Best dim sum in PDX?
I’ve got a friend coming in from out of town next weekend. The owners at his favorite Vietnamese restaurant in his hometown (who used to live here in Portland) told him today that he had to go to a certain place here for dim sum. Only thing is, he doesn’t remember exactly where they told him to go.
I’ve had dim sum at Legin, but not anywhere else here in PDX. Is that really the place to go, or are there other options we should consider?
And – while I’m at it – I’ll take suggestions for the three things you’d show a visitor to PDX that’d best give them a good idea of what Portland is all about…
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!
I’ve always been told that House of Louie in Chinatown is the best dim sum. I haven’t actually eaten there, but every time my brother in law comes in from Boise, he makes it a point to go there.
Fong Chong, I’d heard, but dim sum is never very veggie friendly, so I couldn’t say myself.
1. Powell’s.
2. The Japanese Gardens. (The Chinese Gardens a close second.)
3. A kick-ass hole-in-the-wallesque world-class restaurant. Something like Cafe Azul, except, you know, still there.
I can’t recommend House of Louis…it used to be good a few years back but has become pretty americanized. There is a new place that’s all the buzz in the Chinese community here. It’s either Wah King or King’s Wah. It’s very near Legin on the eastside… same street but more towards I-205. If you’re driving east from Legin, it’s on the left hand side of the street in a new little plaza (I think called King’s Plaza). Be warned, the wait tends to be really long. I think it’s worth the wait though.
I’ve been to House of Louie, but not for dim sum. I’ve left unimpressed, frankly.
But that brings up an interesting question. PDX has a reputation among some as a place with merely average Chinese food – yet we have Chinatown. Why is that…?
True story: I found a fish eye in my food at House of Louie. Never been back.
I like Fong Chong’s dim sum, but the ambiance leaves something to be desired. The women’s bathroom is especially grotty.
Could this be the restaurant Steph was referring to?
http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5957
Penny, that’s indeed the restaurant I was talking about. Agree with you about Fong Chong… not the best atmosphere. Wong’s King is actually very pleasant but it’s new and bustling so it should be. Betsy has a good point about our Chinatown. I am Chinese and don’t get it. There is one hole-in-the-wall noodle shop my family loves but aside from that one place, I rarely venture into Chinatown. My family tends to head towards Portland’s virtual Chinatown — SE.
Finding a fish eye in Chinese food is tremendously good luck! There should be one or two in every fish dish, sometimes hidden. Everyone knows this.
Yes, the latest greatest is Wong’s King Seafood between SE 85th & 87th on Division. Food is good (althogh still not as good as Vancouver BC). However, it’s the service and ambiance that raises the bar up many notches for Chinese dinning in PDX. Smiling, courteous, attentive servers; careful nice presentation of dishes; & clean. Dinner is when you get the best service. I haven’t been to House of Louie, Fong Chong, or Legin in years. Other dim sum options are Hong 88 & Sam Ho, but haven’t gone to these places since Wong’s opened.
Regarding Chinatown… I’m a 5th generation Chinese-American in PDX. Chinatown first arose in the late 1800’s, peaked in the early 1900’s and declined by the 1960’s (we all moved to the suburbs). So Chinatown has a long deep roots in PDX with a significant sized Chinese pop. But not nearly the size of NY, Toronto, Vancouver, San Fran, or LA. Not enough to draw the top chefs and restraunters who came from HK & Taiwan.
Yes, the latest greatest is Wong’s King Seafood between SE 85th & 87th on Division. Food is good (althogh still not as good as Vancouver BC). However, it’s the service and ambiance that raises the bar up many notches for Chinese dinning in PDX. Smiling, courteous, attentive servers; careful nice presentation of dishes; & clean. Dinner is when you get the best service. I haven’t been to House of Louie, Fong Chong, or Legin in years. Other dim sum options are Hong 88 & Sam Ho, but haven’t gone to these places since Wong’s opened.
Regarding Chinatown… I’m a 5th generation Chinese-American in PDX. Chinatown first arose in the late 1800’s, peaked in the early 1900’s and declined by the 1960’s (we all moved to the suburbs). So Chinatown has long deep roots in PDX with a significant sized Chinese pop. But not nearly the size of NY, Toronto, Vancouver, San Fran, or LA. Not enough to draw the top chefs and restraunters who came from HK & Taiwan.
I am Chinese and have lived in San Francisco and LA. I have eaten in Chinese restaurants in Vancouver, Toronto, SF-Bay Area, LA, NYC, Chicago, as well as Portland. Portland has pretty mediocre dim sum. I have been really disappointed. Wong’s King is the only place that is relatively enjoyable. It beats out Legin for atmosphere and it is much better than any of the Chinatown places.
