Trying Everything on the Menu at an Iconic NYC Dim Sum Restaurant | One of Everything | Bon Appétit

Bon Appétit

1 Dec 202322:48

EducationalLearning

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TLDRIn a culinary adventure at New Lake Pavilion in Flushing, Lucas and chef Eric Sze embark on a gastronomical journey to sample every item from the Dim Sum carts. With a goal to taste a bit of everything, they explore a vast array of dishes, from classic siu mai and har gow to the intricately crafted taro puff and sticky rice meatball. Throughout the meal, they discuss the cultural significance of Dim Sum and the joy of customizing each bite with condiments like chili oil and mustard. As they navigate through dumplings, balls, rolls, buns, and desserts, they share their personal favorites, including the standout steamed shrimp rice roll and the sesame roll, which offers a touch of nostalgia. Their experience is a testament to the art of Dim Sum and the pleasure of discovering favorite dishes in a sea of culinary options.

Takeaways

🍽️ The group visited New Lake Pavilion in Flushing to experience a unique dining challenge: ordering one of every item available from the Dim Sum carts.
🤩 Lucas and Eric, a chef, aimed to identify the best dishes at the restaurant by sampling everything, which was a bucket list item for them.
📝 Each Dim Sum plate's price is indicated by a stamp on a card, which helps in keeping track of the order's cost.
🍵 Dim Sum, which translates to 'What you like,' is an experience that allows for customization with various condiments such as chili oil, chili paste, mustard, or vinegar.
🥟 Classic Dim Sum items like siu mai, har gow, and soup dumplings were sampled, with emphasis on the quality of the wrapper and the freshness of the fillings.
🦐 A standout dish was the steamed rice roll with shrimp, which was praised for its unique frying technique and combination of textures.
🍞 The group discussed the variety of buns and baos, with the egg yolk bun being a favorite due to its sweet, fatty, and runny custard filling.
🌯 The taro puff, made with a specific technique that creates a honeycomb effect, was highlighted as a technically impressive dish that is becoming rarer to find.
🍢 Lucas expressed his fondness for dishes like chicken feet and beef short rib, which were described as tender and flavorful.
🍰 For dessert, the group enjoyed items such as egg tarts, black sesame rolls, and tofu pudding, with a preference for the subtly sweet and textured sesame roll.
🏆 The 'star' dish, according to the group, was the steamed rice roll with shrimp, while the 'repeat' dish they would come back for was the taro puff, and the 'regular on the corner of the menu' was the sesame roll.

Q & A

Where are Lucas and Eric dining in the video?
-Lucas and Eric are dining at New Lake Pavilion in Flushing.
What is the main goal of their dining experience?
-Their main goal is to order one of everything from the Dim Sum carts at the restaurant.
What is the significance of the card they have with them?
-The card is used to keep track of the different Dim Sum dishes they order, with stamps denoting the price of each plate.
What is the rule they set for tasting the dishes?
-The rule is that they only take one bite of each dish to avoid overeating.
What does Lucas consider this dining experience as?
-Lucas considers this a bucket list item, a unique opportunity to order everything off the Dim Sum menu.
What is the meaning of Dim Sum in Cantonese?
-Dim Sum in Cantonese largely translates to 'What you like,' emphasizing the customizability of the dining experience.
What is the first type of Dim Sum they taste in the video?
-The first type of Dim Sum they taste is a siu mai, a pork dumpling with a piece of shrimp and a bit of shrimp roe on top.
Why does Lucas say the taro puff is a 'dying art form'?
-Lucas refers to the taro puff as a 'dying art form' because of the technical skill required to make it, which is not commonly found in many restaurants.
What is special about the beef balls they discuss?
-The beef balls are special because they are whipped until emulsified, developing a good amount of myosin which gives them a bouncy texture, despite being made from beef.
What is the reason behind the unique color of the sesame balls they encounter?
-The sesame balls are dyed green, likely for presentation purposes, even though the traditional color is not green.
What is the 'star' dish they decide on after their meal?
-The 'star' dish, or the best thing they ate all day, was the steamed rice roll with shrimp, noting the special fry technique on the shrimp.
Which dish do they decide to put on the 'corner of the menu' for regulars?
-The dish they choose as the 'corner of the menu' item, known only to regulars, is the sesame roll, appreciated for its subtlety and perfect texture.

