If you know me, you’d agree that I’m better at making reservations than dinner itself, but I’m always up for an adventure in the kitchen. So while visiting my friends–who happen to love dim sum–in Europe last month, I tested our friendship by venturing into their kitchen and then making them eat the hagow I dared to make after watching a how-to video on youtube:

Written waivers aside, we chowed down on the steamed shrimp dumplings which were neither pretty nor particularly tasty–but nothing a bit of soy sauce and Belgian beer can’t fix! When friends tell you your cooking is awesome, and you know it so isn’t, they become family. And btw, maybe watching an instructional youtube video in a language you don’t understand (Mandarin) is not such a great idea. I’m sure the flavor was lost in the translation!

Days later, while passing through Paris, still with a taste for real dim sum in my mouth, I checked out a restaurant heavily recommended on tripadvisor:

Definitely prettier than what I could make, but taste-wise? I’m going to say whoever that was in the kitchen was not Chinese. But once again, nothing a little soy sauce and champagne can’t fix. I won’t mention the restaurant’s name because I don’t think you should eat there.

Here are a few pics from the streets of Chinatown in Paris:

Weeks later, I thought I’d check out the dim sum in London’s Chinatown,

this time without relying on (ill) advice from tripadvisor and hit the jackpot at the Chuen Cheng Ku Restaurant, which actually has trolley service.

Now, that’s some good stuff. In fact, so good I went back for a second visit on the day of the Royal wedding. People on the street told me the Chinese restaurants would be open for sure even on bank holidays, and since the food was so delicious the first time, it was an easy choice after a long day of navigating the crowds in London.

So that’s my tale of three dim sums. Moral of the story is, let’s leave the cooking to professionals!