Dim Sum in Contra Costa: The Search May Be Over

Since Tin's in Walnut Creek closed last year, I've been searching for a restaurant in Contra Costa County that serves authentic Dim Sum every day of the week. While I've checked out a few leads, none have been of the quality of Tin's.

Today, I think I've found my place! It's Imperial in Concord, right across from the Park n Shop shopping center, almost directly across from Fry's. Imperial occupies the building that previously housed a Baker's Square restaurant. I must thank another friend, Rick, for telling me about Imperial.

When my friend Ray and I arrived there at noon, the place was packed. There are two big dining rooms. The customers were mostly Chinese. We were seated in the smaller back dining room where there still were a few open tables. As we walked to our table, we took in the yummy smells from the parade of Dim Sum carts that were circling the dining room.

Just about everything that was offered to us was tempting. Before long, our small table was packed with plates of Dim Sum.

A waiter immediately came to ask what kind of tea we wanted. Jasmine was our choice, always a good accompaniment to Chinese food.

Some of the dishes we enjoyed were Steamed Bean Curd in Oyster Sauce



Pan-Fried Bell Pepper stuffed with Shrimp



Pork Dumplings with a Ginger dipping sauce (it is the Ginger sauce that makes this dish special)




Rice Balls stuffed with Shrimp and topped with a piece of Sausage



Fried Calamari




Steamed BBQ Pork Buns



Singapore Style Chow Fun



We chose so many dishes, we wound up taking leftovers home with us...and, we never got to any of the sweet dim sum, not that I wasn't tempted by the Mango Pudding, Sesame Balls, Egg Custard Tarts, and Coconut Cake that kept passing our table.

Ray and I enjoyed everything we tasted. While some dim sum, the Shrimp Rice Balls in particular, required more seasonings for our taste, this was just our preference and no reflection on the food; added a bit of sesame sauce and some soy sauce and were content. The noodles and noodle wrapping were just right for the dishes in which they were a part.

I was impressed with the excellent service and that, despite the majority of the clientele being Asian, most of the servers spoke enough English to describe the dishes to us. When we asked for specific dishes, such as the Calamari and the Ginger Pork Dumplings, they took our order and made them specially for us. All our dishes were hot and tasted fresh. We so enjoyed the entire experience that, even after we paid our bill, we lingered over tea a bit longer. Even on this busy day, the second day of Chinese New Year and President's Day, we were not rushed to vacate our table.

Most dim sum servings consist of three or four pieces. Price per serving ranges from $2.45 to $5.75, depending on how the item is categorized. A la carte dishes are also served; our Chow Fun was one such dish. And, there were specials including a Lobster dish priced today at $16.95...not that we weren't tempted...

Imperial features Cantonese & Szechuan Cuisine.

Since they do not have a web site, here is their essential information:

Imperial Chinese Restaurant
1680-G Willow Pass Rd.
Concord CA 94520
925-825-1318

There is plenty of free parking in the large parking lot that Imperial shares with a few other businesses.

HAPPY 2010! MY NEW YEAR'S DAY TRADITIONS

Happy New Year to you all!

Yes, I know I have been MIA the last month or so. No matter how much I try, the Holiday Season with all the entertaining, being entertained, shopping, visiting and everything else that goes with it, seem to take all my time. While I love it all, I am happy to be starting a new year and getting back to this blog.

Jim and I have a New Year's Day lunch tradition of going out for a dim sum lunch. Our favorite close-to-home restaurant, Tin's Tea House, closed rather abruptly last year, with promises of reopening in a new local location. Well, that has not yet happened, and, while we have Oakland and San Francisco Chinatowns not far from us, we've gotten spoiled and lazy with being able to drive a couple of miles for outstanding Dim Sum.

A week ago,I was in panic mode and ready to resort to frozen Dim Sum eaten at home.

Then, I took a walk down Walnut Creek's Main Street and spotted Modern China Café in the spot that several restaurants and bakeries have occupied. It was closed when I walked by but there were sample menus to take by the entrance. Lo and behold! they serve Dim Sum every day of the week from noon until 6 p.m.

Later in the day, I phoned them and was told they had just opened, a "soft opening" with no fanfare. So, at noon today, we headed over to Modern China Café.

The restaurant is stunningly beautiful. The pumpkin-colored walls are relaxing. The walls are decorated with Chinese art and photographs. The two indoor dining rooms have beautiful and comfortable furnishings. The dishes, serving pieces, and flatware are all lovely. There is a full bar.





As for our lunch, the Dim Sum was delicious and I look forward to returning for more and to sample some of the other dishes on menu.

My favorites of our choices were The Baked BBQ Pork Buns and the Crispy Calamari.



