From Canton to Chennai: A dim sum affair to remember

There’s something delightfully slow and social about Yum cha—the Cantonese tradition of gathering over tea and dim sum. The gentle clatter of bamboo steamers, the fragrance of tea wafting in the air, all add up to this slow and deliberate joy of dim sum feast.

Here's what we loved from the Yum Cha Festival

With this ritual being reimagined in the city through the Yum Cha Festival, we thought of experiencing this fest. Curious about how this Far Eastern affair would translate to our southern city, we headed to Chap Chay restaurant.

Amidst a warm, elegant space that encourages lingering conversation and mindful eating, we waited patiently for the spread of dumplings, fine teas, and tea-kissed cocktails that is to follow.

We began our adventure with the Yasai gyoza, along with the Lavender bloom black tea to go along with it. These Japanese-style edamame green-coloured veg delights dumplings were pan-fried to perfection, giving way to a soft, savoury filling.

Equally good was the Sichuan vegetable dim sum, a steamed dumpling spiked with just enough Sichuan pepper to make the tongue tingle without overpowering the vegetables inside.

To pair with the dim sums, we were served the Hibiscus and ginger iced tea, which was tart, zesty, and palate-cleansing between bites. A cooling Blue pea iced tea also made its appearance — mellow and subtly floral, a calming end note.

We moved to the seafood dim sum next with Thai herbs open prawn dumpling. This dim sum, which was beautifully shaped, and delicate in texture was delectable. The prawn was fresh and the chestnut added a delightful crunch.

On the sides, we sipped a couple of drinks from their cocktail menu, both tea-infused and surprisingly refreshing for the warm afternoon. Cloud nine arrived first — a pretty pink-toned blend of butterfly pea tea, vodka, pomegranate reduction and mint. The flavours were light and herbal, with just a hint of tartness. Even more intriguing was Mystery of simplicity, made with oolong-infused vodka, forest honey, and tender coconut water.

Among the meat dim sums, the Char sui pork belly taipao was as indulgent as it sounds—soft, fluffy bao hugging a rich filling of slow-cooked pork belly. Served with red and green pepper dips, it was savoury, satisfying, and a nod to the classic flavours of Chinese BBQ. We also tried the Duck dumpling hoisin sauce, where tender duck meat mingled with garlic and hoisin in a well-balanced, umami-rich parcel.

You are wrong if you thought the dim sum fest would end with that. The dessert section too came in the form of dim sums.

The Dark chocolate and dry nuts dumpling had a molten heart of chocolate that felt almost sinful, while the Black sticky rice with fresh fruit was wholesome, naturally sweet, and reminded us of Thai street desserts. The sweet potato dumpling surprised us with its earthy sweetness and smooth texture—a quiet winner among the desserts.

Yum Cha Festival runs till July 6. Meal price for two: INR 3,000. 12.30 to 3 pm, and 7 pm to 11 pm. At Chap Chay, The Raintree, Alwarpet.

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