Dim Sum Habit No. 2

In some Dim Sum places you will find that the food is transported in trolleys. This trolleys have the path which they follow the whole time. It's quite useful for tourists because you sometimes can just point what you want or the English name of the dish is sometimes written down.

Dim Sum Habit No. 1: Refilling

You should try to pure tea to your neighbor as much as possible. Even if their cup is half full. If someone respectful such as your father, mother, teacher, uncle, aunt, grandfather, grandmother is present it is considered respectful to serve them first or at least give hints that you want to serve them something. Lots of time they are going to say, that you should just help yourself, but it's important to go through this steps. If you understand this, you understand a bit of the Asian mentality. It comes down to sharing and showing respect, even if you know how the answer will already be. The thought is important.   

Some Dim Sum Sweets

While there are many savory types of food, there are many small deserts too, which are eaten either next to the savory, or after.
Here are only some examples, but some of the best:

You know it! (Custard Tart)

Crispy sesamy ball with red bean inside

Steamed Sponge Cake (because of its looks)

Custard Bun

  

Sweet tofu with sugar sirup

Mango Pudding

Next up are a few some custom rules and habits in Dim Sum.

Dim Sum

As I mentioned in the last post, Dim Sum is a kind of food which doesn't fit to the Chinese stereotype of food. It is only made for lunch. Though many people skip breakfast and will eventually only eat Dim Sum.

The Dim Sum is only served in Yum Cha (which means "drink tea"), which is a special kind of restaurant/way found all over in Hong Kong. 

The concept is that you drink a lot of tea (see the connection to the Yum Cha!?) and that you share many little bite size specialties with one and each other. The sharing part is very important. You do NOT (NEVER) take your own portion. (Except if your alone...yeah that sucks) 

If you ever come down to Hong Kong or eat Dim Sum, please don't leave me hanging and share. :)

We always share and everyone is always polite. Sometimes you'll just find that all the last pieces are left, because no one would dare take it because it isn't respectful.

Most of the dishes are steamed and you are not likely to find these dishes anywhere else than in Yum Cha Places. Many workers and some families go under the week to eat Dim Sum, but you will mostly find that Sundays are full with families joining to sit down for a couple of hours, eat, talk and enjoy life. 

Every Sunday’s just about all Yum Chas are packed. Hell.. I had to wait nearly two hours to get into a Yum Cha to eat with friends or family. Around 50 people standing in line...

So what will you get you ask? As I said lots of varieties which are not common to eyes which haven't seen or ears which haven't heard Dim Sum yet. They are commonly served in bamboo baskets.

Barbecue pork bun

Lotus leaf rice

Siu Mai

Chicken feet (Haha tourists normally are not willing to try it, but I love it!)  

Shrimp dumplings

Lots of other buns

And many more!

Next up are some Dim Sum sweets. (I'm getting hungry and it's like 12 o clock midnight over here

Cha chaan teng!

So I think Cha Chaan teng needs explanations, as some have stated to me. It wasn’t my intention to post an empty Entry on my blog...

So here's the explanation I owe you folks! 


Cha chaan teng is something we don't come across back in Switzerland.

It's a good alternative to the common breakfast everyone back home eats in there houses.
Cha chaan teng are casual dining places, where you can eat like just the whole day!

It's what you get, when you fusion brunch, afternoon tea and easy dinner with each other. Though dinner isn't always guarantied, brunch and lunch are always available. It's an easy going joint of a kind, which has lot of varieties and set menus with drink for a very cheap price too. I'm talking around 24+ HK Dollars per Dish (3+ CHF)

(My favorite part in this post is where I get to show some of the Pictures I made of the typical Cha Chaan Teng!)
You guys already heard of the custard egg tart (the post I made once, if not go look it up ;) ). That's one of the stuff you might find in cha chaan teng. There are many more to follow!

Here are a few typical things to order:

The Egg Sandwich (The Egg is only cooked for 15 Seconds in the pan which was heated up)

The famous Hong Kong milk tea. (It gets you quite addicted)

Set menus such as noodle with soup with an omelet and sandwich plus drink. (Maybe around 30 Hong Kong Dollars (3-4 CHF), for the whole stuff!)

Another Set Menu with Chicken Wings and hot milk tea.

The Pineapple Bun (a sweet Pastry, but isn't really made of pineapple. look closely at the bread top and you will know we they call it "Pineapple bun"

Pork Chop Bun. It looks so delicious, but mark my words. It tastes even better.

Some other Pictures:

Noodles, Sandwiches, Coffee, Meat, Vegetable, Buns, you name it! And everything meant for breakfast too! I eat my breakfast just about every second day in a cha chaan teng.

Next up’s Dim Sum, which is one of my favorite. Dim Sum is an assortment of lunch goodies. They are served in Yam Zahs, which are always full with people and with many food which seem hardly Chinese stereotypical with the beliefs of many visitors!


Just a short note: Sometimes breakfast in Hong Kong can also just look like this :) :

A brief break, but I'm back!

Sorry folks, the last few days were quite busy.
I totally lack time and so on, this and that.

But I'll start putting up posts again!

Anyways,
Regards

Felix