Popular Dim Sum Dishes You Should Know | Chef 21
October 16, 2026
Popular Dim Sum Dishes, Translated: What Each Plate Is and How It Tastes
A dim sum menu is usually a list of romanized Cantonese names with no descriptions, which turns ordering into a guess. This guide translates each popular plate into plain English: what is inside, how it is cooked, and what it tastes like. The quick reference table below covers the eight dishes most first-timers meet, and the sections after it explain each one.
| Dish | Method | What's Inside | Beginner Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Har gow | Steamed | Whole shrimp in a translucent wrapper | Yes |
| Siu mai | Steamed | Pork and shrimp, open-topped | Yes |
| Char siu bao | Steamed or baked | Sweet barbecue pork in a soft bun | Yes |
| Cheung fun | Steamed | Rice noodles rolled around shrimp, beef or fried dough | Yes |
| Lo mai gai | Steamed | Sticky rice, chicken, mushroom and sausage in lotus leaf | Moderate |
| Wu gok | Fried | Mashed taro around savory pork | Moderate |
| Lo bak go | Pan-fried | Daikon, dried shrimp and sausage; savory, not sweet | Moderate |
| Egg tart | Baked | Set custard in a flaky shell | Yes |
How a Dim Sum Menu Is Organized
Most menus sort plates into five groups: steamed, fried, baked, rice and noodle, and sweet. Steamed plates make up the largest group. Fried plates add crunch, baked plates are richer and denser, rice and noodle dishes fill the table, and sweets round out the savory run. For the full explanation of the format, read our guide to what dim sum is.
The Steamed Classics
Har gow (shrimp dumplings)
Har gow have a translucent wheat starch wrapper around a whole shrimp filling, usually three or four to a basket. You can see the pink shrimp through the wrapper, and regulars judge a dim sum kitchen by how thin that wrapper is without tearing. At Tea Republic, look for the Crystal Shrimp Dumplings.
Siu mai (open-topped pork dumplings)
Siu mai are filled with pork and shrimp and left open at the top, often finished with a dab of roe or a single pea. They are the other half of the pairing that har gow is always ordered with. On Tea Republic’s menu, they appear as Shumai with Pork & Shrimp.
Char siu bao (barbecue pork buns)
Sweet barbecue pork inside a soft white steamed bun. The filling is sweet and savory at once, in a glossy sauce. There is a baked version too, covered below. Tea Republic lists the steamed version as BBQ Pork Buns.
Cheung fun (rice noodle rolls)
Wide, silky rice noodle sheets rolled around shrimp, beef or fried dough and served with sweet soy sauce. The fried dough version, a crisp cruller wrapped inside the roll, is the one most people do not expect to like, and then do. Tea Republic has listed a Shrimp Rice Roll among its specials.
Lo mai gai (sticky rice in lotus leaf)
Glutinous rice with chicken, mushroom and sausage, steamed in a lotus leaf parcel. It is the most filling item on most dim sum carts, so one parcel to share is usually enough. Tea Republic’s Lotus Leaf-Wrapped Rice with Braised Pork is a pork version of the same idea.
The Fried and Crisp Plates
Spring rolls
The familiar entry point: a crisp wrapper around a savory filling, served hot with a dipping sauce. Tea Republic’s Crispy Spring Rolls come three to an order.
Wu gok (taro puffs)
Mashed taro wrapped around a savory pork filling and deep-fried into a lacy, crisp shell. The shell looks like a net of fried strands, which confuses first-timers. The texture is crunchy on the outside and soft, almost creamy, on the inside.
Fried wontons
Shrimp or pork wrapped in a thin wonton skin, fried until crisp and served with a sweet and sour dip.
Lo bak go (turnip cake)
Pan-fried cake made from shredded daikon radish, dried shrimp and sausage. It is savory, not sweet. The name translates to “turnip cake” or “radish cake,” which leads many English speakers to expect dessert.
Baked and Roasted
Baked char siu bao
A glossy, sweet-topped bun, denser than the steamed version, with the same barbecue pork filling inside. The top bakes to a shiny golden crust.
Roast meats
Roast duck, crispy pork belly and soy chicken, often sliced and served over rice. If you like roast duck, Tea Republic’s Peking Duck Bao Bun puts it inside a soft steamed bun.
Rice, Noodles and Congee
Congee is rice cooked down into a smooth porridge, usually ordered first and shared. Chow fun and other noodle plates add stir-fried wide rice noodles. One or two of these per table changes how satisfying the meal feels, because they give the small plates something to sit alongside. Tea Republic lists a weekend-only congee on its menu.
Sweet Dim Sum
Egg tarts (dan tat)
A flaky or shortcrust shell with a set custard center. It is the most-ordered dessert on any dim sum cart.
Mango pudding
Light, cold and an easy finish for a heavy table.
Sesame balls (jin deui)
Fried glutinous rice spheres with sweet lotus or red bean paste inside, crisp on the outside and chewy within. Tea Republic serves Sesame Balls with Red Bean, five to an order.
The Best Dim Sum for Beginners
Start with five plates: har gow, siu mai, char siu bao, cheung fun and an egg tart. The logic is simple. The set covers steamed, filled, rolled and sweet without anything challenging.
Work up to chicken feet. They are braised until the skin turns soft and gelatinous, and the texture, not the flavor, is the adjustment for most first-timers. Order them once you know what you like. Tea Republic lists Chicken Feet on its dim sum menu.
Order Dim Sum at Tea Republic in Greenville, SC
Tea Republic by Chef 21 serves dim sum and tea at 500 E McBee Ave. #108, Greenville, SC 29601. Browse the full Tea Republic menu before you go, and look for these plates:
- Steamed Soup Dumplings, filled with a hot, savory broth.
- Crystal Shrimp Dumplings, the har gow of the menu.
- Peking Duck Bao Bun, a soft steamed bun filled with Peking duck.
Reserve a table at Tea Republic or call 864-263-3018.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular dim sum dish?
Har gow and siu mai are the pair most tables order first, and char siu bao and egg tarts are usually close behind.
What should a beginner order at dim sum?
Har gow, siu mai, char siu bao, cheung fun and an egg tart. Together they cover steamed, filled, rolled and sweet, with nothing hard to eat.
What is har gow?
Har gow are steamed shrimp dumplings with a thin, translucent wheat starch wrapper, usually three or four to a basket. Regulars judge a kitchen by how thin the wrapper is.
Is turnip cake sweet or savory?
Savory. Turnip cake, or lo bak go, is made from daikon radish with dried shrimp and sausage, then pan-fried. The name leads many English speakers to expect something sweet.
What is the difference between steamed and baked char siu bao?
Both hold sweet barbecue pork. The steamed version has a soft, white, pillowy bun. The baked version has a glossy, golden, slightly sweet top and a denser, more bread-like texture.