Dim Sum
Experiencing a Dim Sum meal is something that should not be missed while visiting Hong Kong. Cantonese Dim Sum restaurants can be found virtually anywhere here, and provide visitors with a fantastic chance to linger over a long meal while sampling a variety of traditional dishes. Translating roughly to "the heart's delight" or "touch of the heart" these tiny appetizers are usually in the form of steamed dumplings filled with various meats and vegetables.

Upon being seated at a Dim Sum restaurant, a server will usually bring out a pot of tea. Quite often upon the first pour the Cantonese only keep the hot tea in their glasses for a moment before emptying it into an empty container at the table: this allows the glasses to be warmed up.

You will usually also be given a card for keeping track of what you order. Dim Sum is served off of small carts that are constantly being wheeled around the restaurant. When a cart comes by your table, gesture to the server and they will stop and you can take what you like from the tray. Feel free to ask what they have on their particular cart, and they will tell you and usually take the lid off the bamboo serving baskets and show you. Let the server know what you would like, and they will place the food on your table right then, and stamp your order card.

Each cart will have something different, so as you eat be sure to flag down whichever carts are wheeling by your table to order more food. There are over 2000 varietys of Dim Sum, and some larger restaurants will cook up to 100 different dishes at a mealtime, leaving a lot to choose from and try!

Dim Sum desserts are also exquisite and possess rare and exotic flavors. A type of gelatin coconut dessert is often served, as are Coconut Snowballs. Chien Chang Go is a sweet, many-layered cake with egg topping, providing a perfect close to a meal.

When finished, place your chopsticks across your plate to signal to the staff that you are ready to go. Keep all of the bamboo baskets that held your food stacked on the table as these will be checked by the waiter when you are done in order to compile your bill.