To Dim Sum

I rarely do dim sum unless it's with friends familiar with one another's dietary preferences. Dim sum is really for sharing right? So if it's just four of us, it's not going to work very well if three don't eat meat and one devours chicken feet and roast meats. Dim summing in a large group works better when there's something for everybody. With these girlfriends, I'm assured of a yummy meal with no awkwardness if I go to town with the menu and not order a single item of meat.

The dim sum menu at Summer Palace is limited. Their usual lunch menu is fine. However, we're here for one specific reason- the egg custard and salted egg yolk bun (流沙包). I'm not a fan of this bun. The man is. These girlfriends are. And I know that this restaurant does a pretty good version. Importantly, the restaurant is familiar with my tastebuds, and preferences for a table. It'll be comfortable enough for Lil Missy Bossy today.

"I'm hungry!" the little one stated. Okaaayy! Food had been ordered. We'd just have to wait for a while. I've missed this girl! She has the cutest way of wrapping my heart around her little finger. She liked the soup. She picked out the greens and left the crab meat alone. She wasn't interested in it. I had asked for a soup with seafood stock and no herbs. Ha! The kitchen gave us a thick rich version that even the adults enjoyed.

I didn't exactly over-order. We finished all the dishes. Lil Missy Bossy didn't talk much at lunch. She was very busy eating. She loved the lightly seared garouper and finished 2 sizeable chunks on her own, like we did. Knowing my no-yellow-noodles rule, the kitchen rustled up an easy dish of sômen with eggplant and capsicum. Yummmy! Carbs for the day. The little one was full, but insisted on eating the noodles because she liked the taste, texture and color. Hahahaha. Of course! I knew that!

We weren't too sure about Chinese tea, and decided to wait for V to sort that out. She knows her teas. She picked oolong and the restaurant gave us a fragrant grade that's really light and floral. What a surprise. Hurrah! We were in the mood for something light. It's pouchong (包種茶), the lightest in oxidation of all oolongs. From Taiwan, harvested last spring. Good tea goes nicely with dim sum.