This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
"oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
(well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
Thanks.
Shen

"Shen" > writes:

> This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
> sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
> sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
> practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
> "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
> The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
> (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
> appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?

I think you're probably being sized up on the basis of your
appearance, as you think. Why not bring your own tea and ask the
waiter to put it in the pot with hot water? Or ask for Bo Lay? I do
the first mainly, and the second when I forget.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
recent addition: Shu Chang Hao

Shen wrote:
> This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
> sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
> sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
> practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
> "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
> The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
> (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
> appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
> Thanks.
> Shen

Jasmine tea is the cheapest and the restaurant probably wants to save
money. And, yes, they probably think foreigners only like Jasmine tea.
Whenever I go to market or some place, they try to flash their crappy
flower teas to attract me to their stalls. Actually, I loathe flower
tea, but for some reason it is a stereotype that all laowai like flower
tea.

When I go to dim sum in Los Angeles, all the restaurants offer is
jasmine and chrysanthemum.

Shen wrote:
> This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
> sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
> sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
> practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
> "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
> The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
> (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
> appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
> Thanks.
> Shen

You need to be specific and tell them you want something. They'll give
it to you, at least if it's a good dim sum place.

The advice I've always been given by more experienced people is to
always order white tea, in this case, Shou Mei. White tea is kept
cleanest. Puerh is the worst -- they are often overrun with
cockroaches and what not for all you know.


Jason F in Los Angeles wrote:
> When I go to dim sum in Los Angeles, all the restaurants offer is
> jasmine and chrysanthemum.
>
> Shen wrote:
> > This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
> > sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
> > sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
> > practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
> > "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
> > The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
> > (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
> > appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
> > Thanks.
> > Shen

With Chinese food, I always ask for water. I'd rather drink my teas at
home and separate from food. Toci
Shen wrote:
> This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
> sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
> sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
> practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
> "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
> The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
> (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
> appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
> Thanks.
> Shen

toci wrote:
> With Chinese food, I always ask for water. I'd rather drink my teas at
> home and separate from food. Toci

The Chinese don't do that which is why in the vast majority of Chinese
restaurants you have to make a special request for water. They believe
that drinking with meals is bad for digestion, and drinking cold water
is the worst which is why if you drink anything, it's just a little tea.
I'm sure it doesn't hurt it's safer to drink tea in China anyway
because the water is boiled.

Hi Shen and all,
As Lew suggested, ask for Bo Lay -- you might
have to run through a few pronunciation alternatives
before they get it if you're a lousy Chinese sound
maker as I am -- but be forewarned: The Pu'erh
they usually serve to their Chinese customers in
these restaurants is saved from utter lousiness by
the tea's extreme weakness. Better to use Lew's
bring-your-own model. Nobody will mind, and
you'll know what you're drinking. (All this for
NYC)

BTW, I often bring my YiXing tea set to
Chinese restaurants and set myself up. Since
I do this during non-rush hours, nobody minds.
And you'd be amazed at how many Gung-fu
enthusiasts come out of the wood work.
Michael


[Marshall]
> You need to be specific and tell them you want something. They'll give
> it to you, at least if it's a good dim sum place.
>
> The advice I've always been given by more experienced people is to
> always order white tea, in this case, Shou Mei. White tea is kept
> cleanest. Puerh is the worst -- they are often overrun with
> cockroaches and what not for all you know.

[Jason]
>> When I go to dim sum in Los Angeles, all the restaurants offer is
>> jasmine and chrysanthemum.

[Shen]
>>> This is just a simple question: we have dim sum as often as possible -
>>> sometimes in San Francisco; sometimes in L.A.; sometimes in New York;
>>> sometimes in Asia. We are ALWAYS served jasmine tea. Is this commom
>>> practice because we are non-Asians? We always ask for "black" or
>>> "oolong", and usually pay the small charge for a second (other) pot.
>>> The jasmine is generally palatable and we are not really tea snobs
>>> (well, maybe we are) but, the oolong or black seems so much more
>>> appropriate with the savory bites.........feedback, anyone?
>>> Thanks.
>>> Shen
>

Jason F in Los Angeles > wrote:
>When I go to dim sum in Los Angeles, all the restaurants offer is
>jasmine and chrysanthemum.

Like Lew suggested, ask for "Bo Lay". Every dim sum restaurant in
every galaxy, in this and other local clusters, has it. They will never
spontaneously bring it to a westerner. It is cheap dilute black (shu)
pu erh.

After you ask, observe the waitresses giggling to each other about the
cute Westerner who is actually intelligent to request bo lay, as if you
were a type of freshly bathed circus dog. This is customary.

Then ask for ketchup.

Rick.

Ham Sulu > wrote:

>toci wrote:
>> With Chinese food, I always ask for water. I'd rather drink my teas at
>> home and separate from food. Toci
>
>The Chinese don't do that which is why in the vast majority of Chinese
>restaurants you have to make a special request for water. They believe
>that drinking with meals is bad for digestion, and drinking cold water
>is the worst which is why if you drink anything, it's just a little tea.
> I'm sure it doesn't hurt it's safer to drink tea in China anyway
>because the water is boiled.

Another opinion:

"Eating food and drinking tea at the same time only results in
excessive weight gain."
Hua To, Chinese imperial physician, ca. 110 - 207 A.D.

Though I doubt that excessive weight was a concern of most Chinese
at the time, outside the Imperial circle.

Best,

Rick.

Richard Chappell wrote:
> After you ask, observe the waitresses giggling to each other about the
> cute Westerner who is actually intelligent to request bo lay, as if you
> were a type of freshly bathed circus dog. This is customary.
>
> Then ask for ketchup.
>
> Rick.

hahaha, nice! I'd love to see that one, thanks for the good mental
flip-book on that one... I got a good laugh.

The sad part is just last week I went to a new Chinese joint for lunch
and was fairly unhappy at the General Tso's that was being doused in
liberal amounts of Heinz Ketchup by the "cook." It was like eating
deep-fried chicken bits smothered in it. Oh and he threw a single red
chile on top before serving, so I think that was what made it General
Tso's.

- Dominic

I am a pale, red-headed woman with a pale grey-hairded Brit husband and
yes, we do appear to be "circus-dogs". We have mastered the dim-sum
menu language but until today remained totally silly when it came to
requesting tea. Today, though, thanks to y'all, I asked for and
received "Bo Lay". It was, howver, what my grandmother would have
called "bibbla wasser" (dish water).
I am definitely bringing my own pocket of leaves next time!
I want to thank everyone for putting up with my ignorance and making
these suggestions.
Shen
Richard Chappell wrote:
> Jason F in Los Angeles > wrote:
> >When I go to dim sum in Los Angeles, all the restaurants offer is
> >jasmine and chrysanthemum.
>
> Like Lew suggested, ask for "Bo Lay". Every dim sum restaurant in
> every galaxy, in this and other local clusters, has it. They will never
> spontaneously bring it to a westerner. It is cheap dilute black (shu)
> pu erh.
>
> After you ask, observe the waitresses giggling to each other about the
> cute Westerner who is actually intelligent to request bo lay, as if you
> were a type of freshly bathed circus dog. This is customary.
>
> Then ask for ketchup.
>
> Rick.

Richard Chappell wrote:
> "Eating food and drinking tea at the same time only results in
> excessive weight gain."
> Hua To, Chinese imperial physician, ca. 110 - 207 A.D.

That seems reasonable to me. There are several signals for satiety,
including a full belly and increasing blood sugar. Since tea seems to
reduce blood sugar for some people, it might delay an end to face-stuffing.

-DM