Okay, so yesterday I finally went to that place everyone’s been talking about – Royal Garden Dim Sum. I’ve been craving dim sum for, like, forever, and this place popped up on my radar with some pretty good reviews. Gotta say, I was pretty hyped.
Getting There and First Impressions
I headed out around lunchtime, hoping to beat the worst of the rush. Found the place easily enough – it’s in that little strip mall near the supermarket. Parking was a bit of a nightmare, had to circle the block a couple of times, but eventually snagged a spot.
When I walked in, the place was buzzing! Lots of families, couples, and even a few solo diners like myself. It had that classic dim sum restaurant vibe – slightly chaotic, lots of chatter, and the delicious smell of steamed buns and dumplings in the air. The decor was pretty standard, nothing fancy, but clean and bright.
The Dim Sum Ordering Frenzy
I was seated at a small table, and a server immediately handed me a menu and a little checklist. That’s the fun part, right? You get to tick off all the little boxes next to the dishes you want. I felt like a kid in a candy store!
Here is the menu I used：
- Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)
- Siu Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)
- Char Siu Bao (Barbecue Pork Buns)
- Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)
- Lo Mai Gai (Sticky Rice with Chicken in Lotus Leaf)
- Cheung Fun (Rice Noodle Rolls) – I got the shrimp one!
- Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce
- Dan Tat (Egg Tarts)
I may have gone a little overboard. I ordered the classics, of course: har gow, siu mai, char siu bao. But then I also added some xiao long bao (soup dumplings – gotta have those!), lo mai gai (sticky rice in lotus leaf), and cheung fun (rice noodle rolls) with shrimp. Oh, and some gai lan (Chinese broccoli) to get some greens in. And of course, I couldn’t leave without trying their dan tat (egg tarts). It’s my favorite stuff.
The Feast Begins!
The food started arriving pretty quickly. The carts were constantly whizzing by, piled high with bamboo steamers. First up were the har gow and siu mai. The har gow were plump and juicy, with a perfectly translucent wrapper. The siu mai were flavorful and had a nice, firm texture. So far, so good!
Next, the char siu bao arrived. These were fluffy and soft, with a generous filling of sweet and savory barbecue pork. The xiao long bao were a bit tricky to eat – had to be careful not to burn my mouth with the hot soup inside – but they were delicious. The lo mai gai was fragrant and sticky, with tender chicken and a hint of lotus leaf flavor. And the cheung fun? Silky smooth, with perfectly cooked shrimp and a light, savory sauce.
The gai lan was a nice, refreshing contrast to all the richness. It was perfectly cooked, still slightly crisp, and the oyster sauce added a nice umami kick. I finished everything. So happy!
Sweet Endings
Finally, it was time for the egg tarts. They came out warm, with a flaky crust and a creamy, custard filling. They were the perfect ending to a fantastic meal.
This is my favorite part.
The Verdict
Overall, I was really impressed with Royal Garden Dim Sum. The food was fresh, flavorful, and reasonably priced. The service was efficient, if a little hectic. The atmosphere was lively and authentic. I’ll definitely be going back – maybe next time I’ll try to exercise a little more self-control with the ordering! But probably not.