Best NON-cart dim sum?

[Anne]

This is embarrassing, but we find the whole cart thing too intimidating! We'd much rather make our selections from a menu. Not looking for the really "exotic" stuff either. Where can we get delicious dumplings and baked roast pork buns by ordering them off a menu (in English, please!)? Thanks!

[scoopG]

I'd suggest Ping's Seafood at 22 Mott Street.

They have a menu you can order from, with S (for small plate i.e. Steamed Spare Ribs) starting at $2.00; M at $2.40 (i.e. Steamed Pork Dumplings;) L at $3.80 (i.e. Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf) and XL at $4.80 (i.e.Steamed Dragon Rice Dumpling.)

Then they have SP at $6.95 (i.e. Fried Stuffed Bean Curd) and DL at $7.95 each (i.e. Fresh Baby Greens in Shallot Sauce.)

It can get crowded and small groups have to share tables. I've eaten at Dim Sum a Go-Go only once and was very disappointed.

[erica]

And this is on weekdays as well as weekends? (Pings)??

[scoopG]

I think they do Erica. I've only been there on weekends though.

[aimeezing1]

Dim Sum Go Go on Chatham Square. There are never carts there, the roast pork buns are fab, as are several of the dumplings - we always order at least 3 orders of the shrimp and scallion variety. It is great.

[Daniel76]

We got to Oriental Seafood Garden.. I can;t remember if its a cart or a tray.. But its less hectic and you can order off a picture menu and they bring you what you would like also..

[kathryn]

Oriental Garden usually uses trays if my memory serves correctly. It was pretty hectic the last time I went, though, which was around 11am on a Sunday.

[igg517]

There's a place in the Village on Lafayette Street that has that exact setup. It's a fancy place though. http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/...

Also, for a more authentic experience, I've been to Dim Sum A Go-Go (chinatown) in the early evening, after the dim sum brunch crowd, and there were no carts, only off the menu options.

[kathryn]

BTW, the "fancy place" is called Chinatown Brasserie; there are many options there you wont find elsewhere as the chef is rather inventive. (It is about 2x as expensive as a Chinatown option but you won't have to hassle someone several times for a glass of water, or share a table with strangers, or have angry hordes next to your table waiting for your seat.)

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Chinatown Brasserie
380 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012

[bigjeff]

chinatown brasserie is quite good for their dim sum; can't say the same for the rest of their dishes; but the dim sum is made/steamed to order and all quite good and, expensive for dim sum, but worth it for at least the experience.