Hong Kong Harbour, 06-10-2005

Small bites = big delights

Hong Kong Harbour ranks tops for dim sum as family-run eatery on Cheshire Bridge thrives.

(as printed in The Southern Voice, www.southernvoice.com)

By RODNEY SMILEY
Friday, June 10, 2005

The small-portioned dim sum that Americans enjoy today can be traced to the Cantonese provinces, where people traditionally gathered at teahouses in the morning and early afternoon to socialize or do business over snack-sized bites.

Literally translated, dim sum means “dot-hearts,” small treats that touch the heart.

In the U.S., where Spanish tapas are trendy as well, eateries modified the dim sum tradition to fit our unique dining preferences. Dim sum is now served as a brunch meal and is becoming popular with the fickle foodsters who are out for something other than eggs, bacon, biscuits and mimosas.

A local favorite among dim sum enthusiasts in the know, Hong Kong Harbour has managed through the years to maintain an authentic kitchen that serves up some of the most delectable bites in Atlanta. The dim sum experience here, served with cup after cup of house tea, is not to be missed.

Imported Chinese art hangs on every wall, framing the basic dining room in a tapestry of colors that are typical of any number of noodle houses around the city. Focal points include a wall-sized mural of rich gold and deep blue and large fresh crab & lobster tanks that serve as part of the decor.

But the dim sum experience is not about ordering from the menu or from a fresh tank. Half the fun is picking what you want from carts that whiz by every five or 10 minutes.

The savory dishes, steamed or pan-fried dumplings filled with shrimp and pork and even shark fin, are hustled around the restaurant on fast moving metal carts wielded by some of the nicest servers in town.

Diners may experience a small language barrier with the servers, but they are willing to take time and explain exactly what each dish is and how it should be served.

One of the best dim sum dishes at Hong Kong Harbour is the sticky, glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf. A ball of rice stuffed with shrimp, chicken and pork is wrapped in an authentic lotus leaf. The server can cut it open if desired, and as soon as the first cut is made, the steam and savory scent permeates the air around the table.

Another favorite is pot stickers. Pan seared until just crisp, these pork stuffed wontons are served naked, without sauce, until they hit the table. The server then pours a wonderful soy based sauce over the little delights. Save the sauce, because it works well with any number of other dumplings for dipping.

Included in the nearly 100 dim sum menu items, Hong Kong Harbour also serves sweet pastries
and vegetables as part of this rolling feast.

Traditionally, Chinese custom does not include saving sweets for the end of the meal, so interspersed with the savory items are sesame coated sweet puff balls and tiny coconut cakes to help round out the meal, if you’re so inclined.

Still, saving a little extra room for at least one sweet treat near the end is recommended. Of course, by the end of a typical dim sum experience at Hong Kong Harbour, “extra room” may be relative, and not always easy to find.