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Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Best Dim Sum in the ID?

posted by on October 3 at 15:19 PM

My old favorite International District dim-sum houses (Top Gun and the King Cafe) no longer exist. Our reader reviews give Four Seas low marks. The food at Vegetarian Bistro is great, especially the radish cake, but the dim sum carts and hubbub were absent when I went for a weekend brunch. Who serves good dim sum in the ID these days?
Misty in comments says House of Hong is the place to go, and our readers agree (except those who missed dim sum and were unhappy with their entrées…). Sounds promising.

RSS icon Comments

1

Why, that would be House of Hong.

Posted by Misty Brown | October 3, 2007 3:48 PM
2

The veggie dim sum place in the ID had low quality, gelatinous food the only time I went there.

Posted by Trevor | October 3, 2007 3:52 PM
3

House of Hong is well-known for their dim sum. But for my money, Monsoon on 19th has the best in town.

Posted by kid icarus | October 3, 2007 3:54 PM
4

Great dim sum was at the late lamented Hakka on Aurora. There's a Salvadorean or Ecuadorian place in the building now, which I haven't tried.

Posted by Fnarf | October 3, 2007 4:00 PM
5

Honey Court and Jade Garden!

Posted by trish | October 3, 2007 4:01 PM
6

jade garden!

Posted by Jiberish | October 3, 2007 4:15 PM
7

Getting dim sum at Jade Garden is like taking secular communion. And the salt-and-pepper squid tastes better than Jesus.

Posted by Dominic Holden | October 3, 2007 4:17 PM
8

Trish and Jiberish are right: Jade Garden.

Posted by christopher Frizzelle | October 3, 2007 4:19 PM
9

House of Hong, hands down.

My ex of 8 years was Chinese, and that's where her and the family went. It's where I go after having been to China.

House of Hong.

Posted by Smegmalicious | October 3, 2007 4:23 PM
10

The V Bistro is always getting dumped on.

Yes, not the best Dim Sum in the least. But for dinner, it's a wonderful place to chill after a shitty day at work.

Posted by matthew fisher wilder | October 3, 2007 4:32 PM
11

I like New Kawloon: 900 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA

It's inside a strange strip mall thing near the "Little Saigon" part of the ID. Delicious.

http://new-kowloon.cwok.com/index_e.html

Posted by In the House | October 3, 2007 4:32 PM
12

are you kidding? why has no one mentioned Sun Ya? The dim sum there can not be beat.

Posted by Rachel | October 3, 2007 4:33 PM
13

House of Hong is mighty fine and most of the others are good as well. I would add China Gate to the list although it is not much for atmosphere.

For an upscale Dim Sum, try O'Asian in the old Ruth's Chris spot. It is owned by the former owners of Top Gun. A little pricey, but very nicey.

Posted by tiptoe tommy | October 3, 2007 4:52 PM
14

I don't know any Cantonese that would go to House of Hong. All of the Hong Kongers I know go to Jade Garden and are happy. Having lived in HK, though... Jade Garden is good, but there's better to be found. XD

Posted by brappy | October 3, 2007 5:03 PM
15

jade garden, yes. sun ya, hell yes.

my personal fave, though, is imperial garden in the great wall mall in renton.

Posted by angela garbes | October 3, 2007 5:04 PM
16

Are you serious?

Man, I knew about House of Hong five years before I even moved to Seattle ...

Yes, go there.

Oh, and Jade Garden is fun if it's mid-week too.

Best Dim Sum, tho, is up in Vancouver near Commercial.

Posted by Will in Seattle | October 3, 2007 5:08 PM
17

Tea Garden 708 Rainier Ave S is far superior to any of the Dim Sum places in Seattle. It is brand new and located on Rainier Ave where it meets Dearborn. The Dim Sum is noticably fresh and good. Most of the Dim Sum there ranges in the $2 range!!! The Dim Sum is cooked and served on carts during lunch time but it also served all the day but after lunch they have to make it special and takes extra time. The place is slightly upscale but very cheap. But please, PLEASE, don't tell too many people because I don't want it to get too crowded there.

Posted by Touring | October 3, 2007 5:08 PM
18

I love the Four Seas, and I went to
high school with the current owner.
The dim sum can be awesome. Try the
green pepper with shrimp stuffing
which is cooked at your table or
the sticky rice. This is a Cantonese
style restaurant, and it is best to
keep this in mind when selecting from
a cart passing by your table.

As for the best dim sum in Seattle,
you have to to Bellevue and try
Je'em Asian Restaurant. I have found
it best to call in a reservation.
Apart from Je'em, you might plan a
trip to the Great Wall in Kent or suffer the
exchange rate Richmond,
B.C.

--- Jensen


Posted by Jensen Interceptor | October 3, 2007 5:21 PM
19

Jade Garden.

Posted by Lloyd Clydesdale | October 3, 2007 5:25 PM
20

My vote is for either Honey Court or New Kowloon.

Posted by T | October 3, 2007 5:31 PM
21

Noble Court (in Bellevue) has exceedingly good dim sum; it's one advantage over House of Hong is that Noble Court's fare is usually far less greasy than House of Hong's. Noble Court is totally worth the drive and the suburb to eat at.

Posted by Simon MacGry | October 3, 2007 5:56 PM
22

Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant in Rainier Beach was the best, but it caught fire in August. King's in the ID is really special if you sit upstairs next to the window, try the curried tripe.

Posted by sum won dum | October 3, 2007 6:14 PM
23

House of Hong rocks my world. But get there early if you want egg tarts. They run out quickly, mostly because people like me order a bunch more to go.

Posted by rickibot | October 3, 2007 6:15 PM
24

Pink Pearl on E Hastings in Vancouver, BC. Too bad the greenback declined relative to the loonie, however. (BTW, which currency should be referred to as the northern peso now?)

Posted by Luigi Giovanni | October 3, 2007 8:16 PM
25

Hong is fine. Sun Ya is fine. Can't go wrong with either. Honey Court is better, and Jade Garden better yet, if you can get in.

Top Gun in Factoria and Sea Garden in Bellevue are always worth the trip.

Posted by ivan | October 3, 2007 11:41 PM
26

top gun moved to factoria.

noble court is pretty good too.

Posted by mucktard | October 4, 2007 9:41 AM
27

I'm sorry...did someone mention House of Honky?

Nope -- gotta go all the way down to Renton or all the way up to BC.

Posted by Asian Brotherhood | October 4, 2007 1:01 PM
28

Asian Brotherhood @27 is correct. The Hongs packed up years ago and due to a 5-mile noncompete clause set up Hong's Garden in a strip mall near the Renton Municipal Airport. It's worth the drive.

Posted by kk | October 4, 2007 1:45 PM
29

Doing a quick scan of the comments/recommendations, the office opted to try out House of Hong today (we've have been craving dim sum for ages, but really had no idea where to go). Easy to find, nice environment and good food. The price was very reasonable for our party of four. We'll definitely venture back there again soon!

Posted by LOM | October 10, 2007 1:49 PM
30

Why the HELL did everyone ignore me and continue to rattle off a list of the old school garbage? I mentioned Tea Garden with a passion and everyone stepped over it like shit on the sidewalk! Now the Times comes out with an almost similar positive review: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003942663_teagarden12.html
But go ahead and go eat your tiny oversteamed and overpriced crap at these old school joints!

Posted by Touring | October 12, 2007 3:24 PM

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