A Close Encounter with Dim Sum

CEBU, Philippines - Dim sum dishes (literally, “to touch your heart”) are related to the Chinese tradition of yum cha or drinking tea in taverns where travelers met on the Silk Road nearly 2,500 years ago. These dishes included steamed or fried dumplings, buns and tarts. Portions were bite-size and served in small plates or in tiers of bamboo steamers. It then evolved into a culinary art among the Cantonese and became popular worldwide.

In 1969, dim sum made its appearance in Cebu and the restaurant that brought it in gained instant popularity because the food was delicious, the service via the dim sum trolley was quick, and the sight of food in steaming bamboo baskets really aroused the customers’ appetite.  The prices were very reasonable even to a frugal Cebuano. In 2004, I wrote an article, “Siopapo, Siomai ug Uban Pa,” inspired by a TV documentary “Dim Sum Odyssey” on the National Geographic Channel.

Dim sum is grouped into categories, such as dumpling, buns, fried or steamed dim sum, rice rolls, vegetarian and dessert. Much later, I’ve found out that almost all countries have their own version of a dumpling – like the Filipino Pancit Molo, but instead of noodles, meat-filled wontons or dumplings are used.

Last March, a dim sum Tim Ho Wan opened at the SM Seaside City (Mountain Wing). The Michelin Guide for Hong Kong & Macau 2016 indicated that there were six restaurants in Hong Kong with three stars, 14 restaurants with two stars, and 41 restaurants with one star, including the Tim Ho Wan restaurants at North Point and Sham Shui Po. This one in Cebu is the seventh branch of Tim Ho Wan in the Philippines.

Foodee Global Concepts President Rikki Dee and Tim Ho Wan Phil. financial chief Johnson Chan welcomed guests, and joined by Shopping Center Management Corporation president Annie S. Garcia and SM Prime Holdings’ Marissa Fernan at the ribbon cutting. At the press luncheon, Tim Ho Wan Philippines corporate group chef Lam Ka Yeung did a food presentation, followed by the media luncheon with 30 dim sum delights.

Tim Ho Wan offers its so-called the “Four Heavenly Kings” – Steamed Egg Cake, Bean Curd Skin with Pork & Shrimp, Pan Fried Radish Cake and the star of the show, excuse me, is the Baked Buns with BBQ Pork. The way the bun is made makes the difference and the taste is similar to a French croissant, definitely with butter goodness.

My personal favorites were the Rice with Chinese Sausage Chicken and Mushroom (a reminder of my first trip to Hong Kong), Poached Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce (memories of farming in Carcar), Har Gow or Prawn Dumpling (the undisputed monarch of the dim sum hierarchy, because it has aesthetics and tastiness in one compact package) and Bean Curd Skin with Pork & Shrimp (superior taste). (FREEMAN)