Tried Yum Cha which is a new Chinese dim sum restaurant that opened on Lark Lane last month with Danielle and David as he was home for the weekend. I like to pretend that David comes home for my birthday every year when really he comes home for his nephew's birthday but I get to see him so definitely for my birthday...
It was my first outing for food since March! I've not made the most of the eat out to help out scheme I just haven't felt like going out for food. I didn't feel like it was anything different and inside is definitely how it would be even if corona wasn't a thing. The tables are quite spaced out anyway - the staff didn't have any protective coverings on them. In there you wouldn't think there was still a pandemic going on but I felt fine didn't feel worried or unsafe.
The word Yum Cha in Chinese translates to "drink tea" which is also the word for Sunday brunch Chinese people like to have where they go to the restaurant to have dim sum. They do all different dim sum, as well as rice and noodle dishes - big plates. We got there just after 6 and got a table fine as they don't do reservations you just walk in.
Me and Danielle shared a selection of dim sums
BBQ Ji Bao - Fluffy white bun filled with honey barbecued chicken
Yeah on the menu it said fluffy white bun - definite yellow... Only just realised now looking back at the menu! The bun was very thick with not a lot of filling.
Broccoli in garlic and chilli
We were expecting it to be tender stem broccoli that would come long not just normal broccoli in a soggy sauce. It was really disappointing especially as there was a photo on the menu showing that and it was £4 just for some broccoli that costs about 60p in the supermarket!! Over priced broccoli that I have at home most nights! Regret getting it.
Traffic Light dumplings - 2 Har Gau, 2 Jiaozi, 2 So Choi dumplings
Har Gau (orange) - prawn and bamboo shoot filled dumplings
Jiaozi (yellow) - Meat filled dumpling - it was actually just a lump of chicken meat
So Choi (white) - Mixed vegetables in a translucent pastry
These tasted alright but just food colouring to make them "traffic lights". The Jiaozi should be mixed meat and veg but was just a ball of chicken meat.
These are £6 on the menu when every other dim sum is £4.50 but we were only charged £5 on the receipt. We shouldn't have got it since we already ordered har gau on its own and gyoza.
Har Gau - Prawn and bamboo shoot filled dumpling
I actually ordered this on the menu first then Danielle went and picked the traffic light dumplings without realising we were getting the same things!
Gyoza - Pan fried minced chicken dumplings, served with chinkiang vinegar & finely chopped fresh ginger
The server said something about the way it was cooked - cooked the Chinese way rather than the Japanese way that people expect so the pastry is thicker or something? I wasn't really listening to what she was saying to be honest and again I already ordered this before Danielle picked the traffic light dumplings. It was unusual that they didn't do a veggie option, you could only get chicken.
Char Siu Cheung Fun - Our famous steamed rice rolls seasoned with soya sauce
This did not look appetising at all - presentation was awful! When it come Danielle didn't even want to try it. It was made really bad and we only got 2 full sized and 1 small one and it cost £4.50 expected it took look better since on the menu it's "famous". It definitely tasted better than it looked but sadly people eat with their eyes and not their mouth so presentation in a restaurant is everything!
David got his own things as he's veggie.
Wonton Szechuan - Veggie dumpling steamed & tossed in Szechuan chilli sauce
Didn't expect it to come out looking like this just sat soggy in a bowl of sauce!
Salt & Pepper Tofu - Lightly battered tofu tossed in our signature salt & pepper with onions and mixed peppers with fried noodles.
All the actual dumplings looked very neat - I've seen they have Asian chefs and are freshly made each day. Just the presentation on some of the food definitely needs working on. The price of the dim sum is pretty much the same as if you went to the likes of Tai Pan to have traditional Sunday dim sum. The food is alright but if I want to have dim sum I'd definitely go to a more authentic place like Tai Pan that is more suited for Chinese people as this is aimed at "English Chinese" with the big plates and traffic light dumplings to make it more appealing and Westernised. It was full when we left so they're doing well - I guess people want to try it and dim sum has become very popular now not just with Chinese people.
After we went to the pub - The Lodge down the road for a drink. It was empty and we sat in a booth. They have a QR code you can scan on the table to look at the menu and someone comes over to take your drinks order. The whole time we were there they were very attentive and kept asking if we were ok for drinks which is not something you're used to in a pub definitely more a restaurant thing to have table service. It got busier as we left at 9:45pm.
It was nice to be out and have some normality even though at first I was sceptical about going out to eat but as I have been going to the gym every day I'm out mixing with people there's not much difference going out for food.
