Dim Sum Saturday

I must admit that I am usually not much of a breakfast person...it's not that I don't love breakfast foods (bacon!) or enjoy cooking it, but being a student means that I rarely have the time to putter about my kitchen in the early hours of the morning which more often than not are spent putting the finishing touches on whatever project is consuming my energy and attention at that moment.

But every now and then, I like to treat myself. When the mood strikes, I take the N train down to Chinatown and make a trip to my favorite dim sum place, Jing Fong.

Two things to keep in mind when visiting just about any dim sum place:
1. Be Aggressive. The cart ladies have no mercy. I've often had to chase down a cart with my favorite offering because the cart lady had passed my table by. Exercise with breakfast...it's part of the experience.
And 2. Arrive Before Noon, especially on weekends, when all the Asian families will be getting together for their weekend dim sum brunch and all the hungover NYU students will be flooding in for cures to their Friday night of overindulgence. Speaking a bit of Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin) can help too, even if your accent is atrocious. As a last resort, point.

Above: Steamed vegetable dumplings

Green tea

Har gow (shrimp dumplings)

Beef tripe

Deep fried taro

Sesame seed balls


Egg custard tarts

Coconut mochi filled with peanut sugar

Sweet Osmanthus jelly