Andrew Allard '26
Executive Editor
The weekend brunch is a staple of young adult life. So broad is its appeal that even busy law students have been known to partake. And with good reason—what other meal offers such a wide variety of sweet, savory, and boozy options? Best of all, brunch's late afternoon availability allows diners—encourages them, even—to laze away their Sunday mornings. But in this writer’s view, another weekend culinary outing is unjustly overlooked: dim sum.
Dim sum and brunch have little in common besides their loose time frames. At dim sum, tea takes the place of booze, the meal is predominantly savory (though sweet options are available), and the overall mood is hurried as compared to the sauntering pace of brunch. But even dedicated brunchers should have dim sum at least once during their short time on this earth. Trust me—you won’t be missing your mimosa when you’re sinking your teeth into a crispy roast duck.
Sadly, Charlottesville is sorely lacking in dim sum.[1] But this did not stop me, and it certainly should not stop you. The nearest dim sum restaurant[2] is Full Kee, an hour's drive away in Richmond. But I suggest you make the trek up to North Virginia for the full experience at Hong Kong Pearl. I realize that I'm suggesting a two-hour drive for food, which takes us squarely out of "lazy Sunday morning" territory. Trust me. I have my reasons.
1. I know my audience.
I am writing for UVA Law students, who together account for 63% of all annual utterances of the phrase “I'm going up to DC this weekend.” So I know you have the time for a DC trip. In fact, you were probably already planning one. Stop in Falls Church for dim sum on the way.
2. You cannot fully experience dim sum without The Carts™.
A meal is more than just the food. It is an experience. And this is especially true of dim sum. Don't be fooled—a restaurant can serve siu mai[3] and lo mai gai[4] fit for a king, but it is not a true dim sum restaurant without the swarm of carts.
At Hong Kong Pearl, shortly after you have been seated, waiters pushing carts full of food will ambush your table at breakneck speed. Armed with a variety of tasty dishes, the waiters will call out their menu offerings to your table. The enthusiasm with which waiters peddle their dishes is a unique and delightful element of any good dim sum restaurant.
But it is also perilous. Even an experienced dim sum goer can let their appetite get the best of them, seizing on too many dishes too quickly. And for the first timer, the shouted laundry list of menu items can be intimidating.
Worry not. The fear is by design. Imagine if eating on a rollercoaster were possible, or for that matter enjoyable—a place where dining meets thrill-seeking in an awesome culinary experience. That is dim sum.
3. The food speaks for itself.
Dim sum plates are small to medium sized, making them ideal for sharing. The plethora of dishes include steamed vegetables, soy-soaked rice noodles, fried shellfish of all kinds, and dumplings galore. The list goes on. Bring a few friends and you can try a bit of everything.
Be sure to make it before 3 p.m. when the carts are still in service, keeping in mind that there is usually a line on weekends. If you make the trip, send me an email. I’d love to hear about it. Or better yet, bring me with you.
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tya2us@virginia.edu
Pictured (left to right): Char siu bao (叉燒包), a dim sum classic: Sweet barbeque pork wrapped in a fluffy wheat bun. Shrimp cheung fun (腸粉), a personal favorite: Shrimp in rice noodle rolls, doused in a sweet and salty sauce. Har gow (蝦餃), one of many dumplings served at dim sum: Filled with shrimpand have a thin, but pleasantly chewy skin. Roast duck (烤鴨): Not the famous Peking duck, but its lesser known (no less delicious) Cantonese cousin. Salty, fatty, heavenly.
Photo and Caption Credit: Shen Zhu and Andrew Allard '25
[1] To any enterprising Charlottesville restaurateurs, you can expect my business every weekend if you fix this problem.
[2] That is, the nearest one that I am aware of. Reader, if you know of a closer dim sum restaurant, I implore you to email me about it.
[3] 燒賣, a steamed pork and shrimp dumpling and a favorite of many dim sum goers.
[4] 糯米雞, a delicious medley of sticky rice, chicken, sausage, mushrooms, and other goodies. Lo mai gai is served hiding in a lotus leaf, like a gift waiting to be unwrapped. This makes it easy to miss for first timers. You should avoid this mistake at all costs.