Reliable standby for Chinese feast

It took our waiter about six seconds to secure our tea order (we asked for earthy-tasting Pu-erh rather the proffered jasmine), and then the first cart of steamed dishes came clattering our way. Aah, that first moment of glory as the cart attendant tongs over all the steamy favorites — clang, clang, clang — onto the table for perusal.

“Shrimp dumpling.” Clang. “Pork dumpling.” Clang. “Tofu skin roll. Steamed pork bun. Steamed chicken bun. Meatball. Sparerib.” On and on.

The food is reliably good, occasionally excellent. Try the leaf-wrapped bundle holding coins of sweet lap cheong sausage, chicken, mushroom and all sorts of other treats in its well-seasoned sticky rice. If you long for something fresh to cut through the dumpling show, an order of stir-fried watercress with garlic ordered off the standing menu will do the trick.