NYC: Dim Sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor

Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a historic restaurant on Doyers Street in Chinatown. The place started out as a tea parlor and a bakery, and dim sum was just a secondary thing, but nowadays, it’s the dim sum that Nom Wah is known for.

I usually like to visit dim sum spots with a group of friends so we can try a variety of dishes, but my trip to Nom Wah was a spur-of-the-moment decision, so I went solo. There was quite a line outside, but it moved quickly, and it only took about 15 minutes before I was in.

I got a nice table at the window, and started browsing the menu. After much deliberation, I finally narrowed down my order to Rice Rolls with Spareribs, Turnip Cake, the House Special Roast Pork Bun, and Phoenix Buns. The Rice Rolls with Spareribs were tender, and I really liked the sauce. What I didn’t like so much was that the spare ribs topping was mostly bones, and no meat. The turnip cake was a bit to the oily side, which some people don’t like, but which I don’t mind, and I liked the generous dollop of sauce it came with.

The House Special Roast Pork Bun was a pillowy, bun with a scrumptious filling of roasted pork in a sweet barbecue sauce. The bun was so big, you couldn’t hold it with chopsticks (I tried), and so filling, you’d probably only be able to finish half of it. The pièce de résistance, however, were the Phoenix Buns (egg custard buns). These soft, fluffy buns were filled with sweet, runny, egg custard, making for an excellent finale.

The dim sum at Nom Wah may not be mind-blowing, but the food is authentic and satisfying. There’s also something special about dining at a place that has been around for so long, so even though I might not become a regular, it’s a place that I would highly recommend visiting if you’re in the area and want a tasty bite of Chinatown history.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, 13 Doyers St, New York