How To Eat Dim Sum 101 Video

Ah, dim sum. For those who know it, the words evoke mouthwatering images of pushcarts peddling steaming-hot dumplings from table to table. For dim sum newbies, it is a centuries-old Chinese dining practice that involves eating many small dishes, usually on a weekend morning. There's always a ton of food, plenty of tea, and a tableful of family and friends to share in the fun.

But for many, their first time experiencing the slew of dishes, each requiring more than a little explanation, can be intimidating and probably leads to some guessing, tasting and hoping for the best. Needless to say, things can get pretty confusing.

That's why we've asked Wilson Tang, owner of Nom Wah Tea Parlor—only the oldest dim sum restaurant in Manhattan's Chinatown—to guide us through all the dim sum essentials. Watch as we talk dumplings, pork buns, rice rolls and, yes, chicken feet, and learn tips and techniques as we go. Because while the dim sum guessing game can be part of the fun, it never hurts to have an expert show you the way.