You know that a dim sum joint has to be good if it’s slammed with budget-minded seniors at 11:30 am on a Tuesday. They’re there because almost everything on the carte at the newly minted Dim Sum King (421 Dundas West, at Huron, 416-551-3366) in the old Yiu Wah – the low-rent Cantonese cantina universally known as “the one on the south side on the third floor of that weird mall” – goes for $2.20 weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm, the price the place normally charges for a small plate.
And so we get a non-stop parade of carts piled with steamer baskets of al dente har gow dumplings mixed with wilted greens (#5/$3.50 after 3 pm and all-day weekends), flaky sweet ‘n’ sour barbecued pork buns (#61/$3.30) and pan-fried water chestnut cake (#47) that looks and tastes like crunchy green Jello. Fried turnip cakes (#44) are more rubbery than most but deep-fried baby octopus tentacles in five-spice (#42/$3.50) are surprisingly tender.
Sure, this King is no threat to pricey Lai Wah Heen and the like. But what other dim summery in town serves deep-fried meat crepes – think pan-Asian pizza with Chinese sausage in place of pepperoni (#34) – with a side order of ballroom dancing every Friday night from 9 pm?
