My two favorite dishes didn’t roll past our table until the very end of the meal. Don’t stop investigating passing carts or you may miss some of the best dishes. The stream of carts moves very quickly and in turn so must you, as the carts pass you by, continue the card/food exchange until you have a nice base of dishes to work through on your table. Don’t worry about price, nothing will break the bank, if it looks decent, hand over your card in exchange for some food. Be adventurous, get out of your seat, card in hand, and take a peek at what’s on the cart. This is where the “seizing” comes into play. Carts filled with steam baskets and plates of food will be wheeled quickly past you by mainly Cantonese-speaking women who have little to no patience describing what they’re offering. On weekends, prices vary depending on size from $2.95 to $3.95 to $4.95. During the week, every plate at Jing Fong, no matter the size, is $2.95. The size of the dish determines price and where it’s stamped. “This is my order card! There are many like it, but this one is mine! My order card is my best friend. In case you still don’t comprehend the gravity of this card’s purpose, I’m going to borrow some lines from the film “Full Metal Jacket”: Don’t lose it and try not to spill on it. Every time you take a steam basket or plate, this card is stamped. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be unceremoniously ushered to a table and handed an order card (ask for two order cards, if possible, I’ll explain why later). Jing Fong is a massive dim sum house, so much so that you have to take a very steep escalator up to the vast banquet hall. If you’re going on a Saturday or Sunday, get there early, preferably before noon, because there will most likely be a wait and they sometimes run out of certain dishes. Dim sum is served from breakfast through late afternoon every day but it draws big crowds on weekends. “Dim Sum” does not mean “dumplings.” It refers to the entire range of dishes offered at the dim sum house. It’s the language of the dim sum house and having someone with you who has mastered it will make the meal.
There’s one thing you can do to GUARANTEE a thorough and authentic experience: bring one person with you who speaks Cantonese. In the following sections preceding the food I will try to prepare you for the unique cultural experience you will soon undertake. If you have eaten dim sum before, in an authentic Cantonese dim sum house, skip ahead and just enjoy the food porn. If you’ve never eaten Dim Sum, you MUST read this….
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