Dim Sum Fever Is Sweeping Seattle

It used to be that when someone asked, “Where do I go for good dim sum in Seattle?” you could answer — annoyingly but maybe accurately — with “Richmond, B.C.”

Well, not anymore! Thanks to a series of high-profile restaurant openings, the Seattle metro area seems to be on the verge of a dim sum boom.

The tide started to turn in April when Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant, a popular Cantonese food destination with roots in Hong Kong that opened in Vancouver in 1988 (and later in Richmond), brought its mark of excellence to Bellevue. Typical of dim sum restaurants, diners can order baskets of buns and other dim sum items until 2:30 p.m., at which time the kitchen starts to turn its focus to the dinner menu, which includes Sun Sui Wah’s upscale squab, duck, and abalone platters. A Sun Sui Wah representative says the restaurant selected the Seattle area for expansion because of its proximity to their successful established market in the Vancouver area and because Seattle has a very strong Chinese community. The fact that there were three-hour waits for dim sum when Sun Sui Wah opened proved the owners were on to something.

Those on the south side of Seattle (and anyone willing to travel) can now enjoy the dim sum delights at Mr. Dim Sum, founded by Ben Liang, who also owns Hong Kong Bistro in the Chinatown-International District.

Sandwiched between Gen Korean BBQ House and Marugame Udon as part of a new restaurant row at Southcenter Mall, Mr. Dim Sum is unique in that it serves dim sum all day. As at other restaurants, the kitchen staff arrives early to start with Chinese pastry work and other prep. The difference is that the shrimp dumplings, rice rolls, chicken feet, barbecue pork pies, and custard buns are available into the evening, with increasingly younger diners dropping in as the day progresses.

Perhaps the most celebrated opening occurred in late August at Diamond Bay Restaurant, located in the former House of Hong location in the Chinatown–International District. Entry reveals an expansive banquet room with large round tables that accommodate big parties but can be shared by small parties willing to do so. (Given the limited number of four-tops, sharing is the only way to avoid long waits on the weekend.) Popular dim sum items here include the Golden Crispy Shrimp Rice Rolls (offering contrast in crispy and silky textures) and the Ube Salted Egg Yolk Lava Sesame Balls (offering contrast of sweet and savory flavors). Dim sum service stops at 3 p.m. Diamond Bay has an adjoining space called Jin Huang, a Cantonese cafe like you’d find in Hong Kong, serving roasted and BBQ meats, clay pots, and more.

Diamond Bay and Jin Huang represent an expansion of similar restaurants in New York. Andy Liao, one of Diamond Bay’s partners, identified a need for more dim sum in Seattle, saying, “My aim is to enhance the neighborhood with this development, attracting more foot traffic and adding to the area’s vibrancy. Since we are the largest dim sum parlor in Seattle we can offer a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.” It’s indeed a gathering space, as the banquet room can be rented out for events like wedding parties, while there are private dining rooms on the second floor for business meetings and more intimate occasions.

There’s one imminent dim sum opening to come, sure to please people on the north side of Seattle, and it’s the place some consider to have offered the area’s best dim sum in recent years. Triumph Valley, a popular destination in Renton, is putting finishing touches on renovation of the former Super China Buffet location in Shoreline and is expected to open in October. With newfound competition, it will be interesting to see how Triumph Valley and all the existing dim sum restaurants in the area rise to the occasion.