Pendant lanterns hang over the bar, but instead of cheap collapsible orbs they're sleek custom-made bamboo ones. Yum Cha-lacquered in glossy blacks, swaddled in red and brown leathers and outfitted with sweeping white orchid-like chandeliers-feels like the kind of elegant lair where James Bond would feel comfortable getting his dim sum on. Traditional dim sum parlor decor is usually a smattering of glittery googly-eyed waving cats, paper lanterns and cheap shoji screens (which, ironically, like the fortune cookie, were invented in Japan). So it makes sense that I've finally found a proper replacement for Shui Wah in the Loop dim sum parlor Yum Cha, a joint venture between the owners of Phoenix and managing chef/partner Rodelio "Food Buddha" Aglibot (probably best known as the opening chef of Rockit Ranch's pan-Asian-skewing Sunda back in March 2009). ![]() In a pinch, the stalwart Phoenix dim sum in Chinatown has been a regular stop. Since Shui Wah closed, I've been longing for a replacement. Really, the only dim sum house I ever truly loved in Chicago was the defunct Shui Wah, purveyor of diaphanous dumplings and salt-and-pepper squid fries so addictive I called them calamari crack. Many places in Chinatown and beyond serve stuff that's been moldering away inside a bamboo basket for hours waiting for your order, or they dole out reheated pre-frozen dumplings with glutinous skins so thick you feel like you're chewing on a tire with each bite. ![]() But Chicago is not San Francisco, where there are so many good dumplings you almost expect the corner gas station to serve a mean barbecue bao. It's an apt descriptor for a cuisine that, when executed correctly, feels like a comforting family dinner party. The Chinese phrase dim sum translates to "touch the heart" in English.
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