Great Dim Sum in Austin: Shanghai Dim Sum

Dim sum is a quintessential part of Cantonese cuisine, characterized by a diverse array of small, flavorful dishes traditionally enjoyed with tea, known as "yum cha." These bite-sized delicacies range from steamed dumplings and buns to fried spring rolls and sweet pastries, offering a rich variety of textures and flavors. Typically served in bustling teahouses, dim sum fosters a communal dining experience where family and friends share numerous plates, embodying the social and cultural essence of Chinese culinary traditions. Originating from ancient teahouses in Guangzhou, dim sum has become a beloved global phenomenon, celebrated for its culinary artistry and convivial atmosphere.

In the city of Austin, there are about 15 dim sum spots that I love, but my all-time favorite is Shanghai. Shanghai's Executive Chef, Mr. He, developed a love for cooking authentic, organic, and delicious dim sum in his early childhood. His talent and determination in cooking came to him after his uncle inspired him to cook the best dim sum. He would cook it for his family every day, and they all loved it. He found such joy in cooking and sharing his talent with others that it led him to develop a desire to spread his love and joy for cooking dim sum to the Austin community, thus joining the Shanghai Chinese Restaurant team in 2015.

I'll tell you about my first time trying Shanghai Restaurant, and I must say this will not be my last. We ordered the soup dumplings (okay), shrimp-stuffed eggplants (highly recommended), three-piece crab Rangoon (not good), leek fried dumplings (delicious), pork puff (delicious and on the sweeter side), crab shrimp claw (pricey but good), chicken feet (superb and super tasty), pork shumai (love it), shrimp shumai (okay), cilantro shrimp dumpling (lacking flavor), egg cluster (yum!), combination fried rice (smoky and okay but lacking seasoning), and red bean sesame ball (decent). I also ordered takeout, and it's equally as good! It came hot and fresh. Dine-in service is fast, and there are plenty of tables and chairs. You will need to scan the QR code at the table to pull up the menu, place your order, and pay.

The second time I visited this spot, we dropped by on a weekend evening, which I'm told is the best time to go as it can be very packed during weekend lunch. My father-in-law is from Shanghai and says this is the best place for dim sum in Austin. The egg tarts, sesame balls, shrimp dumplings, and turnip cake are just a few star dishes if you're looking for dim sum. Eat any savory dim sum with their house-made chili sauce, and it elevates it even more. No soy sauce needed!

My favorite dish that night to share was the beef and broccoli, which reminded me of Vietnamese shaken beef by the way it was cut. It was juicy and easy to chew that my toddler loved it and kept asking for more! I also loved the fried garlic shrimp. It was battered nicely and had a good salty flavor. The Cantonese-style chicken and roasted duck are just as good. This was the best Chinese food I've had in a while.

Let me tell you about my most recent visit: my best friend was in town, and he was craving dim sum. I said to him, “Shanghai Restaurant is the only place in Austin that offers a lot of traditional options at decent prices. Honestly, their dim sum is really good.” When we got there, the place was busy! My friend ordered jasmine tea, and we all ordered multiple options for the table. The owners are really kind and helpful, and our food was brought out super promptly. I also like how they have an online ordering system so each person can order their dim sum and pay for it themselves instead of tediously trying to figure out the bill afterward. I love their congee, BBQ pork rice rolls, and turnip cake.

Since then, I've returned here five times already because they have the best dim sum in Austin! I've tried all the high-end dim sum places in Austin, and Shanghai's dim sum is the most authentic, reasonably priced, aligned with Austin's pricing, normal proportion, and uses fresh ingredients. When my parents come to town, they almost always go to Shanghai Restaurant for the dim sum. You can also enjoy its wonderful selection of Cantonese-style noodle plates. Mr. Ho is a passionate Asian chef, and his plates do all the talking for him. I recommend and welcome everyone to come try this amazing food.

6718 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, TX 78752

(512) 458-8088

www.dimsumshanghai.com