I can't believe this place has only one review!…read more
Since switching assignments and being in Newcastle this has quickly become a regular, you just can't beat Dim Sum.
The plus sides... Dim Sum, glorious and well made Dim Sum. I truly believe it's made on site as the same orders vary quite a lot between visits... they are always consistent enough, but definitely change... that can be good and bad depending on your view, but I can't say I've ever been totally let down.
This place is best suited for a group of adventorous friends who aren't scared to order a bunch of small dishes and share... my personal favourites include the Prawn and Chive Dumplings along with the Pork and Prawn Dumplings, along the lines of Sui Mai. Even when I haven't loved something here I usually chalk it up to personal taste, as with the Cheung Fun (a little too bland for me), I saw a Chinese lady beside me order two of them and scoff them up with delight... to each their own! Still, the Smashed Prawn Dumplings, Deep Fried Squid with Garlic, Salt, and Pepper, and so many other things hit the spot that I can't fault misses that are down to me ordering off of the beaten path. :) Oh, the Steamed Barbecue Pork Buns... just the right size and balance of flavour! (These are simple but often go wrong, not so here.)
A tip, don't be scared to ask for a sauce... a few dishes come with their specific type, but a lot of the Dim Sum dishes could use a sauce of some sort but they don't tend to offer unless you ask... their happy enough to bring some over though when asked.
I haven't ventured to the mains, other than the starter Deep Fried Squid with Garlic, Salt, and Pepper (with extra chilli, naturally), because I find it too fun to have variety and the mains look rather large... what I have seen looks good however, and there's normally large groups of people going for mains at various tables so I assume they're good.
The only other down side is twice the pints have just seemed off so it may be best to stick to bottles (the pints aren't Asian as it is), BUT, that could also just be a fluke and/or down to me so I'm not ready to really knock them for that and I certainly haven't stopped going!
The place itself is accessible from an elevator on the main street of Chinatown... how mysterious and a bit fun! (OK, fun is relative, but it's still kinda cool.) It's perfectly fitting, larger than expected, and generally pleasant so no real complaints there/
The staff are friendly enough and have even begun to remember some of my orders so they're definitely paying attention!
I have to go five stars here because I feel like I would be a hypocrite to do otherwise... I've gone here so much, it speaks for itself and I'll be very sad to say goodbye to this place when I migrate next for work. If you don't like Chinese food or Dim Sum then obviously this won't be for you, but if you like Dim Sum then hopefully this place will rock your world and become a regular of your own.
