Dim Sum Kitchen a fun addition to Asian restaurants in Utah County food scene
Milk Cream Buns at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
Shrimp Dumplings at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
Sesame Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
Deep-Fried Shrimp Dumplings at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
Deep-Fried Egg Rolls at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
Egg Drop Soup at Dim Sum Kitchen in Orem.
I’ve waited in anticipation for a very long time to see what would replace the posh Chef’s Table restaurant in Orem after it closed. Dim Sum Kitchen finally took the plunge and settled into the vacant building located just north of the Orem-Provo border on State Street with big windows overlooking the valley.
If I were to think of one word to describe our meal, I would say “fun.” It truly is fun to look over the paper Dim Sum menu, marking the dishes that sound appealing, and then getting to enjoy a wide range of dumplings and other dishes brought to the table nestled in individual dim sum steamers.
Everything we tried was good enough that we would get it again on a future visit to the restaurant. The classic Shrimp Dumplings, which are steamed, and the Deep-Fried Shrimp Dumplings were both chock full of shrimp and cooked to perfection. The steamed dumpling wrappers allowed the flavor of the shrimp to shine a bit more.
The Milk Cream Buns were interesting … but in a good way. Bread cooked by steaming isn’t something we Americans are very accustomed to, but their texture was uniquely delicious. Without being overpoweringly sweet, they could either work as a side dish to switch to in between the more savory dim sum, or as a dessert. The cute, intricate design made me hesitant to bite into the bun, but of course, even the prettiest of dishes are still meant to be eaten, and we quickly gobbled them up.
The Deep-Fried Egg Rolls were good and pretty standard — nothing spectacular, and we wished they had come with a bit more sauce.
We also ordered a few things from the main menu: Egg Drop Soup as a starter, Vegetable Lo Mein and Sesame Chicken.
I was a bit hesitant to order the Sesame Chicken, as I thought about the dish in mall food courts that would surely be identical and cost half the price, but I was happily surprised. I can say with complete surety that it was the best Chinese chicken dish I’ve had. I’m a bit picky about the quality of my meats, and it was clear that only high-quality cuts of chicken were used in the dish. The Vegetable Lo Mein was also delicious, with the perfect balance of noodles, fresh veggies and oily sauce. Both dishes came in a heaping serving, making spectacular leftovers the next day.
Egg Drop Soup is a favorite of mine, and I loved the restaurant’s addition of sweet corn to the broth.
While dim sum isn’t typically considered a posh food, unlike the deluxe American eatery the Chef’s Table was, the atmosphere is still fancy and elegant. Live piano music played as we enjoyed our meal, and the view from the tall windows is hard to beat.
As for the service, we were pleased that despite the small amount of staff present when we dined, everything came out quickly, and our server was attentive and pleasant.
The Dim Sum menu color codes dishes according to price, ranging from $3.20 to $6.95, while the larger main dishes from the main menu, such as our Sesame Chicken and Lo Mein, ranged at about $9-$13. We thought the prices were pretty reasonable given the quality and portion sizes of our food.
Whether you’ve never tried dim sum before or you’re a huge dim sum fan, I would highly recommend giving Dim Sum Kitchen a try — and seriously, get the Sesame Chicken.
Dim Sum Kitchen
Where: 2005 S. State St., Orem
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed Tuesdays
Prices: $5-$30
Contact: (385) 203-6888