all that marble i cannot eat.

my first time ever in d c. a friend asks, what do you think? i say, do you want the chinese perspective? or some other? short pause. she says, okay, the chinese perspective. i say, all that marble i cannot eat. but i definitely will come back. d c has some of the best dim sum i have had in america. seriously. hwubby says, seriously. we want to take the person who has so generously and kindly given us accommodation to a meal. actually turns out we have the whole house to ourselves. anyway hwubby says to this person, can you find out a nice place to go dim sum or a good chinese restaurant. honestly i don't have any expectation. but i know something good is coming when our friend says, i have found a place to dim sum, my friend says it's as good as hong kong and we have to be there no later than ten thirty to line up. hwubby and i arrive a couple of minutes after. what do we see? already a line of about fifteen people outside this unassuming place in a small shopping center. by the time it opens at eleven the line is already round the corner.

however the proof is in the dim sum. tofu flower. texture is delicate as prime rose petals, smooth as boiled egg white, creamy as custard, light as cloud. our american friend takes one spoonful. her eyes pops wide. she says, i can't believe it, i have never tasted anything like this. such quality is only possible because it is fresh. tofu flower has no shelf life. it is only good for a few hours. then it begins to taste grainy. i could have downed several bowls if i didn't have to save room for others.

waterchestnut cake. all that jello texture comes from a natural ingredient. some sort of grass. it gels at room temperature. chinese don't need fridge to make jello:) waterchestnut is one of my fave summer veggie. refreshing taste, crunchy, cooling.

taro dumpling. again, my american friend says, i have never had anything so good. it looks like a small bird nest. take a bite into it. the taro threads are deep fried to perfection. light, airy. not oily whatsoever.

cuttlefish. thinly sliced. al dente. very tasty. but the real wonder is the bed of pickled turnip, cucumber underneath. they are perfectly balanced in sweet and sour. and, again, they are fresh.  there is a world of difference if it's stale pickle. they give me headache. literally immediately.

at one point, the american friend sitting next to me says, suk wah, when are you going to stop eating, aren't you full yet? i say, i will, at some point.

after such spectacular dim sum i head straight to national gallery to spend time with my fave pics. life in d c is divine.