Toothsome dimsum

Are you ready when the cart rolls by?

Going on a yum cha (dimsum) meal is like opening a box of chocolates, “you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Often referred to as the Chinese version of a tapas brunch, a dimsum meal can be a delicious and confusing experience at the same time. Simply because aside from observing proper dimsum etiquette, it’s also hard to determine what to order as most food items — in the goodie-laden trolleys — look alike or are not recognizable by your discriminating palate.

For a more satisfying and pleasurable yum cha experience, check out P.F. Chang’s, which “steams off” its dimsum category right in time for the holidays.

Here, dimsum carts are banned. The delicate eats are served on sparkly white plates or clean dimsum baskets with dipping sauces and spoons on the side. There’s no guessing game, too, as each dimsum treat is enticingly described on the menu.

If it’s shrimp you like, go for hacao, a dish against which a dimsum restaurant’s worth is weighed. At P.F. Chang’s, they’re called Crystal Shrimp Dumplings as their translucent wrappers show the pink glow of shrimp inside them. Freshness guaranteed.

Delicately wrapped in wonton sheets, xiao long bao is something you definitely shouldn’t miss. This soup-in-a-dimsum treat bursts with flavor in every bite. But wait! You’re not supposed to dunk it in your mouth as soon as it’s served. Dimsum lovers follow a certain “ritual” before digging in. Here’s how it goes: Using your chopsticks, pick a piece from the basket, then transfer the morsel to a soup spoon. Count from one to five before taking a little bite into the wrapping — as it takes five minutes to cool down the “soup” inside. Now that it’s warm, sip the liquid coming out of the tiny hole. Lastly, dip it in a ginger-flavored pot sticker sauce.

“Dimsum is now considered as one of the Pinoys’ comfort food. It’s something we can eat all day. In fact, we don’t just settle for the ordinary siomai or chicken feet anymore,” noted Archie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Global Restaurant Concepts Inc. (GRCI).

P.F. Chang’s raises the bar with its Flaming Red Wontons, pork wontons in a fiery sauce of chilies and spices sprinkled with scallions and sesame seeds. But for me, the Radish Shrimp Dumplings top the menu. Tender shrimps and asparagus are wrapped in a translucent sheet with daikon (radish) coin, cilantro, and tobiko caviar.

Vegetarian diners aren’t left out as they, too, can indulge in Vegetarian Dumplings filled with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, ginger, onions, and rice noodles in P.F. Chang’s spinach wrapper.

“P.F. Chang’s has always been about an exceptional dining experience. Each of these dishes, many of which were US-developed, represents a familiar Asian favorite with the distinct P.F. Chang’s DNA,” explained Rodriguez.

Of course, it’s no secret that P.F. Chang’s uses only the freshest ingredients of the highest quality. And unlike most Chinese restaurants, it does not use MSG in its cooking, so you won’t leave the restaurant with a throbbing head. It has a vegetarian and a gluten-free menu.

“We always make sure that there are only four ingredients in a dish to highlight its natural flavors. It’s really the art and simplicity of letting the flavors pop up. That’s the culinary philosophy we at P.F. Chang’s adhere to,” added Rodriguez.

And for that ultimate dimsum feast, partake of the Dimsum Platter, a generous spread of the all-time favorite dimsums served in a steaming hot bamboo basket.

“A dimsum meal is both friendly and casual. It brings people together. There’s a sense of sharing and camaraderie that comes with the food,” noted Rodriguez.

At P.F. Chang’s, choosing dimsum is no longer a trial-and-error experience. And the next time that dimsum cart comes your way, you won’t be in the dark anymore as you already know what to order.

* * *

P.F. Chang’s has branches at Alabang Town Center and Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

For reservations, call 869-7837, 808-7389 or visit www.pfchangs.com.ph