South Bay dim sum eateries pair traditional with fusion to appeal to changing tastes

Editor’s note: This story is part of the annual Mosaic Journalism Workshop for Bay Area high school students, a two-week intensive course in journalism. Students in the program report and photograph stories under the guidance of professional journalists.

From the decor to different flavors, both Asian fusion food and traditional dim sum can provide a feeling of comfort and acceptance.

Modern eatery Dumpling Time, which has several locations in the Bay Area, aims to bring good vibes to everybody, said Manager Nghia Nguyen, who runs the San Jose location at Santana Row.

Their mixed Asian cuisine and aesthetic have evolved in many ways. Nguyen said he chooses to take a slight turn from traditional dim sum, thought to originate in China’s southern Guangdong region. “You will see a restaurant like this — the neon sign, color theme, the dumpling logo, as well as the chair and table,” Nguyen said.

Other cultural foods are also on the menu, like Southeast Fried Rice Noodles “that are pretty much Singaporean noodles,” as well as Asian-Western-inspired chicken wings, shrimp toast and Japanese wakame salad.

Customers visiting the restaurant say they feel included. Taylor Brown, 25, of San Jose, said being a vegetarian can be a challenge, but not at Dumpling Time.

“I think that the variety here is a lot better than what I’ve experienced, like more traditional dim sum.” She references green beans, cucumber salad, and tofu squares. “It’s really nice that they have options. I’m not eating the bao, I’m not eating the gyoza, but I don’t feel like I’m really missing anything.”

Jade Cathay, a traditional Chinese dim sum restaurant in North San Jose, offers a more traditional take on everything from decor to ambience to food, but customer Linda Li, 50, from Marin County, said she’s willing to come to San Jose for her usual comfort foods.

“In the North Bay, there’s less Asian culture,” she said. “So I can eat maybe Asian fusion food there, plenty. But I want to try more traditional food when I leave that area. I will come to the South Bay or East Bay to try the dim sum.”

Not only does the taste differ between Asian fusion and traditional restaurants, but also visual factors play a role. Calvin Sokk, 20, a Stanford student and a customer at Dumpling Time, pointed out the different looks. Traditional dim sum, for example, has paper menus and less technology. But at a place like Dumpling Time, “they have a QR code menu and then they also take our order on an iPad,” he said. “Also, the people working weren’t dressed formally.”

Li said traditional dim sum caters to those not only with an empty stomach but also homesickness for China

“That is a remedy for homesickness,” she said, “and dim sum comes with a lot of variety of food, which is hard to prepare at home by yourself.” It’s not fancy at all, she said, but just good and authentic food.

Instead of looking at paper menus or searching maps to find a restaurant, many people often rely on social platforms, which use a ratings system. Li said her 16-year-old daughter’s food preferences are definitely impacted by social media, adding that younger generations are more interested in how the food looks than how authentic the taste is.

But Dumpling Time customer Karen Lyster, 50, who was with Brown for lunch, disagreed with the value of social media. “It comes down to the food and the taste,” Lyster said. Brown agreed, adding, “I don’t really care much for the pictures. I don’t really care what it looks like. As long as it tastes good.”

Rebecca Jattan, 22, and lunch partner Sokk said they grew up with multiple Asian cultures under one roof, not strongly attached to any particular one. Jattan said she’s lived internationally and is a student at Stanford, and the Bay Area’s mixed Asian community has made her feel welcome. “You can explore so many different cuisines, cultures, and so many different aspects,” she said. “I think that was something that drew me here.”

Sokk agreed. “I’m Southeast Asian, so Viet food or Cambodian food are generally preferred, very traditional,” he said. “But when I explore outside that range, I think fusion is more accessible and more of what I’m used to.”

The two were visiting Dumpling Time to celebrate finishing their studies. Being at an Asian fusion restaurant like Dumpling Time was a treat. “We’re just really looking for something, as Calvin says, to enjoy. Celebrate a little bit. I think this definitely did just the job,” Jattan said after finishing a small steamer of multi-colored bao buns.

Like Li’s remedy for homesickness at Jade Cathay, Jattan and Sokk said Dumpling Time is reminiscent of home.

“The food itself is very comforting,” Jattan said.

“I guess I just love Asian food,” Sokk said. “Just because it feels more similar to mine, my own food. Like seeing soy sauce on the table – it’s just subconsciously familiar.”