Drinking tea and savoring a variety of dim sum is a beloved weekend tradition for many Cantonese people. Recently, at a dim sum restaurant in San Gabriel, I was instantly transported back to my childhood, reminiscing about the days when I enjoyed tea and dim sum with my family at local tea houses in my hometown.
Although dim sum carts have nearly disappeared in Guangzhou and Hong Kong—the two cities in China considered the birthplaces of dim sum—it was a delightful surprise to encounter this fading tradition in Los Angeles, thousands of miles away from its origin.
“I always dreamed of creating a space where people could enjoy traditional dim sum, so I decided to start my own business,” the restaurant’s owner, Ben Hong, told me.
A dim sum cart
Hong immigrated to California from the Chaoshan region of China during the 1980s wave of migration. Like many new immigrants at the time, he had little knowledge of English and chose to work in Chinese restaurants, where language barriers were less of an issue. After years of experience in the restaurant industry, Hong opened his own establishment in 2007.
For twenty years, Hong has steadfastly upheld one tradition: serving customers from dim sum carts. Pushed by uniformed servers, each cart stops at each table, and the lids are lifted to unveil an array of delectable dim sum choices. The carts not only allow customers to see the dim sum up close, Hong explained, but also help maintain the dim sum’s temperature, ensuring its flavor and texture.
In the early days of dim sum restaurants in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, servers would carry large iron trays filled with bamboo steamers of dim sum, weaving through the tables to sell the dishes. These trays were known as “Longevity Trays.” However, as the variety of dim sum increased, the trays became heavier and more cumbersome to carry. By the late 1960s, the idea of using Western-style trolleys to serve dim sum was introduced. It is said that King Wah Restaurant, established in 1955 in Mong Kok, Hong Kong (now renamed “London Restaurant”), was among the first to adopt dim sum carts. These carts were divided into different sections, holding porridge, steamed dishes, fried items, desserts, and small plates. To keep the food warm, small gas stoves were installed beneath the carts, using steam to maintain the temperature.
A dim sum cart in the old days (courtesy of Jinri Toutiao)
The introduction of dim sum carts not only allowed customers to choose their dishes more intuitively but also fostered interaction between customers and servers. This interaction was not just about ordering food; it was an integral part of the social experience in dim sum restaurant culture. The servers pushing the carts would recommend freshly prepared dishes to customers, and customers who had built relationships with the servers would often receive their usual orders along with a friendly chat. This personal touch is something that paper menus or online ordering cannot replicate. Children, upon seeing the carts filled with an array of dim sum, would always get excited and eagerly pick their favorite dishes. Hong remarked, “San Gabriel is an old Chinese neighborhood. Many customers have been coming here since we opened.” He has watched countless young patrons grow up, start families, and even bring their own children to enjoy “yum cha” (a Cantonese term refers to drinking tea and eating dim sum).
One explanation for the gradual disappearance of dim sum carts is that restaurants wanted to increase seating capacity to accommodate more customers. However, dim sum carts require significant space, and by the late 1990s, the “made-to-order” model began to replace them. The lively calls of servers selling dim sum also faded. This shift was not just about space and efficiency; it reflected broader changes in society, where faster-paced lifestyles became the norm.
In the 1980s, during China’s “Reform and Opening-Up” period, many Chinese citizens emigrated to the United States due to political instability or in pursuit of better economic opportunities. A significant number of these immigrants came from southern China, particularly Guangdong, which is why Cantonese cuisine became a dominant culinary tradition in Southern California’s Chinese communities. To attract more local American customers, many Chinese restaurants developed Americanized dishes, such as chop suey.
Hong, however, has remained committed to offering authentic dim sum and preserving traditional dining culture. While many dim sum restaurants in Guangdong and Hong Kong now serve pre-made dim sum, Hong insists on preparing fresh dim sum daily. He said his staff starts work as early as 4 a.m. to ensure customers can enjoy the freshest dishes. This approach not only allows patrons from China to savor the flavors of home but also enables the younger generation of immigrants to experience their culinary heritage.
As one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States, Los Angeles is home to immigrants from all over the world. In the face of globalization, Cantonese restaurants in Los Angeles must navigate the challenge of preserving tradition while adapting to a multicultural environment. The use of dim sum carts is not just about catering to the nostalgia of older immigrants; it is also a way to help second- and third-generation immigrants understand and embrace their cultural identity through food. Although dim sum carts have largely disappeared in Guangdong and Hong Kong, they have found a place in immigrant communities in the United States. For immigrants like Ben Hong, food is not just a sensory pleasure, and dim sum carts are not merely vessels of memory—they are emotional bridges connecting them to their homeland.
