Che’s Cantonese Restaurant 車氏粵菜軒, Wan Chai
Dim sum is Cantonese for desserts 點心 or 点心. This was evolved from Yum Cha – 飲茶 or to drink tea. In the olden days, travelers on the silk road and field labors would stop by these tea house for tea. These establishments started to just serve tea and later little dishes. Recent tradition calls for dim sum to be weekend family lunch events.
Elegant, low-key, and delicious describe Che’s Cantonese Restaurant in Wan Chai. Opened by a Hong Kong celebrity, Che’s is located on the 4th floor of an office building. You’d never know it was there, except for the valet parking service curbside. I know I was a bit surprised when Mr. P took us there.
Che’s crispy pork buns (酥皮叉燒餐包) were the most important thing that Mr. P ordered. MOST IMPORTANT! He indicated that all else doesn’t matter. Other dim sum restaurants I’ve been to, I don’t recall ever having these crispy pork buns. These little buns, a miniaturized Po Lo Bao 菠蘿包, contained luscious and sweet BBQ pork. They certainly were important and also yummy. I know I was trying to grab a picture with these flaky sweets.
Dim sum, which could be called Cantonese tapas, features many pork, shrimp, and rice based dishes. One of my favorites is Rice noodle rolls or cheong fan with bbq pork (腸粉). The rice noodle rolls is moist thin wrapper, made from rice, typically wrapped with bbq pork or shrimp or beef. Drenched in a diluted soy sauce, it is light and tasty. Che’s version was excellent.
Another great dish we had was the pan fried turnip cake (香煎蘿蔔糕). Made from mashed turnips, it is formed into a cake squares and then fried. This savory and aromatic dish another one of my favorites. Heck, I have a lot of dim sum favorites.
There were a couple of other great dishes, including a pan fried rice noodle, steamed egg bun, steam shrimp dumplings, and Lotus leaf rice (糯米雞). But the the crispy pork buns, rice noodle rolls, and turnip cakes stood out.
What to Order: Rice noodle rolls or cheong fan with bbq pork (腸粉), Che’s crispy pork buns (酥皮叉燒餐包), Pan fried turnip cake (香煎蘿蔔糕) What not to Order: nothing… .really nothing
Rating 3 Pigs Price Range 2 $/¥/NT
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