Hong Kong Dim Sum

We knew we had arrived

Hong Kong and Dim Sum

I am finding it impossible to chronicle our journey in the way I intended. There is so much happening every day that I can’t find the time to write. As a consequence, I will give some highlights as we go along which might be more entertaining anyway.

One of the highlights in retrospect after nearly a month on our journey was Hong Kong which was surprising to me. I did not expect to like it so much. We arrived in Hong Kong to rendezvous with our son Ian and GF Tiara.

Dim Sum



Ian and Richard lost in dim sum restaurant

Our first morning we went to a dim sum restaurant for breakfast. The restaurant was jammed wall to wall with tables full of at least 200 chop stick wielding Chinese. As we walked into the restaurant the cacophony of incomprehensible language was almost overwhelming. At first it was a little daunting as I realized that we were the only non Chinese in the place. There was a hazy surreal quality to the light which was diffused by the hundreds of steaming bowls on the tables. Through the haze a waiter materialized and waved us to a communal table in the back corner which we shared with four Chinese who were gabbing and slurping and digging into various bowls with chopsticks and spoons. Their smiles and gestures were an unmistakable sign that we were welcome. We spoke not a word of Chinese and no one indicated that they spoke any English.

The waiter brought us teacups and plates and a bowl of scalding water. Our set up was completed by a pair of chopsticks and spoon for each of us. Our clueless stare caused the waiter to demonstrate that we were to use the bowl of water to rinse the cups and plates.
Our fellow diners

We watched the scene for a few moments. A number of wizened Chinese ladies were pushing wooden carts between the closely packed tables stacked with cylindrical bamboo containers from which aromatic steam emanated. We watched as some of the other diners flagged down a cart and indicated what they wanted. Inside the containers were a variety of dishes, most of which were dumplings with unknown contents. I started pointing to containers and the waitress put them on our table and stamped a ticket with different numbers on it which indicated what we had. After a few minutes one of our fellow diners indicated a few dishes that he either thought we might. Once we took our first bite of dim sum our surroundings got even hazier because we were transported into a world of gastronomic ecstasy. Not only was this the best dim sum I had ever eaten, it was some of the best food I had ever had.

Most of the dishes consisted of dumplings which were the most delicate pockets of noodles. The pockets contained a variety of fillings ranging from vegetables, to meat, to seafood. Many had accompanying sauces and some were just dipped in shoyu. There were also dishes without dumplings such as duck, chicken or meat. After endless cups of tea and what seemed like about 20 different dishes we left the restaurant stuffed to the gills. It seemed like a fitting introduction to Hong Kong.