Boston's Chinatown gate

I have a soft spot in my heart for Boston’s Chinatown. During my second year of grad school, my documentary class produced a film about the gentrification of Chinatown’s across the U.S. It’s a sad state with how poor communities of people are forced from their homes because of the capitalistic nature of condo companies and 21st century growth. I was lucky enough to be introduced to one of the last great Chinatowns in this country. (If you want to view that film we produced, click here.) Every time I return back to Boston, I must return.

The outside of the China Pearl.

Back home in Milwaukee, we don’t have the luxury of a true Chinese dim sum experience like the great Chinatowns have. It can be hard to make it to Chicago to enjoy their dim sum on a weekend. The thing about dim sum – it’s a family thing. You go on weekends to enjoy the company, the fellowship of being with your loved ones. However, if you want to experience a feast that will both pique your senses and introduce you to a new way of eating, then I highly recommend this experience.

One of my favorite haunts in Boston’s Chinatown is the China Pearl. Once you go up the red vinyl staircase you enter a completely different world. On weekends, expect to wait for more than an hour. During the week, you might be able to walk right in at lunch. You’re met with a mix of native Chinese speakers, tourists and area college students and business people. You could sit at a table with your entire family or you could be mixed with people you’re never met. That’s all part of the fun!

But, the best part about the dim sum experience is picking the food out. Servers cart around selections and stop at each table. You can select whatever you’d like. If you select something from the cart, the server stamps your receipt. You’re only charged for what you take from a cart.

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