The Shrimp & Chive Dumplings were delicious too. The Bell Pepper stuffed with Shrimp and served with Black Bean Sauce, was tasty, but hard to pick up...for this one I gave up on chopsticks and resorted to a fork.

The Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls were tasty but probably the least distinctive of our choices.



For our dessert (sweet) Dim Sum, we chose the Sweet Sesame Balls. All these dishes, with a pot of Chrysanthemum Tea cost about $20 before tip. We left satisfied.

Several of the Chinese waiters, and possibly one chef, checked on us frequently and described such things as the tasty dipping sauce that was served with the Calamari. They told us that each selection is prepared to order...I was pleased at how fresh everything tasted.

While I know that Modern China Café is only unofficially opened and that I should not be too harsh on them, there are a few things that I hope will change to assure their success. I don't know who owns/manages the restaurant but there seem to be a mix of Caucasian and Chinese people running it. Our Caucasian waiter certainly tried to make our meal a pleasant one, but did not have enough familiarity with the menu or even the different types of tea that were being offered. I don't think this is the right place for him to be working, pleasant as he is.

Also, there was only one table at which there were Chinese people dining. This makes me wonder about the restaurant's connections with the local Chinese population, which is fairly large. Again, I realize the restaurant has yet to get much publicity, but I would think that those associated with it would be inviting their Chinese friends and associates to come on it.

As I've mentioned, Modern China Café is open daily for lunch and dinner. In addition to its food, it features specialty cocktails and a full bar. During Happy Hour ( 3 to 6 p.m.), all Dim Sum is only $2 a plate; at other times, Dim Sum plates (usually 3 pieces) cost between $2.25 and $3.50.

Modern China Café's Grand Opening Party is Friday, January 8 from 5 -8 p.m. Stop by, if you don't get to try them out beforehand. I think this is a nice new addition to Walnut Creek's dining scene.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!

Happy New Year!

I welcomed in the New Year last night with friends and food and continued in that spirit today with our traditional New Year's Day lunch of Dim Sum and dinner at home of Hoppin' John and Collard Greens.

We met M and D at Tullio's in Walnut Creek for New Year's Eve dinner.


Tullio's is a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant that J and I dine at often. It is friendly. The prices are moderate. The food is tasty and plentiful. And, it is a few miles from home. We've spent many a New Year's Eve at Tullio's.

The dining room was packed when we arrived.






On New Year's Eve, about a dozen of the most popular menu items are served as complete dinners...soup or salad, the main course, dessert, and coffee or tea, for a fixed price. Other beverages were extra.



We toasted our friendship and got started with dinner




M & I started our dinners with the Butternut Squash Soup. It was so good that I forget to take a picture. The men had salads.

Our main courses were Jambalaya Risotto, Cavatappi Pasta with Steak and Mushrooms, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Veal Piccata.









The dessert was an Eclair!



At noon today, New Year's Day, we headed for Tin's Tea House, again in Walnut Creek. Tin's also has an Oakland location. Tin's offers a greater variety of Dim Sum than any other Dim Sum restaurant that I know of in the Bay Area. At lunch time they also offer some noodle dishes. At dinner there is limited Dim Sum to go with a wide selection of dishes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dim Sum, they are small plates of a few pieces of any given item. Sort of like Chinese Tapas or Small Plates. The story I know about Dim Sum is that many years ago, Chinese restaurants were places where local people gathered to get together with their friends. They would drink tea. The restaurants started cooking up the equivalent of Chinese snacks and would bring them around to the customers as they were cooked. That's the way it still works but most of us don't spend a whole morning or afternoon eating Dim Sum, but rather go in for a lunch meal. The food is brought around, right from the kitchen, on wheeling carts or trays. If you want a dish, you tell the server "yes." If you don't want a dish, you turn it down. When you have had enough to eat, you ask for your check. You are charged by the number of plates that you've eaten. When you accept a plate, the server marks it on your check.

In the hour or so that we were at Tin's, we had seven plates of Dim Sum. My favorites today were the Seaweed Salad and the Mango Shrimp Rolls.



We also had BBQ Pork Buns, Stuffed Eggplant, Shrimp Dumplings, Scallop Dumplings, and, to finish our meal, the sweet Sesame Balls stuffed with Lotus Seed Paste.



Later in the afternoon, I got started on our traditional New Year's Day dinner: Hoppin' John and Collard Greens. About twelve years ago I read that in the American South, these dishes are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day and said to bring good luck for the year. Liking the idea of good luck for the year, I started making Hoppin' John and Collard Greens my New Year tradition as well.




Hoppin' John is Blackeyed Peas and Rice, with bacon, onions, and hot sauce. I steam the Collard Greens with more bacon and onions and season them with Hot Sauce as well. I serve them with Corn Bread.

Here's to good luck and good health in 2009!