Ridgewood Eats: Dim Sum Dynasty

With the demise of widely lauded Ivangie Tea House, I eagerly anticipated a visit to Dim Sum Dynasty, which has been open for about a year, but had not tried. As its name implies, Dim Sum is the name of the game here, but going during dinnertime limits your choices in that department (dim sum is traditionally a brunch item and the best time to go is during the 11am-3pm period on weekends though reservations are recommended as it is always busy) You are instead provided with an extensive Cantonese menu that includes some of the regular fare one expects plus items like New Zealand Lamb Chops and several filet mignon preparations.

Among the dishes tried was the two-course Peking Duck, which is prepared in a traditional manner. The first course is the skin presented on a platter and served at the table with cucumber, scallion, hoisin sauce, and on a sticky bun. The second course is a stir fried diced duck in a light sauce which is served on lettuce leaves.

Another dish was the sizzling triple delight, which includes large shrimp, beef, and chicken. The brown sauce was flavorful and not too heavy. One complaint about many Chinese restaurants is that the sauces tend to be oily or too heavy. You can't say that about the dishes tried here.

The third dish was a chicken in garlic sauce. While there was a slight bit of heat, the overall impression was quite flavorful. The heat was complimentary to the flavor and was not overpowering.

Prices were reasonable - $34 for the Peking Duck, which can satisfy 3-4 people, and $12-17 for the other dishes.

Dim Sum Dynasty is BYO, but there are plenty of wine shops in Ridgewood to find a good accompaniment. I'd suggest a nice Riesling if you're going to try the spicier dishes, or a pinot noir or Beaujolais since they tend to go well with a wide range of dishes and sauces.

I plan on coming back to Dim Sum Dynasty to partake in the dim sum, and will report on that experience as well. In the meantime, if you want to visit, it's located at 75 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey (201) 652-0686 .