Outlines

00:00

🍽️ Dim Sum Feast at New Lake Pavilion

The video begins with Lucas and his friend Eric Sze, a chef, at New Lake Pavilion in Flushing, New York, with the ambitious plan to order one of every item from the Dim Sum carts. They discuss the restaurant's traditional push cart service and the stamp system that denotes the price of each dish. The goal is to sample a wide variety of dishes to determine the best offerings and hidden gems of the menu. They also cover the importance of customizing each bite with condiments like chili oil or mustard, and start their culinary journey with classic dumplings such as siu mai and har gow, highlighting the texture and quality of the dishes.

05:00

🥢 The Art of Dim Sum: Balls and Rolls

The video continues with the exploration of various Dim Sum categories, starting with 'balls,' which include traditional beef balls and pork balls with ingredients like Chinese mountain yams. They discuss the technical aspects of these dishes and their cultural significance. Moving on to 'rolls,' they delve into items like crispy shrimp rolls and the Lake Pavilion special, a red rice roll that stands out both visually and taste-wise. The conversation emphasizes the importance of texture, temperature, and presentation in Dim Sum cuisine.

10:03

🍞 A Journey Through Buns and Bao

The third part of the video focuses on buns and bao, starting with a custard bun and an egg yolk bun, which Eric finds extremely appealing. They also discuss classic buns like cha shao bao and the less favored chicken bao. The segment includes a variety of buns with different fillings and textures, providing a comprehensive look at this category of Dim Sum. The egg yolk bun stands out as a favorite due to its rich, contrasting flavors and textures.

15:03

🍖 The Dim Sum Miscellany: From Spare Ribs to Tripe

This paragraph ventures into the miscellaneous category of Dim Sum, featuring dishes that don't fit neatly into the previous categories. The hosts share their experiences with items like spare ribs, beef short rib, chicken feet, spring rolls, spicy peppers, and turnip cakes. They discuss the cultural and culinary nuances of each dish, and how some items have been adapted in different regions. The discussion is filled with humor, nostalgia, and a deep appreciation for the art of Dim Sum.

20:04

🍮 Sweet Endings: The Dim Sum Desserts

The final part of the video is dedicated to Dim Sum desserts, ranging from Malagao, a sponge cake, to black sesame rolls and tofu pudding. They also discuss the classic egg tart and its variations. The hosts share their personal preferences, with the sesame roll being a standout for its subtlety and texture. The video concludes with the hosts reflecting on their extensive meal, the dishes they would return for, and the overall experience of ticking off a bucket list item by trying every item at Dim Sum.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Dim Sum

Dim Sum refers to a style of Chinese cuisine that involves small, bite-sized portions of food traditionally served in steamer baskets or on small plates. It is a significant part of Cantonese culinary culture and is often associated with the experience of social dining. In the video, the hosts are exploring the concept of Dim Sum by attempting to order one of each item from the menu to understand the variety and nuances of this culinary tradition.

💡Push Carts

Push carts are mobile serving stations used in restaurants, particularly in the context of Dim Sum service. Staff push these carts around the dining area, allowing customers to select dishes directly from the cart. In the video, the presence of push carts is highlighted as a traditional aspect of Dim Sum dining that adds to the experience.

💡Siu Mai

Siu Mai is a type of Chinese dumpling that is often served as part of Dim Sum. It is typically made from a thin wheat dough wrapper and filled with a mixture of ground pork and shrimp, topped with a piece of shrimp and sometimes shrimp roe. In the video, siu mai is described as a classic Dim Sum dish and is one of the first items the hosts taste.

💡Har Gow

Har Gow is a type of translucent dumpling with a smooth, slightly chewy wheat starch wrapper. It is filled with shrimp and is known for its delicate, bouncy texture. The video mentions har gow as a crystal shrimp dumpling, emphasizing the importance of its translucent skin and the quality of the shrimp filling.

