Dim Sum House

News & Observer restaurant critic Greg Cox gave this local place four stars in a recent review, and I do love me some dim sum, so recently we ate dinner there. After trying all the dim sum on offer, I have to conclude that either Cox has never eaten at a good dim sum joint or his experience was radically different from ours.

The food wasn't terrible, mind you. A few dishes, notably the barbecue pork dim sum and the pork dumplings, were actually quite tasty.

Nothing, however, was excellent, and most of the dishes were decidedly average. I enjoyed my food, but no more so than I would have enjoyed the offerings at any of a dozen other Chinese restaurants in town.

We were also unpleasantly surprised to learn that many of the dim sum on the menu were not available--at seven on a Saturday night. They had crossed out parts of the menu, and the entire dessert section had gone walkabout.

Our server was doing her best, but she was working most of the fairly busy house, and she simply could not manage more than mediocre service.

My recommendation is simple: Don't let its name mislead you into believing you will be able to enjoy cart after cart of wonderful steaming dim sum. You won't. You'll have a better meal at any PF Chang's in America.

I won't go back until someone other than Greg Cox tells me they have a great dinner there.