6 Places to Get Delicious Dim Sum in Tokyo
Dim sum is a type of Cantonese dining that involves eating small dishes, such as xiao long bao (soup dumplings) or shumai (another type of dumpling), while drinking tea. There are many different ways to eat dim such, such as dipping xiao long bao in sliced ginger and black vinegar or eating them plain. Among the multitude of Chinese restaurants in Tokyo, there are many that serve dim sum. Here is a list of 6 great places in Tokyo to get your dim sum fix!
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1. Paradise Dynasty Ginza Branch (Ginza)
Located right next to Ginza Station, Paradise Dynasty Ginza Branch is part of a Chinese restaurant franchise based in Singapore. This restaurant’s signature dish is the colorful 8 Flavored Xiao Long Bao (1,520 yen plus tax), made by expert dim sum chefs. The eight xiao long bao included in this dish each have their own color and flavor. The white xiao long bao consists of the traditional xiao long bao filling wrapped in a beautifully delicate wrapper.
Much special attention is given to the black xiao long bao, which has black truffle soup inside. It is very tasty and has a characteristic truffle aroma.
2. Nansho-Mantouten Roppongi (Roppongi)
Nansho-Mantouten Roppongi is the Tokyo location a well-established Chinese restaurant franchise in Shanghai. Here you can enjoy authentic xiao long bao and other dim sum carefully made by experts. Interestingly, the first non-tangible cultural heritage certified in Shanghai was xiao long bao, and here you can find many varieties on the menu.
In addition to the standard Xiao Long Bao (6 pieces, 864 yen), there are also some that are made with shrimp and kani miso (crab paste). Xiao Long Bao with Kani Miso (6 pieces 1,512 yen) have a deep, delicious crab flavor. Although the price is a bit higher, the extravagant Xiao Long Bao with Shark Fin, Kani Miso, and Pork (6 pieces 2,052 yen) are also quite delicious.
3. Tsim Sha Tsui (Roppongi)
Tsim Sha Tsui is located about 5 minutes on foot from the large Tokyo Midtown complex, which consists of about 130 shops, restaurants, and hotels. This restaurant serves Hong Kong cuisine and is of course a great place for dim sum. The Dim Sum Set (1,080 yen) comes with 6 kinds of dim sum, rice, pickles, soup, and dessert.
Xiao long bao goes well with black vinegar and julienned (thinly cut) ginger. There is an excellent variety of dim sum her, including choices such as shrimp dumplings, shumai, radish cakes with shrimp and shiitake mushrooms, and plenty of juicy xiao long bao. For dessert, the smooth and luxurious mango pudding is recommended!
4. Chugoku Chakan Ikebukuro Branch (Ikebukuro)
The Ikebukuro Branch of Chugoku Chakan specializes in dumplings, and is two minutes on foot from the Ikebukuro Station West Entrance. It is a well-established restaurant with a long history and a wide variety dishes on the menu. The restaurant, with its wide selection of Chinese teas, is also recommended for Chinese tea lovers. The restaurant’s interior is very nice, and the low lighting makes for a cosy and relaxing atmosphere.
Xiao Long Bao with Soup (560 yen plus tax), Shark Fin Dumplings (550 yen plus tax), Shumai with Crab (450 yen plus tax), Gyoza (550 yen plus tax), and Radish Cakes with Shrimp (360 yen plus tax), are the top recommended dishes, but there are many other choices as well. Try to order a bunch of different things to see what you like the best!
5. Jin Din Rou Ebisu Main Branch (Ebisu)
The Ebisu Main Branch of Jin Din Rou is a Taiwanese restaurant located in the building just beside the Ebisu Station East Gate. One gets a sense of high quality just from the design of the entrance to the restaurant, and the interior atmosphere is quite fashionable as well. This restaurant serves a variety of dim sum, such as Jin Din Xiao Long Bao (6 pieces 890 yen, 10 pieces 1,470 yen), Crab Xiao Long Bao (6 pieces 1,470 yen, 10 pieces 2,450 yen), and Shumai Gyoza. There are plenty of menu items other than dim sum, including standard dishes such as Mapo Tofu (1,080 yen), and everything exudes the same high quality.
The Jin Din Xiao Long Bao come with black vinegar and julienned ginger dipping sauce, but they are also delicious without sauce. Please try them however you like!
6. Le Parc, Ebisu Blanch (Ebisu)
The Ebisu Branch of Le Parc has an impressive French restaurant-style exterior. However, don't let that fool you - this is a fully-fledged Chinese restaurant where you can enjoy dim sum and dumplings from experienced Hong Kong dim sum chefs. This restaurant also has an especially relaxed atmosphere due to being located next to a park.
The dim sum dumplings have a thin and resilient dumpling wrapper, with fillings full of delicious umami (Japanese savory taste), making them a perfect compliment to Chinese tea. There is also a lunch menu where selections come with rice and a dessert.
In this article we introduced six restaurants in Tokyo where you can enjoy delicious dim sum. Among the restaurants we showcased, you can find a variety of flavours originating from China, Singapore, and Taiwan. It is fun to explore the originality and exquisite taste of each shop, so please give them all a try!
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The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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