You Don't Need To Avoid Going To A Dim Sum Restaurant Solo. Here's Why

Whenever I visit a dim sum restaurant, it's usually bustling and crowded with family and friends gathered at the tables to enjoy a plethora of dim sum dishes together. While enjoying this Cantonese cuisine is traditionally a shared experience, one does not need to avoid going to a dim sum restaurant solo. A party of one or two can still enjoy such a meal. According to Ken Lin of New York City's Hutong, solo dining is not a mistake one must avoid at a dim sum restaurant. Lin stated, "... think of it as a curated tasting adventure."

I happen to agree with Lin. However, there is one caveat to note. In busier restaurants, solo diners might find themselves asked to share a table with other guests. If this doesn't suit you, you can always patiently wait for a smaller table to become available. Once seated, you can browse the menu for must-order dim sum dishes (like siu mai and cheung fun), or wait for the push carts to come by, that is if the dim sum restaurant still uses them. These days, the trend is to order dishes directly at your table, and a server will bring them out fresh from the kitchen.

When dining with a larger group at dim sum restaurants, it's easy to overorder. With hundreds of dim sum varieties out there and most restaurants offering at least a dozen options, the temptation to try a bit of everything is hard to resist. Solo diners may run into this over-ordering challenge as well. Thus, I would recommend solo diners order a maximum of three to four dim sum dishes to try at first, and then order more if you're still hungry. Of course, if you do over-order, don't fret. Ask the server for takeout containers. Leftover dim sum is highly enjoyable at home, and most can be reheated in the microwave or bamboo steamer. 

Solo dining at a dim sum restaurant can be a rewarding and delicious experience. You get to eat all the dishes you love and won't have to worry about splitting the bill (or fighting to pay the bill like the Cantonese do) at the end of the experience. However, I understand if solo dining in a restaurant is still not your cup of tea. In that case, you can always order your favorite dim sum dishes as takeout. Or you can go to Costco to buy the best frozen dim sum. In no time, you can steam up your own har gao (shrimp dumplings) or xiao long bao and enjoy them from the comforts of home.