Jing Fong, Chinatown

Various Dim Sum

Yikes!  I really struggled on the pictures this weekend, didn't I?  This was J's birthday Dim Sum, and it didn't occur to me to document the dishes until they were gone.  I'll do better next time.

I must point out that I had a chip on my shoulder about Jing Fong ever since my first and only other experience there, which was a few years ago when J and I were just starting to try the Dim Sum houses.  I don't remember the food being sub-par, but I think the hussly bussly atmosphere ticked me off, and it rained that day.  Also, everyone at Chowhound player hates on Jing Fong.  Plus, someone told me their upper lip stinks.

Ok, so until this point I wasn't being very fair with Jing Fong.  Maybe if I just gave it another chance?

When we arrived we were seated at what I took to be a less desirable, white-person's (if anyone know's the Mandarin equivalent of gringo I'll send you a cookie) section.  I quibbled with the hostess a bit about a seemingly better empty spot, but she gave me some lip service about that table being needed for someone else.  "Yah right.  It's because I'm tall and make more than $2 an hour, isn't it?  Well, life's not fair, lady!" Though I didn't believe her and didn't mind fighting further, I was accompanied by other more civilized guests.  It was J's birthday after all.  We sat at what seemed like the farthest table from the action and were immediately, albeit confusingly, told to reorient ourselves along the other "side" of the circular table.  As consumers we all implicitly know what that means, but I didn't go to college to allow some waitress to deny me the chance to point out that circles don't have sides.  I mean, it's kind of what differentiates them from other shapes.

Geometric shortcomings aside, I was pleasantly surprised by Jing Fong's food and service, which I guess is more important.  My half-baked attempts at getting us the "good" seats would have proven to be a failure since our designated table was somehow the best; we were regularly greeted by multiple carts throughout the meal.  Everything was good if not very memorable.  The first dumpling was topped with shredded loose (aka fake) crab, which I hadn't seen before.  The baked and steamed pork buns were definitely on par with our other favorites, but definitely not the best buns I've ever had.  That honor goes to Oriental Garden, which is hands down also the most expensive Dim Sum.  I will say that Jing Fong has the best lotus leaf-wrapped rice, though, which is normally a dish I don't even eat.  I even ate the hot dog!

While we clocked in at a record 15 dishes, our total was under $50 with tip.  Not bad for four people.  Well, two normal people plus two people who barely ate anything.  To save face with my stomach, I'm going to remember it like four people evenly ate those 15 dish.  Yah, that's how it went down.