Where to get the best Dim Sum

[battlepanda]

Hey guys. I've heard that Dim Sum in Toronto is the best. I'm here visiting my cousin for a few days and as I'm a dim sum fanatic I have to get my fix before I go!

So, sock it to me. Where do they serve good dimsum in toronto? I'm staying in the harborfront but will be willing to travel (by TTC of course). And while you're at it, what is the one thing I'll have to see while I'm in Toronto, as this is my first trip here?

[mhkhung]

How much $$$ do you want to spend? The most expensive/high-end place is Lai-Wah-Hen at Metropoliton hotel. But it's like fine-dining there.

Otherwise, in Chinatown, there are a few very good place that are more "down-to-earth". I haven't been there for a while.. but if you walk around there (Dundas/Spadina).. find the one that's most packed.. I used to go to the one on the 2nd floor above HSBC bank on Dundas (East of Spadina).

Enjoy..

Michael

Hey guys. I've heard that Dim Sum in Toronto is the best. I'm here visiting my cousin for a few days and as I'm a dim sum fanatic I have to get my fix before I go!

So, sock it to me. Where do they serve good dimsum in toronto? I'm staying in the harborfront but will be willing to travel (by TTC of course). And while you're at it, what is the one thing I'll have to see while I'm in Toronto, as this is my first trip here?

←

[Gul_Dekar]

I actually tried the one above HSBC. (Are there two up there btw?) I went there really early once (8am) and the dim sum tasted a bit funny. My friends and I didn't feel to comfortable with the place. Maybe it's just a one-time thing...

There's also a shop south of LCBO on Dundas (I forgot the name) that serves decent dim sum, and Bright Pearl which isn't too bad.

I guess St. Lawrence Market would definitely be a nice place to visit if you haven't already.

[itch22]

There were some recommendations in this thread.

[Librarian_chef]

Hey guys. I've heard that Dim Sum in Toronto is the best. I'm here visiting my cousin for a few days and as I'm a dim sum fanatic I have to get my fix before I go!

So, sock it to me. Where do they serve good dimsum in toronto? I'm staying in the harborfront but will be willing to travel (by TTC of course). And while you're at it, what is the one thing I'll have to see while I'm in Toronto, as this is my first trip here?

←

Having dined at Lai Wah Heen, it really is fantastic with super creative dumplings and tid bits. However, it is very expensive.

I have eaten Dim Sum at this little place that just opened down the street from where I live, Finch and Yonge, called Not Just Dim Sum and they are pretty good. I loved their turnip cake. They don't do soup dumplings though. You could also try the Chinese Malls at Kennedy and Steeles and Hwy 7 just East of the 404. They both have food courts with a wide assortment and are very cheap. The T&T in Markham also has inexpensive and plentiful dim sum, but nothing too fancy.

I don't know the downtown places very well anymore. I used to eat at a couple on Kensington Ave though that were good, semi-clean, and dirt cheap.

These days, I mostly buy frozen and cook them myself.

Mark

[battlepanda]

Thanks guys. I'm venturing out to chinatown today. I'm going to go to the Royal ontario museum and a couple of touristy places like that.

From frozen? The only one I know that cooks up good from frozen are the char shu buns. Then again, I'm from Amherst, Massachusetts and the asian store there is not very comprehensive.

[Librarian_chef]

I have no problem cooking frozen pot stickers/gyoza, kim chi dumplings, chive dumplings, sesame filled rice balls, and soup filled dumplings at home. I try to get the MSG free ones whenever possible. I know these count as convenience food, but since my wife hates dim sum, its not worth the effort to make a large batch fresh for just myself. I steam most of them in a cabbage lined bamboo steam basket except the potstickers which I cook in a non-stick pan (they still fry up nicely, regardless of what Jamie Oliver says) and rice balls, which I boil. The frozen buns do reheat the best, I agree.

I have made my own wonton's, spring rolls, cha chiu bao, har gau, and the like at home, but my yield is usually too high and the food cost can sometimes outweigh the cost of buying frozen ones.

Let us know where you go.

Kowloon on Baldwin has dim sum as well, but there are very few asian diners there and the food is very hit or miss.

Mark

Edited February 8, 2005 by Librarian_chef (log)

[pumpkin.kim]

In Queen's Quay Terminal, steps from where you are staying, is a restaurant on the second floor called Pearl Harbourfront. Ask for a window seat. The food style is very clean, rather nicely articulated for dim sum. Aside from Lai Wah Heen, it is the only good dim sum restaurant downtown, in my opinion. (More traditional, less avant garde than Lai Wah Heen.) If you're curious, there is a northern dim sum place on Dundas east of Spadina, called Wei Shiang Tsuen (Asian Legend). Quite different and rather yummy. Beef & green onion pancake rolls, pot stickers, glutinous rice packed around shredded pork and oil stick.

[GordonCooks]

Lai Wah Heen at the Metropolitan is the best I've ever had. I also enjoy Bright Pearl on Spadina on Sundays.

[Ben Hong]

Don't forget the Dynasty on Bloor. It was great 7 years ago and it was good last summer. Today????

