And the award for best yum cha/dim sum restaurants in a family friendly environment goes to…

I spend a lot of my time thinking about food. I’d like to pretend otherwise – but I’d be fooling no-one. And when it comes to food, my number one interest, nay, OBSESSION, is yum cha. A.K.A dim sum to those outside of Australia. Ah yum cha. The yum of dim. The ‘cha. I dream about you. How I love your flakey pastry puffiness. How I savour the sweetness of your porcine pieces. How I worship at the altar of your gelatinous dumpling marvelousness. You get the picture.

Sometime ago I promised to write a post about the best yum cha to go to with children.  The answer is most of them. Seriously. I can’t think of a better place to take children out to eat. Tiny, young, older – is there another place you can think of (bar the hideosity of children-themed restaurants) that they don’t care when food is spread all over the table? Where the noises of screams are drowned out by angry Chinese voices? Where the food is brought by your table in small portions so if it is spat out you can just start again? Where the whole meal can be ordered, delivered and eaten in 45 minutes if necessary? My children had both been to dim sum before they were two weeks old. Yum cha. In the words of the almighty Nike, just DO IT.

Now, I could write all day about different venues. But I would not be alone. There is a phenomenal amount of information about this on Da Internet. So I will point you to some key sites, and just give a few personal highlights. I haven’t included all the new trendy asian fusiony dim sum places because frankly, no-one wants your children there. Stick to the traditional joints…

London – I will start with the best which is Royal China. The staff are generally as unpleasant as rumoured, although children seem to bring out their very best side. They have been known to smile, produce chuppa chups and be helpful. I know – shocking. They have high chairs galore, plenty of room and most importantly – the food is EXCELLENT. Amazing pork puffs, fantastic cheung fun, divine broccoli and pork and radish dumplings are a particular fave. It’s open at 11am on Sundays but not til 12 on Saturdays. Remember that if you don’t want your husband to yell at you as you stand in the snow for an hour outside waiting for the doors to open.  New World is good if you are after the trolley experience – this is probably the best version in Chinatown. It’s noisy and phenomenally busy on the weekends, but they are great with kids and have lots of high chairs etc. And the food is pretty good. Ping Pong is very popular. Now, to me this is not yum cha. This is a yum cha themed restaurant chain. The food is not great, the selection very average. The cocktails are meant to be good – probably not something you are planning on hopping into with the kids, unless they are being particularly awful, in which case I don’t blame you and jump right in. For other restaurants in London, see here and here.

Melbourne – the foodie capital of Australia (oh pipe down Sydneysiders) is spoilt for choice for yum cha, especially in the suburbs which is a bit unusual. Some personal favourites here for kids include the Oriental Tea House (go early to avoid queues and too many people but do order the baby pea leaves dumplings), Shark Fin Inn for the most traditional in Chinatown, Westlake just because it holds dear memories of when I was young, stupid and mostly hungover, and Ripples in Malvern for ‘cha in the burbs (and also for the fish tanks to amuse the kids). The Age did a terrific guide on where to eat yum cha not long ago.

Sydney – as a disclaimer, I haven’t actually indulged my habit in Sydney in recent years. Naturally I keep on top of yum cha related news though, so I feel free to recommend Marigold as a decent family friendly Chinatown option (especially the snake beans. MMMMMsnake beans). East Ocean is probably better food, also a fave. My favourite is Sky Phoenix, but I feel the weekend crowds would defeat the children. In the burbs, Kam Fook at Westfield and Chatswood is a bit exier, but great dumplings and they are very good with kids. See here for some more reviews.

Look, I am obsessive, but I am sad to say that I haven’t eaten everywhere. YET. So feel free to send me suggestions or add to the comments, especially in other cities. I would take it as a personal challenge to visit all suggestions….

photo credit: CLF 

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