For dinner, the Golden Horse (in Chinatown) is pretty decent. A hole-in-the wall, but the food isn’t too bad. I wouldn’t go there for a date or special occasions. Mandarin House is OK for northern Chinese cuisine.
The origin and evolution of Chinatown could be a whole blog entry in and of itself. We might have to confront some unpleasant truths, though.
SJ: you make it sound like the decision to move to the suburbs was made by the Chinese of their own volition. Perhaps it was. I’m definitely interested to hear your family’s mythology.
To all: there are still remnants of Chinese architectural motifs scattered along 2nd and 3rd Streets, in the MAIN downtown. Try to find them, those details (those memories) that have yet to disappear.
TK,
Why would you think that Chinese people wouldn’t move to the suburbs out of their own volition? Everyone wants good schools, nice new homes, a yard, right? Are you implying that Chinese people should stay in Chinatown so that Chinatown stays quaint and is in effect a ghetto for people of Chinese descent?
TK,
What do you mean by your comment that “…the decision to move to the suburbs was made by the Chinese of their own volition. Perhaps it was. I’m definitely interested to hear your family’s mythology”?
You don’t think that Chinese people want the same things as everyone else, such as good schools, nice new homes, perhaps a yard?
Are you suggesting that Chinese people were “forced” out of Chinatown in some manner? That they really want to stay in what is in effect, a Chinese ghetto?
Gee, that would be wonderful for the tourists, wouldn’t it?
I’ve eaten dim sum at top places in both SF and Vancouver and I think that Wong’s King is competitive with the better places in both. It may not be quite as good as the best places, but it’s still quite good and easily better than any other in town. I think the average dim sum eater wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. The separation between Wong’s and these other places is on the finer points.
We went to Wong’s King today and got there about 10:30. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, and by dim sum standards that’s pretty quick. But about the time we were seated there was a 45 minute wait, so come early! The food was better than I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten alot of dim sum in San Francisco and other areas. The selection was large and the food kept coming! No waiting around like at some places. The service was great too and this is the first time I’ve been asked in a dim sum restaurant “Is everything OK?” Wow! I would highly recommend this restaurant!
I am a chinese from HK and came to America 2 years ago, I think I can tell you guys the honest and useful opinion about the Chinese food in Oregon.
Don’t go to China Town! I have heard many Americans said how good the dim sum is in China Town. I went there a couple times because I was happy to find some chinese food to eat in Oregon when i first came here. The restaurants are very old, they smell old, yes, bathrooms are dirty, the food is not worth that price.
Wong’s King is new. I honestly think the food is just ok. Inside it really looks like those chinese restaurants in HK. The food is so so, have a lot of MSG. It is just ok food compare with those in HK, but in Oregon it might be the best place to eat.
I agree with the other posters about Wong’s King Seafood. Their dim sum is the best in Portland. Sure, there’s better dim sum to be had in Vancouver, B.C. (which also is better than in HK) but I’m grateful there’s a place in PDX that is good.
The people here seem to make a direct correlation between good Chinese food and Chinatowns. As a transplant from the San Francisco Bay Area, I can say that that is not necessarily the case. SF’s Chinatown Chinese food is for the most part quite bad and for the main reason that it caters mainly to the tourist palate. It is quite important in discussing Chinese food to discern between the average American (other than Asian) and Chinese palates. What may taste good to the middle American will generally taste quite bad to Chinese palate. PDX has a complete dearth of good Chinese food in this respect. Most of the stuff here is completely unpalatable, and their continuing existence is supported by the Nor’Westerner’s unsophisticated palate. I usually stay away from Chinese restaurants here in town, but of the few that I have tried, I have to say that Wong’s King is the best of the lot. That is not to say that it is a great place compared to other Chinese restaurants I have been to, but it is a good place to get a meal. I personally would take an out-of-towner to 3 of my favorite places in this town: Tabla, Pambiche and Syun Izakaya.
I have not tried the place on Division, but I like Lum Yuen Chinese Restaurant between Burnside & Couch on 4th (in Chinatown). You’ll notice the clientele is mostly Cantonese.
For interesting things to do in and around Portland, check out Chuck Palahniuk’s book, ‘Fugitives & Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon’.
Lum Yuen, definitely. I seek out dim sum in every city I visit on the West Coast (I live in Oregon) and I like Lum Yuen better than any in San Francisco or LA.