💡Chaozhou Dumpling

Chaozhou Dumpling is a type of Chinese dumpling that originates from the Chaoshan region. It is characterized by its large size and heavy texture, often filled with a mixture that includes peanuts, pork, and sometimes glass noodles. In the video, the hosts discuss the dumpling's substantial nature and the challenge of eating it in one bite.

💡Taro Puff

Taro Puff is a type of fried Dim Sum that features a honeycomb-like texture achieved through a specific frying technique. The dish is made with a taro paste and wheat starch batter. The video highlights the technical skill required to make taro puff, noting that it is a dying art due to the specialized frying process needed.

💡Beef Ball

Beef Ball, also known as Niu Yuan in Chinese, is a traditional Dim Sum item made from finely minced or whipped beef that is seasoned and formed into balls. It is often served with a light, savory sauce. The video discusses the beef ball's bouncy texture, which is attributed to the emulsification process during preparation.

💡Sticky Rice

Sticky rice, or 'nian gao' in Chinese, is a type of rice that is short-grain and glutinous, meaning it is sticky when cooked. It is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes, including Dim Sum. In the video, sticky rice is featured in various forms, such as in meatballs and wrapped in lotus leaves, adding a unique texture and flavor to the dishes.

💡Buns and Bao

Buns and Bao are types of Chinese bread that are soft, fluffy, and steamed. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients, both sweet and savory. In the context of the video, the hosts taste different types of buns, including custard buns, egg yolk buns, and cha shao bao, discussing the appeal of their textures and flavors in the context of Dim Sum.

💡Egg Tarts

Egg tarts are a popular dessert in Chinese cuisine, consisting of a pastry or cookie crust filled with a creamy, egg-based custard. The video mentions two styles of egg tarts: the Hong Kong style with a pastry crust and the Portuguese Hong Kong style with a cookie crust. The hosts appreciate the eggy, glossy, and barely sweet custard and the buttery pastry in their tasting experience.

💡Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. In the video, the concept of nostalgia is brought up by the hosts when they discuss certain dishes that remind them of their cultural heritage or past experiences. It adds an emotional layer to their culinary journey through the menu.

Highlights

The group is visiting New Lake Pavilion in Flushing to try one of everything from the Dim Sum carts.

Eric Sze, a chef, joins Lucas to share his expertise on the culinary experience.

They plan to order every item from the Dim Sum carts to determine the best dishes at the restaurant.

Each Dim Sum plate's price is denoted by a stamp on a card provided to the customers.

The rule is to take only one bite of each item to manage the large quantity of food.

Lucas expresses that trying every item is a bucket list experience.

They decide to categorize the food by general shape: dumplings, balls, rice rolls, buns, and miscellaneous items.

Dim Sum in Cantonese means 'What you like,' emphasizing the customizability of the dining experience.

The siu mai is described as the most classic Dim Sum dish.

Har gow, or crystal shrimp dumplings, are praised for their bouncy wheat starch skin.

Soup dumplings are admired for their handmade quality and the technique behind them.

The chive dumpling sparks a debate on the balance between shrimp and chive flavors.

The chaozhou dumpling is considered a challenge due to its large size and dense composition.

The leek dumpling and seared dumpling are favored for breaking up the monotony of steamed dumplings.

The taro puff's honeycomb shape and texture earn it high praise and anticipation.

The group expresses respect for the technical skill required to make certain Dim Sum dishes.

The beef ball is discussed for its bouncy texture and the historical context of its preparation.

The fried tofu skin pork roll is appreciated for its combination of textures and flavors.

The custard bun and egg yolk bun stand out in the buns category for their sweet contrast to the savory dishes.

The dessert round includes a variety of sweet and unique options like tofu pudding and mango mochi.

The group concludes with the 'star' being the steamed rice roll with shrimp, the 'repeat' the taro puff, and the 'regular on the corner' the sesame roll.

Transcripts

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