Chang’s Hong Kong Cuisine
Har Gow
Steamed Custard Buns
Egg Custard Tarts
Baked Custard Buns
Siu Mai
Baked BBQ Pork Buns
Steamed Egg Custard with Shrimp in Mushroom Broth
Chives Bun
Baked Sweet Red Bean Bun
Pan Fried Dumpling with Chives Shrimp & Pork
Steamed Pork Buns
Congee with Chinese Donut
Fried Shrimp Ball
Taro Bun
Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
Roast Duck with Bao and Hoisin
Walnut Prawns
Described by someone I trust as the best Dim Sum in our little patch of the desert it was with high hopes that myself and three others sat down just after 11:30am at Chang’s Hong Kong Cuisine and although the Saturday Cart traffic pattern would frequently prove frustrating throughout the course of our 90 minute meal it was nonetheless with broad smiles that we worked out way through over a dozen baskets of dumplings and buns before culminating in a $12 prepped-to-order Roast Duck amongst the best in the city alongside kitchen fresh walnut prawns far outperforming their modest $6 tab. Undoubtedly a gluttonous meal but one priced competitively to that of KJ or Cathay House with food on par with the former and far superior to the second as items felt to be ‘too old’ by servers were twice delayed until fresh versions could be procured from the kitchen it was with a wide swath and steady pacing that we cut our path through a selection of over fifty options and with only the overly thick wrapper of the har gow and oily pan-fried mixed dumplings proving less than impressive to my tooth an 88% batting average was still quite impressive for any dim sum spot, let alone one situated well outside of Chinatown on an industrial stretch of South Decatur. Having already spoke to the quality of the crispy roast duck and snappy prawns skillfully balanced between cream and crunch beneath a milky sweet sauce it should generally go without saying that freshest items proved the strongest options throughout our meal and with the herb-tinged congee a personal favorite along with molten baked custard buns I’d be remiss to not also mention a pair of novelties that proved equally impressive, the first featuring steamed egg custard topped with tender shrimp in an umami-laden broth and the second a delectable Red Bean Bun delivered as a sticky golden spin on the cinnamon roll with a slight-savory finish bridging the classic Chinese ingredient to a Western palate in a way that many traditional Dim-Sum ‘sweets’ do not.
FOUR STARS: With dim sum prices starting at $2.25 and topping out at a mere $6 with the option to either order from the cart or pick via check-box based sheet I’d personally place Chang’s Hong Kong on equal footing with some of the better spots in the SGV, Richmond BC, or even Toronto based on cuisine alone and although not every item was perfect the ratio of ‘great’ items to those simply good or average was far better than most, a strong statement that will no doubt see a return visit unless another contender steps up to the plate and proves superior in the weeks and months to come.
RECOMMENDED: Baked Custard Buns, Steamed Egg Custard with Shrimp, Baked Sweet Red Bean Bun, Congee, Roast Duck, Walnut Prawns.
AVOID: Glutinous Rice Wrappers proved a bit thicker than I’d prefer while the lone pan fried option was a touch greasy.
TIP: Yep, the restrooms are dirty and the service is perfunctory – what did you expect? Just wash your hands, use a paper towel to open the door, and don’t hesitate to flag down a server should you want something fresh from the kitchen or off the a la carte menu.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.changscuisine.com
