Eating Dim Sum in the 'Burbs

Don't you just love the left side of any Asian restaurant menu, with all those wonderful fried, stuffed, and steamed dumplings, tempuras, and satays?

When I think of Chinese take-out, these tasty morsels come to mind.

I needed to give in to my left-side-of-the-menu craving. Wild Ginger tags itself as a "Dumpling House," so that's where we end up.

Formerly Ching's Kitchen and still under the same ownership, Wild Ginger is an unassuming little eatery with a mere 30 seats. Its small display kitchen serves up a cross between traditional Chinese fare and a mélange of Japanese, Thai, and even Malaysian specialties.

SIZZLING WELCOME

The minimalist décor is classy and welcoming, with dark wood furnishings and flooring, marble-top tables, and comfy cushioned banquette seating and chairs (unlike Ching's Table in New Canaan, which is as uncomfortable as it gets).

We can hear the sizzling woks and clanging of cooking utensils while we eat–and we love it.

DUMPLINGS TO START

Forgoing debate over entrees, we concentrate on that left side of the menu.

Pork Dumplings were high on our list and came six on the plate. The traditional preparation is for the dough-wrapped fillings to be steamed, so we went with that to start. But, as expected, the steam merely turns the pasty soft without adding flavor, leaving no contrast for the meat filling to work off.  The quality is great but we need more flavor.

We order Chicken Dumplings "fried," which Wild Ginger does as a quick pan fry. The dough casing is a thinner wonton wrapper.

Lightly fried in peanut oil, these six dumplings give us that texture and contrast we crave – add the salty soy sauce and scallion dipping sauce, this dish is simply scrumptious.  Ask for a side of crushed chili pepper paste and the flavor really takes  off.

TEMPTING TEMPURA

A brief dumpling break leads us to the Shrimp Tempura with a tangy, creamy ginger sauce.

Four large shrimp are split lengthwise, dusted with panko crumbs and fried crispy. The portion is generous and the quick-fry method leaves little to no oil hanging out on the plate. The ginger sauce is so delightful that we sop it up with the lettuce garnish.

DIM SUM DUMPLINGS

Back to dumplings.

Four bamboo-steamed Shrimp and Pork Dim Sum (a general term for a number of foods served successively in small portions) arrive, plump and bursting from their wonton wrappers.

The combination of chopped pork, shrimp, scallion, ginger, and vegetables is moist and flavorful, needing very little soy sauce.  We see lots of mini bamboo steamers on the other tables, making dim sum a true signature dish at Wild Ginger.

CHILLY DISAPPOINTMENT

I did not care for the Summer Roll that came next, even though something cool and simple seemed the way to go after the hot dishes.

Wrapped in rice paper, shrimp, cellophane noodles, avocado and carrot strips look pretty on the plate. However, these pre-made rolls are flavorless due to the unripe avocado and over-chilling. The tangy sweet and sour sauce they were placed on does not help.

SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Ending on a high note, Szechuan Dumplings grace our table and our taste buds.

Six large, steamed pork and shrimp dumplings are served swimming in a spicy peanut sauce. This dish is dee-lish!

The dumpling itself falls apart in your mouth, the sweet flavor of the rich peanut sauce blends well with the meat and shellfish, and the wonton wrapper is so thin, you can see the filling from the outside.

Price points are inexpensive at Wild Ginger. Dumplings and appetizers are only $5-$10. A bargain.

That's it! Craving satisfied. Restaurant is charming. The staff is adorable.

And I didn't have to drive all the way into Queens to get my dim sum fix. Life is good.