Dim sum guide

Dim sum ("touch the heart") is small-plate Cantonese cooking traditionally eaten as yum cha — "drinking tea" — over a long, social breakfast or lunch.

What to order

• Har gow — translucent shrimp dumplings, often used as a benchmark for a kitchen's skill.
• Siu mai — open-topped pork and shrimp dumplings.
• Char siu bao — barbecue pork buns, steamed or baked.
• Cheung fun — rice noodle rolls, usually with shrimp or beef.
• Egg tarts — a Hong Kong-Portuguese-influenced sweet finish.

How it works

At traditional spots, trolleys circulate the room and you simply point at what looks good; at busier or more modern restaurants, you'll tick items off a paper order sheet instead. Tea is ordered first and refilled throughout — ask your server which variety they recommend if unsure.