Tuesday, May 16, 2017

South China Dim Sum Bar

We are confessed dim sum addicts; those tiny baskets of steamed Chinese morsels like dumplings, steamed buns and other delights. At the drop of a hat, we will investigate any place serving good dim sum. The best Lynne has ever had was in China Town in London, where it was a regular Sunday treat with friends - at Lee Ho Fook behind the Swiss Centre or in one of the great places in Wardour or Gerrard Street, where trolleys came to your table loaded with different choices, so you didn't have to wait long; such a huge choice. John has been introduced to them by Lynne and loved the places we went to in Hong Kong, like Tim Ho Wan. In Cape Town there is a small choice of places and of dim sum. We really like the South China in upper Long Street and this was the obvious place to go to after the Whisky and Gin Festival before taking an Uber home
We were lucky to get a table at 9pm at this popular place; someone had reserved one and hadn’t turned up. The tables are basic, no frills eating, the tiny plastic stools need cushions, but it is the food you come for. There are more tables in the courtyard behind the kitchen
The menu and beverage list is on chalk boards next to the (very small) open kitchen, ably controlled by chef owner Edmund Hung
The menu. One thing you need to know. All the portions of dumplings come in threes, so if there are two of you, you might want to order two portions. Halving one dumpling is not easy and very unsatisfying!
After tasting lots of fine aged whiskies and good gins, what did we desire? Nice, refreshing cold beer. This is a new one to us, and it is quite malty. We enjoyed it. We hadn't heard of Striped Horse beer, who have a head office in Hudson Street in the Waterkant. Their web site tells you nothing about who they are or who makes the beer, sadly. Such a wasted marketing opportunity
First course was the lamb pot-sticker dumplings topped with spring onions, with its good dipping sauce of soy and rice wine vinegar and another of chilli oil and Shar sui sauce. A steamed dumpling which is then fried in a pan to give it a crisp finish.
Then some Sui mai dumplings filled with pork, water chestnuts and shiitake mushroom. John was able to pick off the mushroom on the top
We also had some of Lynne's favourite, the slippery prawn Har Gow
and finally the Braised Beef with rice. It is a recipe Lynne uses - beef in soy, garlic and five spice, slow cooked until it falls apart, served on sticky jasmine rice
Our bill. We will be back soon, probably with friends

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