[battlepanda]

I ended up going to Bright Pearl. The experience was good, but not great. I feel like my Dim Sum cravings have been provoked, rather than sated. Tomorrow, I will hit Pearl Harbourfront since it's close by, and who knows, maybe I'll take my cousin to Lai wah heen before I go. Something inside me is very suspicious of fancified dim sum, but since I've heard nothing but good about that place I should give it a try.

By the way, this week's copy of "Now" (a free alternative weekly) just so happen to have a guide to T.O.'s best Chinese food. Pick up a copy and see if you agree.

Wow! Mark, you know how to make your own dimsum? Kudos. I think of it as strictly restaurant food, especially since one of the chief reason I like it so much is the staggering variety. Yup. I'm one of those girls who always wants a bite of whatever everyone else is having. The only dimsum I want to make on my own because I can just eat it all day long is the lotus wrapped rice. It's one of my favorite dimsums and I feel like lots of restaurants skimp on it, using inferior fillings. Another one I want to make is those little cute custard tarts. Mmmm...

[Librarian_chef]

I ended up going to Bright Pearl. The experience was good, but not great. I feel like my Dim Sum cravings have been provoked, rather than sated. Tomorrow, I will hit Pearl Harbourfront since it's close by, and who knows, maybe I'll take my cousin to Lai wah heen before I go. Something inside me is very suspicious of fancified dim sum, but since I've heard nothing but good about that place I should give it a try.

By the way, this week's copy of "Now" (a free alternative weekly) just so happen to have a guide to T.O.'s best Chinese food. Pick up a copy and see if you agree.

Wow! Mark, you know how to make your own dimsum? Kudos. I think of it as strictly restaurant food, especially since one of the chief reason I like it so much is the staggering variety. Yup. I'm one of those girls who always wants a bite of whatever everyone else is having. The only dimsum I want to make on my own because I can just eat it all day long is the lotus wrapped rice. It's one of my favorite dimsums and I feel like lots of restaurants skimp on it, using inferior fillings. Another one I want to make is those little cute custard tarts. Mmmm...

←

I have used almost exclusively Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's book, The Dim Sum Dumpling Book, and had mixed results. I got my recipe for gyoza from the web though. I have always wanted to make my own sticky rice, but never got around to it. I LOVE chinese sausage, particularly Lap Cheong. I make a faux sticky rice in my rice cooker sometimes, basically all of the ingredients thrown in without the wrapping and not using glutinous rice (usually jasmine scented instead).

I hope you are not disappointed by Lei Wah Heen. My only complaint was the quantity to price ratio. I found the quality was superb. I particularly loved a chile-fried tofu dish we had that had just the right balance of saltiness and heat. The butterfly dumplings and the bumble-bee crab claws were good too. The xiu mai with a scallop and smelt roe on top was truly delectable.

Let us know how your meal at Pearl Harbourfront goes.

Bon apetit and Gong Hei Fat Choi!

Mark

[battlepanda]

Back in Massachusetts,

I never did make it to Pearl Harbourfront :(

I did go to Lai Wah Heen for lunch today though. Unfortunately, I was dining alone and so could only sample a few things. The Char Shiu buns are good. the layered glutinous rice "chicken" was perfectly cooked but a little too delicate in flavor. The dan tat (custard tarts) were terrific, except for the fact that they were covered in this gross swallow's nest stuff that tasted like shredded plastic.

All in all, I think Lai Wah Heen is not for me. I like my Dim Sum less delicate, not to mention cheaper!

[Librarian_chef]

Back in Massachusetts,

I never did make it to Pearl Harbourfront :(

I did go to Lai Wah Heen for lunch today though. Unfortunately, I was dining alone and so could only sample a few things. The Char Shiu buns are good. the layered glutinous rice "chicken" was perfectly cooked but a little too delicate in flavor. The dan tat (custard tarts) were terrific, except for the fact that they were covered in this gross swallow's nest stuff that tasted like shredded plastic.

All in all, I think Lai Wah Heen is not for me. I like my Dim Sum less delicate, not to mention cheaper!

←

It doesn't sound like you tried any of their dumplings, which would be a real shame. I haven't tried their Char Shiu Bao as you can get them readily at a lot of other places.

Anyone else have a negative Lei Wah Heen experience (pricing excluded)?

Mark

[foodexplorer]

It's quite funny to see this thread, that I just took a picture yesterday from Oriental Harbour in Richmond Hill.

9425 Leslie street

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3N7

905-780-9292

All the food shown here including tax was under $24.

2 people stuffed and had leftover. They serves lunch till 3pm

Edited March 11, 2005 by foodexplorer (log)

[Librarian_chef]

It's quite funny to see this thread, that I just took a picture yesterday from Oriental Harbour in Richmond Hill.

9425 Leslie street

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3N7

905-780-9292

All the food shown here including tax was under $24.

2 people  stuffed and had leftover. They serves lunch till 3pm

←

Looks good, I think I might try going there this weekend.

Mark

[foodexplorer]

Looks good, I think I might try going there this weekend.

Mark

←

It's value meal for your buck.. I cannot say it's the best. But deep fried eggplant and sesame ball are must.

Edited March 11, 2005 by foodexplorer (log)