How to Navigate the Dim Sum Cart at Chinatown’s Oldest Restaurant

With servers wheeling fully loaded carts out of the kitchen faster than you can pick up a pair of chopsticks, it helps to know what ’ s what .

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Ahead, a breakdown of the tasty morsels at China Pearl, the neighborhood ’ second oldest restaurant. 1. TOFU FLOWER
Silky soy pudding is sweetened here with ginger and beloved, typical of yue cuisine. In north China, a savory spin— “ bean curd brain ” —uses soy sauce sauce and black vinegar.

2. ZHALIANG
here, it ’ randomness all about the texture : A soft rice attic is rolled around a crunchy youtiao, or chinese cruller, that absorbs the umami-packed pool of soy sauce. 3. LIU SHA BAO (EGG-CREAM BAO)
A newish spin on steam buns, these savory-sweet treats are sometimes decorated like cunning animals for celebrations. They ’ re nicknamed “ Golden River ” bao for the pour of salt testis yolk inwardly. 4. CANDIED LOTUS ROOT
This is the only place in Boston you ’ ll find this cup of tea, inspired by a Hangzhou chef. The flower root is stuffed with awkward rice, candied, and topped with strawberry sauce. 5. CHA SIU BAO
There ’ s a savory appeal to these quintessential Cantonese buns—baked golden or steamed—with honey-barbecue pork barrel excess rib inside. 6. SHARK FIN DUMPLINGS
The name nods not to the ocean marauder but quite the bony look of the flimsy, pastry-like white won ton negligee. here it contains pork barrel, prawn, coriander, and carrot. 7. CHICKEN CLAWS
More-adventurous eaters appreciate chicken feet, which are time-consuming to make. They ’ re first fried, then poached and marinated, and ultimately steamed before serving. 8. SALT-AND-PEPPER SQUID
An accessible entrance orient for the blur sum novice, this is basically chinese calamari : lightly seasoned squid french-fry in cornstarch and then stir-fried in a wok. 9. SHUMAI
This staple—steamed won ton wrappers stuffed with flat coat pork barrel and prawn, here topped with bits of dyed-red egg “ crêpe ” —is China Pearl ’ mho best dense total seller. 9 Tyler St., 617-426-4338, chinapearlboston.net.

More great Spots to Dim Sum Bubor Cha Cha Editor ’ south note : Bubor Cha Cha closed in November 2019. This Chinatown hole-in-the-wall with a vaguely beach-hut aesthetic serves bespoke dim kernel such as taro root dumplings and steamed lotus-paste buns. 45 Beach St., 617-482-3338, buborchacha.com. Hei La Moon An old-school stalwart on the Leather District edge with a banquet-hall vibration, Hei La Moon ’ s black summarize carts dispense dishes like shrimp har gow—translucent, delicate little dumplings. 88 Beach St., 617-338-8813, heilamoon.com. Winsor Dim Sum Café You ’ ll check off dim sum selections on a chemise of wallpaper, hand it to a server, and be rewarded with a banquet of mango pudding, Sichuan-style beef digest, and more. 10 Tyler St., 617-338-1688, winsordimsumcafe.com.

This fib is part of The Ultimate Guide to Chinatown, from the February 2019 exit of Boston magazine.