What is
dim sum?
A collection of small dishes to share, often with tea. Dumplings are part of dim sum; buns, rice rolls and sweets belong on the table too.
Public sources checked October 10, 2026
Think of dim sum as a way to order a range of small plates, rather than the name of one dumpling.
Four names worth recognising
| Name | What to expect | Detail to check |
|---|---|---|
| Har gow | A steamed shrimp dumpling with a translucent wrapper. | Read the filling on the particular menu. |
| Siu mai / shumai | An open-topped dumpling. Cantonese versions commonly contain pork and shrimp. | The same name has regional variations. |
| Char siu bao | A bun filled with Cantonese barbecue pork. | A steamed bun and a baked bun have different exteriors. |
| Cheung fun | Rice noodle sheets rolled around a filling, or served plain. | Choose the filling and preparation, not just “rice rolls”. |
Sources: Hong Kong Tourism Board: dim sum dishes. Checked October 10, 2026.
Shumai and siu mai: two spellings, not two orders
In a Cantonese dim sum context, these names usually point to the same open-topped dumpling family. E Noodle’s Brooklyn menu spells it “Siu Mai” and specifies four pieces. A count or ingredient on that menu does not apply to every restaurant’s shumai.
Sources: E Noodle Brooklyn menu. Checked October 10, 2026.
Dim sum versus dumplings
Dim sum describes the wider selection. “Dumplings” describes one group within it. A pork bun and a rice roll can be dim sum without being dumplings. Soup dumplings may appear in a separate menu section.
Compare wontons, soup dumplings and steamed or fried dumplings ↗
Rice rolls: check the cooking method
Cheung fun is associated with steamed rice noodle rolls. E Noodle also lists wok-fried rice rolls and a rice-roll casserole in other sections. Those are different orders despite sharing two words in the title.
Sources: Hong Kong Tourism Board · Brooklyn rice-roll listings. Checked October 10, 2026.
A practical first order
- Choose a dumpling, a bun and a rice-roll dish to compare different formats.
- Read the piece count before deciding how many plates to share.
- Check pork, shrimp and other fillings item by item.
- For a soup dumpling, let the hot filling cool before taking a bite.
This is an ordering approach, not a fixed tasting menu. Nom Wah publishes an item menu; E Noodle divides small plates between several categories. The order system matters as much as the dish name.
Sources: Nom Wah food menu · E Noodle menu categories. Checked October 10, 2026.
Same dumpling family, different fillings and portions
| Restaurant | Siu mai example | Explicit count | Published price |
|---|---|---|---|
| E Noodle Brooklyn | Siu mai | 4 | $5.50 / online order |
| Dim Sum Go Go | Shrimp-pork siu mai | 4 | $7.95 / website |
| Nom Wah | Pork, mushrooms and shrimp | Not stated | $6.35 / PDF |
| Park Asia | Pork siu mai, price band L | Not stated | $6.00 / PDF |
Published menu examples checked October 10, 2026. Online-order and restaurant PDF prices are different channels. Serving weights are not stated. Prices can change.
Nom Wah also lists chicken siu mai and shrimp siu mai. The shared name does not establish a shared filling. Go Go’s ten-piece sampler contains one each of ten varieties; it is not ten har gow.
Nom Wah Tea Parlor
13 Doyers Street, New York, NY 10013
| Published item | Explicit serving count | Source price / USD |
|---|---|---|
| Pork siu mai | Not stated | $6.35 |
| Shrimp dumplings | Not stated | $6.85 |
| Shrimp rice rolls | Not stated | $6.35 |
| House pork bun | Not stated | $5.65 |
Nom Wah Tea Parlor menu ↗. Read October 10, 2026; the issue date may be earlier.
