Cycle 14 – Item 364
4 (Thu) January 2024
Lettuce
2.5
(Starfield Hanam)
-Sinjang, Hanam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-
solo
Dimtao Hongkong is a Chinese restaurant. Specializes in dimsum. Part of a chain, currently 7 locations.
In 2024, the restaurant’s original location in Busan was recognized by the Michelin Guide:
Dim sum, a representative Cantonese dish, literally means “touch the heart,” implying that it’s not intended to fill your stomach, but is supposed to be a simple meal. Dim Tao focuses on the most famous dim sum dishes among its countless varieties, including juicy xiao long bao (soup dumplings); a dumpling filled with plump shrimp and chives; wonton soup; and barbeque pork buns. Traditionally, dim sum is served with tea. We recommend the pu’er and jasmine teas. A long line of customers outside makes this popular establishment in the Haeridan-gil area impossible to miss.
By referring to dimsum as Cantonese, and xiaolongbao as a famous dimsum dish, the implication therefore is that xiaolongbao are Cantonese – but it’s not. While falling under the wide umbrella of dimsum, which may cover dishes from regions beyond Guangdong (Canton), xiaolongbao hail from the Jiangsu province and proliferated in Shanghai. Surprising that the Michelin Guide would get that wrong.
Several initial clues suggested that this was not a Korean business. First, no jjajang myeon or jjambbong or tangsu yuk on the menu, which are standard even at restaurants attempting to be more authentic (see for example 14.353 Fujian Rice Bowl). Instead, vegetable dishes, including bokchoy and lettuce – the vast majority of (Korean-)Chinese restaurants in Korea offer zero vegetable dishes. Third, the names of dishes are properly spelled, not Koreanized – e.g., xiaolongbao is written as “샤오롱바오 (xiaolongbao),” not “소롱포 (sorongpo)” (see for example 14.341 Luseongyo(?)) Fourth, imported condiments on the table – technically not Chinese, but the point being that a Korean owner would never think to offer condiments other than soy sauce, vinegar, and gochugaru. Fifth, no fake Chinese banchan, such as jjasai (zhachai), only a simple pickled white cabbage, which is a real thing. And so, from the outset, I assumed Dimtao to be an overseas chain, yet another entrant to the growing dimsum market, like Timhowan (see generally 14.064 Abalone Pork & Shrimp Dumplings) or Dim Dimsum (see generally 14.159 Roast Duck Noodle Soup).
Most important, the food was legit. The hargao was good, made in-house. The fried rice was good, comprising fluffy long grain rice. The lettuce was okay, though a bit too sweet and sour for my tastes – beware, it’s an enormous portion, perhaps half the head; would’ve been better to serve only a quarter and charge less. In any case, the authenticity of the spread confirmed my initial impression.
Only in researching the background of the restaurant to write this post did I discover its Korean origins.
The company is running a pop-up event at the Shinsegae Department store in the mall, the culmination of discussions that had started in September (see generally 14.252 Pyeongyang Nengmyeon). I dropped by to see how things were going and had dinner afterwards.
(See also FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)