Dim Sum @ Duk Li

Duk Li Dim Sum. This little gem is my current favorite. Don't let the small size and well known neighbors fool you. What Duk Li lacks in size is more than compensated by warmth and vitality and a feeling that this is authentic cuisine from Hong Kong (this is my fantasy OK!) comfortable, friendly, CCTV playing on the wall. Not much English spoken but definitely enough to get your order done right. I'm not sure if they are speaking Cantonese and my futile attempts at Mandarin are understood but not responded to.

So like if I say Shi -Shi or thank you 谢谢.I get a polite smile and acknowledgment of understanding but no response. Im working on the phrase to ask if they speak po-tung-wa 普通话 But still am to shy to use it.

(Dim sum is a Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha, 飲茶).) Here in the greater Seattle area it's a little mixed up, for instance you will find Korean Teriyaki, Mexican Sushi, Anglo Vietnamese beef noodle soup, Jewish Palestinian food, Turkish without turkey to name a few.

This is the Shiu Mai I saw someone in the yelp comments complaining about. I found them very tasty and juicy. Maybe Helena H was given the "special shiu mai" that's reserved for New Yorkers =] joking.

As you can see from the comments not everyone loved it, I like that you can feed 2 people for $10-$15 and have food left over. Tea is brought without asking and I believe free. They do prefer cash, and the last detail I would impart is their pastries rock for the late night munchies.

I usually go with their excellent friend noodles or fried rice (if available) but I thought I would do something different. I can't recall the name of this dish, sorry, but I liked them. Fried sandfleas maybe. =] mmmm mmmm.