Price of Dim-sum in HK?

I'm going to Hong Kong in the beginning to mid-November this year
(leaving in one week from today!) and want to eat dim-sum at a Chinese
restaurant:

1) How much does it cost? I understand that each basket that you ask for
will cost the same, and at the end they are counted adding up to the bill.

2) Is it hard for someone not speaking Cantonese to go alone and order
this? Any recommendations?


Hallvard

It may be a bit hard for non Chinese speaking person to order food at low
end dim sum places, as the menu will normally only in Chinese. However, you
should hv no problem to get reference from what other people are eating in
the same restaurant, simply point to whatever you seems to like in the next
table. Waiter will understand.
Or get a guide book(eg:lonely planet) with Chinese translation may help.
You should hv a good meal in an average Chinese restaurant with US5-7 (or if
you know the way, it can be as cheap as US3).

Just for your reference. A Big Mac meal in HK costs something around US4.





"Hallvard Tangeraas"
...
I'm going to Hong Kong in the beginning to mid-November this year
(leaving in one week from today!) and want to eat dim-sum at a Chinese
restaurant:

1) How much does it cost? I understand that each basket that you ask for
will cost the same, and at the end they are counted adding up to the bill.

2) Is it hard for someone not speaking Cantonese to go alone and order
this? Any recommendations?


Hallvard

1) Not many restaurants offer same price for each basket. There are normally
5-6 gradings and each will charge at different price, range from US$1-5.
Some restaurants offer low flat rate dim sums after peak hours. However, the
qualities of these restaurants will not be the top ones.
2) It will be hard for non-Cantonese speaking guys to order at those low
flat rate dim sum restaurants. My recommendation will be the Chinese
Restaurant in the City Hall, Central. You will find a lot of non-Chineses
there. If you are accompanied by 3 people, you can try a wider variety of
dim sums by spending about US$15 each. It will usually be full at lunch
time. Try to reach there before 12:30pm. The quality of their dim sum is
very good and that's why US presidents normally had dim sum there where they
were in HK.

"Hallvard Tangeraas"
...
I'm going to Hong Kong in the beginning to mid-November this year
(leaving in one week from today!) and want to eat dim-sum at a Chinese
restaurant:

1) How much does it cost? I understand that each basket that you ask for
will cost the same, and at the end they are counted adding up to the bill.

2) Is it hard for someone not speaking Cantonese to go alone and order
this? Any recommendations?


Hallvard

June wrote:
It may be a bit hard for non Chinese speaking person to order food at low
end dim sum places, as the menu will normally only in Chinese. However, you
should hv no problem to get reference from what other people are eating in
the same restaurant, simply point to whatever you seems to like in the next
table. Waiter will understand.

Yes, I thought dim sum was basically just stopping the people with carts
moving around in the restaurant, so whatever looks interesting is worth
a try. I've been eating dim sum before in HK (I used to live there when
I was a kid), but never had to think about how to order etc. as that was
with others.
This time I'm on my own, don't speak cantonese (I can't remember much of
the little I knew back then, even less for communicating), so I have to
figure things out myself.

So, do I wait to get seated when I get there, or just find an empty
table? And for the bill I just ask for it, and pay at the cashier's
"window" in the restaurant? I seem to remember that's how it worked.


Or get a guide book(eg:lonely planet) with Chinese translation may help.
You should hv a good meal in an average Chinese restaurant with US5-7 (or if
you know the way, it can be as cheap as US3).

Is that around HK$ 50?
(It's easier for me with HK$ as the calculations are easier, being of
almost the same value as here in Norway: 1 HKD = 0.9 NOK).

How many "baskets" is that for? How much does each cost approx?


Just for your reference. A Big Mac meal in HK costs something around US4.

Hmmm... not as cheap as I expected, but then again I know prices have
gone up quite a bit during the past years over there.
Well, at least dim sum gives a lot of value for money, and a lot of
genuine chinese experience!
I've been to Chinese restaurants here in Norway, and sure the food is
good, but without the original atmosphere it's just not the same (and
you usually have to ask for chopsticks, because most people prefer
knives/forks).


Hallvard

So, do I wait to get seated when I get there, or just find an empty
table?

waitors will serve you at the entrance
or else you can go find an empty table

And for the bill I just ask for it, and pay at the cashier's
"window" in the restaurant? I seem to remember that's how it worked.

u r right

Is that around HK$ 50?
(It's easier for me with HK$ as the calculations are easier, being of
almost the same value as here in Norway: 1 HKD = 0.9 NOK).
How many "baskets" is that for? How much does each cost approx?

i havent been to chinese restaurant for a really long time
but i guess normally a "small dim" costs HK$8, "medium" costs HK$10, "large"
costs HK$15
and "special dim" costs HK$20....


Just for your reference. A Big Mac meal in HK costs something around
US4.

a big mac meal...costs around HK$23

Yes, I thought dim sum was basically just stopping the people with carts
moving around in the restaurant, so whatever looks interesting is worth
a try.

Humm...in some restaurants there are still people carrying carts around, but
in many places not, as it was proved not safe and occupied lots of space .
You can try the Maxim's grop - an old brand you probably will still
remember.


So, do I wait to get seated when I get there, or just find an empty
table? And for the bill I just ask for it, and pay at the cashier's
"window" in the restaurant? I seem to remember that's how it worked.

In most places you hv to wait to be seated. During peak hours you even hv to
get a coupon and wait for long time, so go after normal lunch hours. By the
way, there are some places which even offer evening dim-sum. it is fun.


Is that around HK$ 50?

Yes. but again, in some places you can do well with only HK25 a meal.

How many "baskets" is that for? How much does each cost approx?

I would say it is around two basket and tea. However, not all baskets cost
the same. Some can be three times higher than the others

I've been to Chinese restaurants here in Norway, and sure the food is
good, but without the original atmosphere it's just not the same

I am sure you will enjoy the dim sum in HK, we now have so many new choices.
Far more than you could ever remember. It is a lots of fun.

Enjoy your trip!!

"Hallvard Tangeraas" wrote in message
...
I'm going to Hong Kong in the beginning to mid-November this year
(leaving in one week from today!) and want to eat dim-sum at a Chinese
restaurant:

1) How much does it cost? I understand that each basket that you ask for
will cost the same, and at the end they are counted adding up to the bill.

Different plates have different prices, usually there are small, mid, and
large plates and specials, with increasing prices. The best for you maybe
to go to a dim sum buffett and just pick up whatever you want for one single
price.

I think the Hong Kong Hotel has a dim sum buffett lunch.


2) Is it hard for someone not speaking Cantonese to go alone and order
this? Any recommendations?


Hallvard

On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 13:00:19 +0100, Hallvard Tangeraas
wrote:

I'm going to Hong Kong in the beginning to mid-November this year
(leaving in one week from today!) and want to eat dim-sum at a Chinese
restaurant:

1) How much does it cost?

My, how things have changed. It used to be "the price of rice in
China."