Alright, let me tell you about my hunt for decent dim sum here in Boston. It wasn’t exactly straightforward, you know? I got this craving, a real strong one, for those little plates of goodness, the steam, the noise, the whole experience.
First thing, I started asking around. Talked to a few folks I know, people who’ve been in the city longer than me. Some pointed me towards Chinatown, which seemed like the obvious starting point. Makes sense, right?
Heading into Chinatown
So, I took a trip down there one weekend morning. Man, was it buzzing. Loads of people out and about. You can kinda feel the energy shift when you get into the heart of it. I walked past a few places, peering in windows, trying to gauge the vibe. Some looked really old-school, others a bit more modern.
I decided to just pick one that looked popular. You know the rule, follow the crowd, especially when you’re unsure. Found a place, big dining room, lots of round tables packed with families. Had to wait a bit, maybe 20 minutes? Not too bad for a weekend, I guess.
The Eating Experience
Finally got seated. The carts started rolling by almost immediately. That’s what I was looking for! The classic cart experience. It’s just not the same when you order off a menu, though some places do that now too.
I flagged down a few carts, started pointing at things:
- Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings): Gotta have these. The skin was okay, shrimp tasted fresh enough.
- Siu Mai (Pork Dumplings): Another staple. Pretty standard, decent flavor.
- Cheung Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls): Tried the shrimp kind. Sauce was a bit sweet for my liking, but the noodles were soft.
- Lo Bak Go (Turnip Cake): Pan-fried nice and crispy. One of my favorites, and this one wasn’t bad.
- Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns): Fluffy buns, good filling. Can’t really mess these up too badly.
The atmosphere was loud, chaotic, just like it should be. Servers pushing carts, people chatting loudly, plates clattering. It felt authentic in that sense. Service was… well, it’s dim sum service. Efficient, maybe a little abrupt, but they keep the food coming.
A Quick Tip: If you go on a weekend, go early. Like, before 11 am early. Otherwise, be prepared for a potentially long wait. Weekdays are much calmer if you can swing it.
I’ve tried a couple of other spots since then too. Some are better than others, naturally. Found one place that does the order-sheet thing, which is actually kind of nice sometimes if you know exactly what you want and don’t want to wait for the right cart. But honestly, part of the fun for me is seeing the carts roll by, that little bit of discovery.
So yeah, you can find pretty decent dim sum in Boston. Took a bit of exploring, finding the right spots, figuring out the best times to go. It might not be exactly like the best I’ve ever had elsewhere, but it definitely scratches the itch when that dim sum craving hits. Just gotta dive in and try a few places yourself.