Dim Sum Asian Bistro

Why does Durham have multiple dim sum locations? I don't understand the logistics of it. I can only assume that there is a big enough population for it. I haven't done any research, but to have multiple restaurants that specialize in dim sum is an undeserved luxury. I live in Charlotte and we have 1 place but it's not grimy. And in my mind, dim sum should be grimy. It's the working man's meal. A little bit of everything, then back to work. Go hard here my guy...no diddy. Congee could use some fish sauce but it's got the components. Everything else is either a triple or home run. Parking galore. Bring your friends. Bet the bank...

Sundays are always dim sum days, so we tried this one out. It was actually very quiet when we got there, it's not a traditional cart dim sum place. We had to order from a menu instead. So we had to wait for it to come out. So not a place for quick dim sum. Overall the dishes are okay. It wasn't as flavorful. For instance the lightly battered veggies lacked seasoning. Same with the tripe. However it was cooked well. Tender and soft with a tiny bit of a chew. No gaminess at all. The dumplings that they hand make is pan fried. The dough was too thick but also dry at the same time. The meat in it was good. The mango pudding isn't soft. It's more like a tofu texture. Which I liked. It may have been a pre mix one as it did smell artificial mango. But still tasted fine. Overall it was an okay place.

I enjoyed this place! I was surprised when I heard about a dim sum place near Durham and had to go try it out. The menu was extensive, and they give you a pencil and paper to check what you want to order. The staff were all nice and helpful when ordering.We ordered the shrimp dumplings, pork and chicken spicy wontons, pork and chive dumplings, shrimp shumai, pork buns, scallion pancake, and sticky rice. All of the meats inside of the wrapping were very tasty and juicy, especially the spicy wontons! The green pork and chive dumplings tasted odd; the skin of the dumpling was sticky, chewy, thick, and tasted almost raw. I've tried many other dim sum spots, and I'd say that this was not as authentic as some others. The pork buns were very good as well, but I wish there was more pork filling inside. Scallion pancake was too oily, but everything else was good. Also, everything ended up being ~$60 for 4 people! Which is an amazing price. I would probably come back for ome wontons and steamed dumplings since they are pretty cheap.

My MIL called on Saturday evening to make a reservation for Sunday 11 AM dim sum because my BIL had said this place gets pretty packed. I don't think we needed one. It did start filling up slowly but I think as long as you get there when it opens at 11, you should be fine. That's when we got there and it seemed more people like to get there at 12.There are no dim sum carts here. Instead, they give you a paper menu and you tick off how many items of which dim sum you want. We had eight people, so we ordered a bunch of dishes: shrimp churng fun, beef churng fun, ha gow, shumai, taro puffs, chicken feet, pork ribs, egg tarts, cha siu baos, spring rolls, turnip cakes, cha siu puffs, and vegetarian rolls. Everything was just okay but I will say, I was pleasantly surprised by the taro puffs. They don't look like they normally should, and looked like it had a thick shell, but it was actually pretty good. Duds were the churng fun and the shumai. The churng fun did not have a good consistency and was breaking a part. The shumai tasted sour - not sure if it had gone bad. We also ordered some beef noodles from the regular menu which were SO ridiculously salty. I would skip these.The highlight of the meal was the chili oil. I used it on everything and it made the dim sum better.

***FOOD: honestly 2.5 stars. Please don't tell me this is the best dim sum Raleigh has to offer. It was lacking on so many levels - taste presentation authenticity. Haw gaw- skin too thick, so littlefilling & where's the shrimp?; Soup dumplings & potsticker dumplings - OK but filling was not very tasty, porridge - ho hum; radish cake- gluey tasteless. Truth is will probably go back for lack of option elsewhere if have a craving, but definitely have had better ***COST (OUT OF 4$) $$***DÉCOR: think it use to be an Irish pub /bar of some kind converted. No real Asian theme decor ***SERVICE: slow food in coming. Owner server was nice. ***RECOMMEND: sort of RECOMMEND if you have that craving.

This Asian Bistro exceeded all expectations, its a family owned restaurant and the ambiance was inviting and friendly . From the moment I stepped in, the restaurant's warm and traditional decor set the stage . The menu featured an array of Asian flavors, each dish crafted with precision and flair. The ordering process is simple, you have a paper menu on the table, you choose your plate and quantity. Once you're ready, the server will take your order and bring it all out. The attentive staff and prompt service added to the overall enjoyment, making it a must-visit for anyone craving a diverse and delectable experience. I ordered: pork bao, chicken and pork dumplings with general tso chicken and a side of rice.

I am so elated that there's a dim sum place in the triangle area. I thought when I left SoCal I would be saying goodbye to my favorite Chinese cuisine. Thankfully this restaurant isn't too far away from our home in Raleigh. A few slight differences are the absence of food carts where you just pick and choose what you want. Instead you check off your choices in the menu. Secondly there are a few menu items present in say, Atlantic Seafood and Dim Sum, in Monterey Park that are not available. Notwithstanding that, I'm glad they have the mainstays of what a dim sum should have.Now the taste. The congee was a tad bland. The egg custard cup was not flaky and crispy and finally, the oyster sauce in the Chinese broccoli was watery. Otherwise the rest of the menu items were tasty and pleasant.The service was friendly and the food delivery prompt. But I think the reason why it was is because the place was not busy at all, it being a rainy, gloomy Saturday December 31st afternoon past 3. I figure it would be far more busy and hectic during the regular days since this is the only dim sum place for miles.The ambiance is a little confusing. The place looks more like a western restaurant with the wood tables and walls, with the exception of the back wall festooned with the traditional day-in-the-life Chinese paintings. Nonetheless, I've been to few Hong Kong dim sum hole-in-the-wall establishments that look like converted warehouses so who am I to complain.Overall, I find this a great place to ease the cravings and the food, gratefully does not disappoint. I'm definitely coming back.

Merry Christmas from Dim Sum Asian Bistro! We loved that this place was open for brunch. We even ran into a friend--the sign of a well-liked local establishment! What looks like a modest hole-in-the-wall from outside is actually a larger modern industrially and traditionally designed restaurant space.While I was greeted with familiar tastes, smells, and faces, I would have to agree with the other reviewers that I was somewhat underwhelmed. Taste is king, thus the 4-star rating, especially for authentic Asian food in Durham. I really liked the sweetness of the dough in the shrimp crepe open dumplings and deep fried chicken-filled balls. However, the portions were small, and the food wasn't as temperature hot as I'd prefer for hot dimsum on a winter day. And we couldn't continuously fill our table with new dishes and had to order everything ahead. I liked the familiarity of receiving food from the passing carts, but it didn't feel the same as having the food actually cooked and prepared on the carts by the waitstaff.All of this being said, I would definitely return. One of the better tasting authentic Asian restaurants closer to downtown Durham without having to venture to Raleigh or Cary.

This was our first experience at this restaurant and we will definitely be back! The food was delicious and the service was great. We ordered so many items we would recommend: taro puffs, egg pancake, pork dumplings, chicken dumplings with red chili sauce, crab Rangoon wontons, and others. I also ordered a Thai tea which was spot-on. Although we ordered too much food, the menu has pictures of all the items which made it easier to order.

Food was top notch. I think a lot of reviews are frustrated by the wait time to get their things. I was a little annoyed at first but it's important to keep in mind that this is a family owned space. They're doing their best and everyone seems to be working really hard at all times. Not to mention the wait times are because everything is fresh and not frozen. Absolutely loved everything. It was so good that I almost cried. The prices are great and the food is comparable to dim sum in nyc if not better. I hope this place stays around forever. 20/10!