Choose your first bite
- Choose a bowl, a shared dish or a small bite to suit this meal.
- Open the food examples for the Chinese name and a closer look.
- Show the name when ordering, and ask about any ingredients you avoid.
Start with a bowl or rice noodle rolls
Boat congee and century egg with lean pork congee are different preparations, not interchangeable names. Shrimp cheung fun wraps a filling in soft rice noodle sheets; zhaliang wraps a fried dough stick instead. Check the filling and sauce rather than choosing only by the wrapper.
Build a varied dim sum order
Try contrasting har gow, siu mai and char siu bao instead of ordering several similar buns. Sticky rice in a leaf makes a different choice again. The dim sum guide explains the broader meal; this page helps you recognise the food. Dishes are often shared, so ask how many pieces come on a plate.
Ma lai go steamed sponge cake · 马拉糕
A soft brown-sugar and egg sponge cake cooked by steaming. This version uses wheat flour, milk and custard powder.
Before you order
- Check fillings, broth and sauces as well as the main ingredient.
- Ask about the serving size before ordering several dishes.
Phrases to show at the table
这里面有什么食材？
What is in this?
可以少放一点辣椒吗？
Can you make this less spicy?
这个含饮料吗？
Is a drink included?
这个是甜的还是咸的？
Is this sweet or savoury?
Turn curiosity into a shortlist.
Pick one food you are curious about and keep its Chinese name with your notes. Use the questions above when you compare it with a restaurant menu.
Explore the food
