatown. Dishes are a bit more expensive and smaller than at most restaurants. This is great if you don't mind paying a bit more for the opportunity to have a variety. It appeals to me as I'd rather have many small course in a western restaurant as well and understand that the cost is in proportion to the work, not the quantity of food I consume. It also seems to be very subtle food. Although the sauce with the incredibly silky steamed bean curd with crab meat and scallops had great flavor, there wasn't a lot of seafood in the dish. I was wowed by the dish. Many would be left expecting more seafood. Restaurants will cater to their market or go under. The wrong business could hurt a restaurant as much as no business. Many New Yorkers of European ancestry view Chinatown as a place to eat a lot of tasty food at a good price. Dim Sum Go Go seems a place best sipped, not gulped. It's decor is not helpful either. Although it's nicely designed, the red and white with mirrors decor doesn't say sophisticated slow food to most people. I want everyone to go there, but with the right frame of reference. I would hope 99% of our members would get and appreciate the food.

[robert brown]

Bux, your analysis is right on. Thanks for posting the lunchtime dim sum; there is much more than at dinner. As you mention the main course dishes, I can say that they are so much more interesting and better-prepared than 99% of those in the other Chinese restaurants. We always order  plate of mushrooms, chives, and walnuts. Beef with ginger is not the greasy dish with small pieces of faded ginger, but rather, clean-tasting with large pieces of tender, flavorful, very fresh ginger. I think that the ฮ-35 a head with beer or wine is one of the best value for money meals you can have in New York. While that may be several dollars a person more than most Chinatown restaurants, the difference is well worth it. I also like the waiters who are all Chinese and young, caring, and communicative.

(Edited by robert brown at 5:21 pm on Dec. 25, 2001)

[Bux]

I think that price will be an important consideration for many who see Chinatown as a fifteen dollar dinner. While it's a far cry from the bowls of noodle soup I dote on for five dollars at lunch, it's less than we spend eating some very uninspired dinners at neighborhood places. Value is a very personal thing and I'm fascinated where various people place the point of diminishing return on their money, but this is probably a splurge most people can afford.

[Bux]

I see Grimes singles out Dim Sum Go Go for mention as the memorable place to have opened in Chinatown this year. He reports that the original Hong Kong chef has left and doesn't say who's in the kitchen now. There's no implication that the food has suffered since the original chef has departed however.

Robert, were you aware of the change? Did you start eating there before the chef left?

[robert brown]

Dim Sum GoGo didn't quite open this year. It did so last November as the managing partner told me the other night. The menu still mentions Chef Guy, but perhaps the restaurant hasn't printed new ones. We'll have to ask when we go. I always have a bone to pick whenever anyone writes words such as "It has become almost reflexive to call Manhattan the best restaurant city in the world". However, you can't fault Grimes for his singling out the place in Chinatown we have been urging everyone to visit. Nice work, Bux

[robert brown]

Bux, I just spoke to a friend who lives in the same building as Collette Rossante, a partner in Dim Sum GoGo. According to him, the new chef took over about a month ago, but had been the sous-chef under Chef Guy. I didn't notice a difference the last time I ate except for the lesser-quality shrimp, which someone went out and got at a nearby fish market expressly for us.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Dim Sum GoGo is great. But I can't say I enjoy it as much as Yank Sing in San Francisco. As for Ping's, I ate great dim sum at the original location on Queens Boulevard. But had a less than fantastic dinner there.

[Bux]

Didn't get to Yank Sing, but had memorable dim sum at Ton Kiang on Geary near 23rd Avenue in S.F. It was at least three years ago so I won't attempt to compare it to Dim Sum Go Go. On the whole I'd probably rather be in Hong Kong when I want dim sum, but the best I've had in NY is Dim Sum Go Go.

[Degustation]

This was part two of my dining weekend – see this link to access descriptions of the other meals. (Gramercy Tavern, Fleur de Sel, Bouley)

http://forums.egullet.org/ibf/index.php?s=...t=ST&f=4&t=8050

I decided to venture into Chinatown relatively early on Sunday morning. I stopped by Dim Sum Go Go around 10:45 and the place was about a quarter full. By the time I had left approximately a little over an hour later, the place was jam-packed, with some people waiting for seats downstairs and most people being directed upstairs.

I opted to sample the Dim Sum platter (10 pieces of meat dumplings), the Veggie Dim Sum Platter (10 pieces of vegetarian dumplings) bean curd rolls, and turnip cake.

Each platter was presented in a large bamboo steamer. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many notes for this lunch but the most memorable items were the various vegetable dumplings and the duck dumpling. The duck dumpling consisted of finely minced fragrant duck meat in a delicate wrapper. I can’t remember each vegetable dumpling, but they were very creative and much more tasty than the meat dumplings. There was even one that was filled with coconut – an interesting novelty but not sure I would willingly order it again.

Overall, the dumpling skins were not as tender, supple nor translucent as others I have sampled elsewhere. The bean curd rolls were acceptable but the turnip cake was downright terrible (maybe an off day?). The cake had dried shrimps and some ham bits but it was too mushy and not firm enough to hold up to the pan-frying – thus looking very squished and greasy. If I were to revisit, I would stick to selecting orders of the vegetable dumplings and the duck dumplings.

The following dumplings were listed as separate menu items:

Dim Sum dumplings (meat filled – not necessarily all represented in the platter order)

Shrimp dumpling

Shui mai

Crab meat dumpling

Seafood dumpling

Shark fin dumpling

Chives and shrimp dumpling

Pork and vegetable dumpling

Duck dumpling

Chicken dumpling

Stuffed mushroom dumpling

Dim Sum Vegetarian dumplings (not necessarily all represented in the platter order)

Bamboo heart dumpling

Three star dumpling

Rice noodle dumpling

Snow pea leaf dumpling

Chinese parsley dumpling

Green dumpling

Soy bean dumpling

Abbot’s Delight

Spinach dumpling

Mushroom dumpling

Price: $28 (includes pot of tea, taxes and tip)

[Jordan Lea]

I think I need to try Dim Sum Go Go again as I wasn't all that impressed. What about the Golden Unicorn? Multi-story mayhem but I like the food and the prices. Again, one has to be early. has anyone evr tried mid-town dim sun like Shun Lee or Shun lee Palace? I know one serves dim sum but can't remember which.