One of China’s most famous culinary exports and a staple of Chinese restaurants in Dubai, dim sum is a dining experience that never fails to delight.
Whether you’re a fan of steamed chicken buns or beef siu mai, there are hundreds of types of dim sum, a sizeable feast of bite-size flavours, cooking styles and ingredients.
We have highlighted five Gault&Millau-rated dim sum restaurants in Dubai for you to try this weekend. The restaurants range from family-feasting favourites to toque-rated.
Demon Duck
From celebrity chef Alvin Leung, everything about Demon Duck is eye-catching. From the décor to the modern menu, there are pops of colour and little nuances that confirm the place has been well thought out. And that follows as Leung has experience with restaurants in London and Hong Kong and is a successful television personality. He knows what he’s doing when it comes to building a brand and enticing the crowds.
The main advice from the massive menu is, as the name suggests, to order the duck. There’s everything, from duck soup to duck kibbeh and the crowning glory – the slow-roasted Peking duck, aged for 14 days and served with steamed calamansi buns and hoisin sauce.
Meanwhile, dim sum options (listed under “Wicked Comforts”) include more duck in the form of duck gyozas with foie gras miso sauce yet, and there’s chicken xiaolongbao, shrimp har gow, lobster gao and chicken & black truffle fun gao.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Demon Duck, here
www.banyantree.com/united-arab-emirates/dubai/dining/demon-duck; +971 4 556 6466
Hutong
A vibrant Chinese restaurant in DIFC, Hutong is an astute choice for diners looking for high-end dishes packed full of flavour and paired with a lively, grown-up atmosphere. A global name, Hutong started in Hong Kong more than a decade ago, while its most famous outpost is in London’s The Shard.
The dishes are as fiery as the décor, focusing on the warmth of Sichuan pepper throughout the menu. Dim sum is expertly prepared, with spiced beef xiaolongbao, chicken siu mai, and tea-smoked dried tofu and vegetables among the highlights.
One of the most famous dishes at Hutong is the wild mushroom and truffle bao. Delicately crafted into little mushroom shapes stuffed with a fragrant filling, it lives up to the hype. Order one, order two, order three…
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Hutong, here
www.hutong-dubai.com; +9714 220 0868
Long Teng
You have likely not visited Business Bay’s U-bora Towers unless you work or live here or know your way around the Chinese restaurants of Dubai. Here, you will find Long Teng, which provides as authentic a Chinese culinary experience as you will find in the city.
It is recommended that you start with an assortment of Long Teng’s superior dim sum. The shrimp cheung fun, packed with succulent shrimp wrapped in a crispy-fried shell with rosy, glutinous rice paper noodles, is simply brilliant. Also, try the swan-shaped deep-fried turnip pastry to find out what can be done with the root vegetable.
Dishes range from soups to noodles and seafood, including lobster, crab, and king prawns. We recommend the stir-fried squid with chilli and the cutlet shrimp balls.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Long Teng, here
www.instagram.com/longtengseafood; +971 4 241 1666
Mott 32
Without question, Mott 32 offers one of the best vantage points around. Soaring high above Bluewaters Dubai on the 73rd floor of the Address Beach Resort on JBR, this sophisticated Chinese restaurant has views across the Palm, along JBR and the coastline beyond that. However, for the most part, it’s not just the views that attract diners – although that is a major draw.
The menu spans China, focusing on Cantonese cuisine with influences from Beijing and Sichuan. Attention is paid to detail when it comes to presentation and produce. The restaurant works closely with local UAE farms while championing organic and sustainable ingredients. Mott 32 prides itself on its dim sum, including siu mai with soft quail’s egg, chicken, prawn and black truffle, and the stand-out crispy sugar-coated charcoal lamb buns.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Mott 32, here
www.mott32.com/dubai; +971 4 278 4832
Tà n Chá
Found at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai but not one of the hotel’s restaurants, Tà n Chá offers Chinese and Asian-inspired dishes. This stylish two-storey restaurant features a variety of dining experiences, including intimate dining rooms, a laid-back lounge, a lively bar, and a terrace overlooking the canal. The design captures attention right from the start, with dark woods, deep greens and vibrant neon signs creating a cool, edgy ambience.
The menu is a blend of familiar favourites and uncommon creations. From the popular wasabi prawns and soft shell crab (served with buttered oatmeal and chilli) to the more adventurous stir-fried string beans and salted olives. The dim sum options are a must-try, particularly the baked crispy chicken puff and the bumblebee wagyu beef bun. Their visual appeal is matched only by the flavours. Other standout dishes include the triple-cooked honey nut crispy beef and the wok-fried wagyu beef.
Read the Gault&Millau 2024 review of Tà n Chá, here
www.tanchadubai.com; +971 56 681 8881