By Christine Hoang
Posted Wednesday, June 8th, 2005

Twist on dim sum gets it right

Dim sum has been a staple in my family ever since I could talk. Recollections of our family pilgrimage to Chinatown in the early afternoon fill my childhood memories; the laughter above the din of the restaurant, the anticipation of your favourite snack arriving in a steaming cart, the fragrant black tea being poured into tiny cups, the hunger being filled with delicious steamed dumplings and stories shared around the table. Dim sum, which literally means, “to touch your heart,” is an ancient Chinese tradition that brings together breakfast and lunch into a large meal to be enjoyed anywhere from the early morning hours to early afternoon. Originally, this custom of brunch was relegated to the teahouses of China, where travelers and rural farmers congregated for a break and a friendly chat. Along with tea, steamed delicacies, friend dumplings, and egg tarts were served. In the 19 th century, Chinese immigrants from Canton, arguably the dim sum capital of China, transported this tradition to North America.

Dim sum is best categorized as a sampling meal. Various hot and cold, and steamed and fried dishes are served. Taste, not gluttony, is the key. Each dish usually holds enough for a table of four to try one item. Because the servings are small, but the variety ample, a table could conceivably try out every single item on the menu – which works out very well if you’re a little adventurous. Restaurants that prepare dim sum add an old world charm to the way it is served. Servers will wheel carts around with one type of dish, calling out the name as they circle the room. It is up to the customer to flag down the waiter or waitress if they are interested in seeing what is underneath the metal tray.

There are obvious drawbacks to the way that dim sum is served in Toronto. As I grew older and our family brunches came to a halt, I realized that the window of time in which dim sum is usually served was just a little too narrow for someone who hardly sees daylight on any given weekend. Also, the wait for your favourite cart to come around can be excruciating at times, as very few restaurants actually serve these items à la carte. And the volume – let’s just say that hearing boisterous voices screaming out menu items to you at 10:00 AM can be a little grating.

This is where Cha Liu comes in. This hidden gem in the Yonge & Eglinton district opened several years ago, and revived the concept of dim sum for those of us who enjoy the meal at any given time of day. Cha Liu, unlike other Chinese restaurants in Toronto, specializes in dim sum only, and is open until 11:00 PM most nights. If you’re looking for a break from the hectic Chinatown dim sum, then this restaurant is worth visiting. Their menu has over sixty items to try, and the ambiance is simply to die for.

Situated on the second floor of 2352 Yonge Street, the small restaurant is adorned in beautiful Eastern accents. Plants, bamboo sticks, and exposed brick add traditional charm to the restaurant, although its concept is far from traditional. Mirrored walls and a large painting on the ceiling help to contemporize and round out the décor. Unobtrusive traditional music plays on the speakers, and the wait staff is polite and friendly. The tables are decorated with sophistication and the loveliest plates I’ve ever seen. A quiet night with friends, a business lunch, a hot date – all of these are possible with Cha Liu’s intimate atmosphere.

The liquor menu is scant, only offering a selection of two white wines (sauvignon blanc and chardonnay) and two red wines (merlot and cabernet sauvignon). Sake is also available ($7.50 per serving), as are a couple of standard bar shots ($5.50 per 1 ? ounces). So if you’re hankering to get drunk, you’re better off somewhere else. Luckily, the free jasmine tea does the trick for dinner.

The veggie rolls (3 pieces for $3.50) are one of the few items on the menu that are served cold. Rice rolls are filled with cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and corn, and served with peanut sauce for dipping. The vegetables are prepared soft, and the different tastes inside the rolls mingle nicely. The supreme shrimp dumplings (4 pieces for $4.50) live up to their names. Also known as ha gua , this is one of the more popular dim sum dishes, and at Cha Liu, they certainly don’t skimp on the shrimp. The chicken and chive dumplings (3 pieces for $3.50) suffer from too much chive and not enough chicken. Fortunately, all is redeemed with the shrimp, scallop and asparagus dumplings (3 pieces for $4.50), served interestingly in a triangle wrap, which burst with flavour.

Another popular item in the dim sum circles is the pork siu mai (4 pieces for $4.00), which is essentially steamed pork wrapped in seaweed. At Cha Liu, they do the item one better by preparing it with shrimp and scallop, and a light sprinkling of fish eggs on top. The buttery delicacy almost melts in your mouth. Siu mai is also available with beef (4 pieces for $3.50), but the beef item sorely suffers from lack of taste. The spare ribs with garlic and black bean sauce ($3.00 per serving) is one of my favourite items. I have searched far and wide for the one that will cap my insatiable appetite, and Cha Liu, hands down, serves the best I’ve tried. The pieces might be a little fatty for some tastes, but it more makes up for it in taste. Seasoned with garlic, black bean sauce, and sweet red peppers, the meat is prepared so expertly that it falls off the bone.

The chang fun with shrimp and scallop (3 pieces for $6.00) is scrumptious. Long rice rolls are filled with shrimp and steamed. Again, the restaurant serves some of the biggest shrimp I have ever seen at dim sum, and the roll itself, although slightly oily, is soft and sweet. On the other hand, the chang fun with BBQ pork (3 pieces for $3.50) does not have the same kick. The pork is cut into tiny pieces fried, so that the salty taste coupled with the sweet rice roll is hard to swallow. The deep fried chicken wings (2 pieces for $4.00) are de-boned and stuffed with sticky rice. Along with the Caramilk secret, you’ll be wondering how they seamlessly took out the bone and stuffed the wing with rice. The chicken looks like it has been injected with steroids – that’s how portly it is. The chicken is served with salt and pepper to taste, but it’s so well seasoned that you won’t need it. Another slam-dunk for Cha Liu.

Lastly, and for your sweet tooth, Cha Liu offers up several dessert selections. The fresh mango pudding ($3.00 for one serving) is fashioned in the shape of a fish and served with condensed milk. The sour taste of the milk and the sweetness of the mango make for an interesting combination, but one that will be begging for seconds. In fact, Cha Liu’s menu is so extensive and delectable that a second, third, or tenth visit will surely be in order.

Ambiance: 8 out of 10

Price: 7 out of 10 (dinner for 2, including drinks and tip: $65.00)

Menu: 8.5 out of 10

©ChristineHoang2005