The absolute highlight of my evening was the perfect parking spot I found. South China Dim Sum Bar is situated at the top of Long Street and good parking is never easy to find here.

In a particularly good mood after this stroke of luck, I entered the charming Dim Sum Bar across the road. Small and simply decorated with square, wooden tables adorned with a small vases of flowers, posters of martial arts’ films adorn the walls in this sweet and unassuming restaurant.

The service is quick, simple, efficient and friendly. You place all orders at the counter in front, which looks into the kitchen so you can see the chefs freshly preparing each dish. The portions are small so don’t come on a night when you are starving. It is, rather, a great spot to try for a quick bite.

The menu is not extensive and the choices are written out on a chalkboard, along with the drinks, at the counter. Prices seem reasonable, but considering the small portions, they are quite exorbitant. You do not need to order everything at once. Should you still feel peckish, you can always order more and as the service is so quick you will receive your orders promptly. Of course, this practice can push up your bill quite quickly, if you do not keep track.

I sampled and enjoyed the chicken wontons, as well as the redbeanpastebao and charsiu bao which were equally delicious. Soy sauce and a divine (yet quite hot) chilli are served in tiny dishes to complement the food and the lovely mingling of sweet and sour as you dip your bao into soy sauce is a great treat. I tried the beef pot stickers as well, but found these to be a bit bland and the Vietnamese iced coffee was just regular iced coffee with a foreign adjective attached.

It is not the most environmentally-friendly place, as dishes are served on little plastic plates and most drinks in plastic cups. This must make cleaning up an easy task, but creates a lot of unnecessary rubbish.

This unconservational trait aside, it is a charming experience with a warm and friendly ambience and plenty of surrounding watering holes for an after-dinner drink.

Originally published on Dinner and a Movie