Hi!!!! Chinese New Years break is over so I’m finally back in school! Technically it ended yesterday, but the teachers had professional development so students got the day off. I decided to take advantage of my day off to try another new restaurant at the Kerry- Chao Kee Dim Sum. This choice wasn’t random; this was the dim sum place that was too full and forced us into Golden Old Village 😉

It was a workday so I was expecting at least a half empty restaurant. I was disappointed and actually pleasantly surprised when I encountered this:

Luckily, I only had to wait 15 min before seating. Time flew by, and onto the food!

Food

When I looked at the menu, I was immediately shocked by the prices. A single order of steamed veggies was nearly 30 RMB and an order of 3 custard buns was 21. It was in the Kerry and everything is overpriced anyways; I ignored it.

It was only me so I got my three favorites: Crispy skinned roast pigeon, Har Gao (crystal shrimp dumplings) and Siu Mai. I also ordered custard buns for my mom and brother. I must say, the food didn’t live up to the hype or the price.

Har Gao- This was the best thing I had. The skin was thin and delicate. The shrimp inside was fresh and included chopped bamboo shoots, which gave the filling a nice texture. It cost 28 RMB, but it’s worth it

Crispy Skinned Pigeon- In my opinion, this dish is a true test of dim sum worth. Literally every dim sum restaurant, and a lot of others, offer crispy skinned pigeon, but very few get it right. It should by piping hot with a crisp skin that crunches and tender, juicy meat. Most places can get the tender meat, but not the crisp skin- a result of letting it lie around prior to service or low cooking temperature. Surprisingly, Chao Kee got the skin crispy, but the meat was pretty dry, especially on the thinner pieces. The wings, which should have been crunchy, were instead strangely leathery. Lastly, the skin was over seasoned. Not worth 40 RMB

Shrimp and Mushroom Siu Mai- Definitely the most disappointing dish. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a decent siu mai so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, I was confronted with 4 dwarved, oversteamed little nuggets. The skin was gummy and shrunk into the filling. When I separated them, the skin tore. The filling was equally disappointing. It said shrimp and mushroom, but there was barely any shrimp or mushroom. Not worth it.

Custard Buns- My mom and brother really enjoyed them.

Service

The service wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t stellar either. The waiters had a rather impatient attitude, but they were obliging and the food came fairly quickly (within 20 min).

Overall Impression

Overall, I was disappointed with this restaurant, but since I only ordered 3 dishes, I can’t make a decisive judgement on the overall food quality. However, considering how overpriced the menu is, I don’t think I’ll go back anytime soon.

• Dining