Okay, so I’ve been on this dim sum kick lately, right? I mean, who doesn’t love those little bite-sized delights? But it got me thinking, not all dim sum is created equal. So, I embarked on this grand quest – a journey, if you will – to create the ultimate dim sum tier list.
First, I gathered my data. And by “gathered,” I mean I ate a ton of dim sum. It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. I hit up all the local spots, from the fancy places downtown to the hole-in-the-wall joints that only the locals know about. I even convinced my friends to join me on a few dim sum outings, you know, for “research” purposes.
Then came the hard part – ranking them. I started with the classics: your Har Gow (shrimp dumplings), Siu Mai (pork and shrimp dumplings), and Char Siu Bao (barbecue pork buns). These are the staples, the baseline, the foundation upon which all other dim sum is judged, you know?
My Dim Sum Ranking
- S Tier: These are the god-tier, the ones that make you close your eyes and moan in delight. For me, that’s Har Gow. The perfectly translucent wrapper, the plump, juicy shrimp, the subtle sweetness. It’s a masterpiece.
- A Tier: These are the solid choices, the ones you can always rely on. Siu Mai falls here. Always a crowd-pleaser. Cheung Fun (rice noodle rolls) also makes the A-tier, especially the ones with shrimp or barbecue pork.
- B Tier: These are good, but not amazing. They’re like the supporting actors in a movie. They don’t steal the show, but they add to the overall experience. Here’s where you’ll find things like Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli) with oyster sauce and spring rolls. They are fine, they hit the spot.
- C Tier: These are the ones I usually skip. They are just not my favorite. Things like chicken feet, it was just not for me, so it’s an easy C-tier.
- D Tier: Yeah, there were a few that went straight to the D-tier. Like, who thought century egg congee was a good idea? No thanks.
After making my initial list, I went back and tried a few more places, you know, just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. I refined the list, moved things around, and finally, after much deliberation (and many, many dumplings), I had it – my definitive dim sum tier list.
Of course, this is all subjective. You might love century egg congee, and that’s cool. But for me, this list is the gospel truth. It’s the culmination of weeks of “research,” a testament to my dedication to the art of dim sum. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think I hear some Har Gow calling my name. Don’t judge, a man’s gotta have his priorities straight. And mine are clearly S-tier dumplings.