Dim Sum!

It wasn’t that long ago that I asked about dim sum opportunities in Boise. Listeners pointed me to Yen Ching and their dim sum menu.

I was remembering feasts at restaurants in the Seattle area, where carts were brought around for browsing and selections. While visiting my parents last week in Arizona, we got a table for dim sum lunch service at Mekong Palace in Mesa.

This was such a treat! Not only the food, but the chrysanthemum tea we had with the food.

Let me just say, the best bao buns I’ve ever had were during this lunch.

Bring your sense of adventure to try things you’ve never tried before. I tried a taro ball. It had lacy, crunchy exterior. The filling was mashed taro – read more about that vegetable here – and something else. I don’t know what it was, but it was delicious. I dipped it in sweet chili sauce.

Sweet sticky rice wrapped in leaves. Yum!

Sweet buns with a sugar cookie topping, steamed shrimp wontons, and coconut cream buns.

The dessert cart and hot cart are brought to the tables.

The cart wait staff describe all the selections. While I am all for a sense of adventure, I took a pass on the tripe and this.

Those are chicken feet!

But “yes,” to the shrimp pops and Y-E-S to this iconic dessert: Chinese egg tarts.

Have you ever seen so many layers in a pastry? We thought we might make some at home, but the recipe is so complicated, it’s best left to the pastry professionals.

~Debbie