Dim Sum in South Florida

Featured by Nicole Danna as top ten Chinese restaurants in Broward/Palm Beach

Reopened under the aegis of a new family, this 20-something Hong Kong-style restaurant in a Tamarac strip mall remains essentially unchanged, much to the relief of local foodies addicted to the restaurant's pan-fried noodles. The authentic flavors of Chinatown emanate from these dishes, and whole ducks, pork, and chicken, served barbecued, still hang on view near the front door, the only decoration along with a couple of fish tanks housing a few sleepy lobsters. Families congregate for rich casseroles like one made with slabs of pork and yucca, scallops with black pepper sauce, salt-and-pepper shrimp, Cantonese shrimp and wonton soup, and a good selection of vegetarian dishes, such as braised tofu and garlic string beans. Service is warm and attentive in this simple, comfortable room. And dim sum is served daily. But keep your eyes open -- with a rough bar next door, the neighborhood can be dicey at night.

With a packed house on a Saturday afternoon and a neon “Hong Kong Style Dim Sum” sign on the front, Toa Toa Chinese restaurant in Sunrise offers the full array of buns, dumplings and fried classics. Items here are ordered off of a checklist menu rather than the traditional steamer pushcart. We think the a la carte system works better, as dim sum dishes arrived freshly made and hot. While baked pork buns came with more bread than meat, the stuffed bean curd skins, filled with bamboo shoots and mushrooms were the choice for those looking for something crispy like a spring roll without the added grease.