"Try some of the local Dim Sum" Top 5 Page for this destination Ipoh Local Custom Tip by Wild_Orchid

The name "Dim sum" (also spelt "tim sum") translates to "tiny hearts". Basically it is a type of snack or tiny bites of food, where variety is of the essence. For those already familiar with Spanish Tapas, dim sum is a similar concept, but of course, tastes very different! LOL

Dim sum is popular around the world-whether you are in Hong Kong, at Sydney's Chinatown, Toronto, Singapore and of course, right here in Ipoh, Malaysia.

There are generally two ways to order tim dum. One is from a menu, which presuposes a knowledge of what's what. I find that personally quite difficult, as the names of the dishes are usually quite fancy and may have nothing to do with the food itself. For example, if you order "golden phoenix claws" you'll end up with "braised chicken feet" (which incidentally is a personal favourite of mine.)

The easier way (in order to avoid chicken feet if this is not your cup of tea) is to just point to what you like when the push cart comes around. The waitress will then put a stamp onto your table card, and from that, they will calculate the cost when you are done.

In Ipoh, the price should be approximately RM2-4 per dish, while in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, you'd expect to pay RM4-6 per dish at a normal Chinese air-conditioned restaurant and RM8-15 at a 5 star hotel. In Sydney, we have always enjoyed a fixed price All-You-Can-Eat dim sum.

Anyway, do enjoy some Dim Sum when you are in Ipoh.