Aiko I.
Yelp
I have heard a lot of good things about this place and excitedly came here for dim sum. However, I was very disappointed.
We arrived before 11 am (no reservation). There were already many people waiting around the entrance door. We were told it would be about 20mins of waiting, but we did not mind at all. Yet, 20 mins in, 30 min, and for over 1 hr - we still did not get a table. When asked, I was told that it was because we wanted an indoor table, not patio (It was a bit cold day, and we wanted warmth). After asking so many times, kept checking in with the lady who managed the waitlist around the door, we were finally seated. 1 hr and 15 mins of wait.
We ordered:
. CRYSTAL SHRIMP HAR GOW 百樂水晶蝦餃皇
. MUSHROOM AND ZUCCHINI DUMPLING 意大利瓜野菌餃
. STEAMED BEEF BALLS 香茜陳皮牛肉球
. STICKY RICE WITH LOTUS LEAF 鹹蛋黃珍珠雞
. BABY CUTTLEFISH WITH CURRY SAUCE 咖喱墨魚仔
. SNOW PEA LEAF & KING MUSHROOM RICE NOODLE ROLL 皇子菇豆苗腸
. DEEP FRIED BEEF SHORT RIBS 韓燒牛仔骨
. DEEP FRIED SQUID TENTACLES 妙油五香炸龍鬚
. DEEP FRIED SEAWEED SHRIMP ROLL (4 PCS) 紫菜蝦卷
To be honest, almost everything was average at best. The only item that was good was Beef Balls. Other than that, the food was served lukewarm, which made us assume that either they are disorganized or understaffed.
The lid on the noodle roll was disgustingly greasy. The server carried too many plates (held them tilted), and when they arrived, the food was pushed to one side.
Snow pea leaf & king mushroom rice noodle roll was very hard to eat, as the mushroom was cut into long big chunks, and the snow pea leaf had long stems uncut. As a result, we had to eat the rice rolls and the inside vegetables separately. What is the point?
The mushroom and zucchini dumplings as well - the vegetable cuts were too big, and the wrapper was so fragile that when I tried to pick up pieces with chopsticks, the vegetable inside fell off from the wrappers and scattered inside the bamboo steamer basket. (the same thing happened to Har Gow) The vegetable had a bland seasoning as well. Some pieces stuck to one another, making them more fragile and messy. Amateurish and inconsiderate quality and presentation.
Seaweed shrimp rolls were dry inside oh I will stop complaining here, but the food was overall, very disappointing especially because I had high expectations.
The only positive that helped subside our frustration was Daniel (manager)'s services. He was running around the tables
, fixing problems in orders, answering customers' requests, with witty, charming, and pleasant communication skills. He was doing his best in the crazy busy day by being a bridge between frustrated customers and their disorganized kitchen.
After coming home, I read the others' positive reviews again trying to process my experiences there. Then I noticed that many of the positive reviewers were talking about their dinner menu, not dim sum.
I should have come at a dinner time? I am not sure. But if I am to come again, it is not for dim sum but a dinner menu for sure.