- Dim sum in New York's Chinatown neighborhoods is a popular tradition among Chinese-Americans, and the larger New York community.
- It can be a chaotic and intimidating experience for first-timers
- We went to Jing Fong Restaurant in Manhattan's Chinatown to explain how to do it right
Forget brunch. Dim sum in Chinatown is the better New York tradition.
Dim sum is the traditional meal served in Cantonese teahouses and banquet halls on the weekend mornings, where families gather to drink endless amounts of tea and nibble on tons of delicious small plates.
Like many traditions, it can be intimidating to first-timers. Chinatown is a busy place that makes few concessions to first-timers.
My first experiences eating dim sum were inevitably nerve-wracking. You often end up pointing to dishes you don't want just to get ordering over with - or you're confused as to why you are seated with a family you've never met.
I recently went to Jing Fong Restaurant, one of the best dim sum halls in Manhattan's Chinatown, to relax after a busy weekend, catch up with friends, and chow down.
Here's how to do dim sum right.