Dim Sum Delight

Its been a week heavy on the Asian cuisine for Steakhead and wife. First, my trip to Canton Cooks early in the week. Then, the wife and I had another outstanding meal at a packed Real Chow Baby on Saturday night. And to top the weekend off, we traveled to Chamblee to our favorite Dim Sum place for Sunday brunch at Royal China on Chamblee Dunwoody Rd. this morning.

Royal China is about as authentic as it gets for Atlanta chinese food. Looking more like a Chinatown staple in New York or San Francisco, the clientele was roughly 75% Asian- always a good sign. The lobby area was mobbed with groups of people, many families of 6 or 8, waiting for their number to be called. The frantic scene leads you to believe that these folks know this is worth the wait.

If you have not experienced Dim Sum yet, you are really missing out. Sort of like Asian tapas, servers wheel carts full of varieties of steamed dumplings, pastries filled with pork and other appetizers. You pick want you want and the servers mark a card on your table. When you have gorged yourself, you simply take the card to the cashier, who adds up the marks and gives you a price for your meal. And you will be amazed how reasonable it is. With tip it came to less than $15 per person, and trust me, you do not leave wanting for more.

While many dishes fall into "potsticker" domain, there are plenty of opportunities to be adventurous. Like the chicken fingers. Now, I am not kidding you when I say these are real chicken fingers, not some bar fare with the same name you may be used to. But as you can also imagine, there ain't a lotta meat on chicken fingers, so you wind up sifting through more bone than anything. Ending your meal with the custard is a nice touch of sweet, after a heavy dose of sodium.

The great thing about this place is that its not only good and cheap, its a lot of fun. Best to go in a big group, so you can try many of the offerings. For those looking for something different on a Sunday morning (they have Dim Sum everyday, but this is when the scene is at its best), this is something you need to try. Grade: A.