"If you grew up anywhere near the San Gabriel Valley, you could probably write this cheat sheet yourself. I was lucky enough to spend nearly every summer morning seated with my grandmother at a big round table in one of the numerous dim sum halls in the SGV. This was back when nearly every restaurant serving dim sum had carts."
"Lo bak go never tasted better than when it was fresh off the cart, the edges of the turnip cake still sizzling. I used to look for the cart with the mountain of gai lan and request extra oyster sauce for the long, leafy stalks of broccoli. If the dim sum was good, you'd likely be spending half the meal standing, head on a swivel, looking for the cart with your favorites."
Dim sum is best enjoyed with a group where diners order many small plates to share. Items should be served loose from steamers to preserve texture and flavor. Requesting chile oil enhances many dishes. In the San Gabriel Valley, traditional cart service delivered freshly steamed and fried plates directly to tables, with popular items like lo bak go and gai lan often claimed quickly. Many restaurants now use paper checkoff menus but still offer consistent offerings. A few essential dishes, including shumai, are useful tests of quality and anchor a dim sum order that evokes intergenerational morning gatherings.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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