^It was.
Dim sum is no longer a Cantonese thing in modern China. People in Shanghai eat A LOT of it. I couldn't begin to list off all the dim sum restaurants in this city. Hundreds. With so many restaurants serving this popular breakfast/bunch, you'd think it'd be easy to find a good, reliable spot that you could show up to anytime before 2pm, and get a seat. Right? Wrong. Any dim sum place worth its weight in shrimp will have a queue within 10 minutes of opening. On the weekend (which is the only time my wife and I can enjoy it together), it's a chore. If you're not there by 9am, forget it.
Enter Dim Sum Garden
It's new, conveniently located, delicious, and the best part is that not many people have heard of it yet. I've been enjoying top notch dim sum without the early arrival times or annoying queues.
Let's just hope it doesn't get too popular too quickly.
Dim Sum Garden. Located in the lovely French Concession on Shaanxi Rd.
dim sum 7 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
I always have to order a turnip cake to start. This one had some nice little chunks of sausage in it.
dim sum 1 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
These spinach and shrimp steamed dumplings were a standout.
dim sum 3 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
I love steamed black bean spare ribs. They're probably my top dim sum dish if done right. These didn't have much black bean with them, so therefore were lacking that black bean taste. Decent, but I've had way better.
dim sum 4 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
Pork and shrimp steamed dumplings. Perfection.
dim sum 5 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
I could eat 20.
dim sum 6 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
A nice custard bun to finish off the meal. It was good, but I've been spoiled by custard buns in HK.
dim sum 2 by
matteroffact, on Flickr
Dim Sum Garden gets a big recommendation. It may not be the best in the city, but it's really good, and you can get a seat.