Some of the Best Dim Sum this side of Hong Kong @ Emma’s Seafood & Dim Sum Restaurant, Victoria Park, W.A. (Written by special guest writer, HungryGhost)

A word of advice to those new to Dim Sum- go early, as Dim Sum is notoriously popular on weekends and you often have to wait for a table.

The wait is worthwhile however: while the décor at Emma’s is simple (hard surfaces, and paper table mats), the food is a complex mix of flavours and textures that delights the senses. 

Arriving at the relatively early time of 10am on a Saturday, we were quickly seated and had some of our usual favorites at the table in quick succession. The large trolley, pushed by a tiny waitress, moves between tables serving steamed delights such as Shumai (pork dumplings) and Har Gow (steamed prawn dumplings). Har Gow is a classic Dim Sum dish, and is considered the benchmark dish for Dim Sum restaurants. These were warm, the prawn meat perfectly cooked and the skin had the silken texture suited to dipping in the chilli oil provided. Delicious. Next was my daughter’s favorite, the Salt & Chilli fried squid, or ‘Chinese Chips’ as advised by a friend. The squid was deliciously crisp on the outside with just the right amount of give. The chilli heat was perfectly balanced with the saltiness. The hot Jasmine tea served with the meal does a great job of nullifying oily or salty foods, and our pot was frequently refilled during the meal without asking. Eschewing staples such as Char Siu Bao (pork buns) we continued our seafood feast with Deep Fried Prawn Dumplings, fish-stuffed tofu and a recent discovery: Youtiao Roll ‘Chinese Doughnut’. The exterior is a steamed rice noodle roll wrapped around a crisp, savoury dough. Sliced and served in a very light, slightly sweet soy, it was so good we nearly ended up fighting over the last piece. We asked the friendly waitress for a serve of fried eggplant (another favourite) but unfortunately we were too early as this and some other dishes were still being cooked in the kitchen.

We paid and left just as a queue was starting to form outside the door. The bill was a very reasonable $34, not bad at all for two and half hungry people, especially in Perth. There are several other renown Dim Sum restaurants around, but I rank Emma’s up there with the best of them this side of Hong Kong. We’ll be returning soon.