Honolulu's Chinatown: Street Food & Reminders of China

The Chew		The View
Quintessential Dim Sum		Chinatown, Honolulu

I'm still reeling over how consistent the idea of "Chinatown" is to every major city outside of China. The essentials of dim sum hole-in-the-wall restaurants, fresh fruit and meat markets, jade and trinket vendors--all the mark of a complete Chinatown. Honolulu is no exception.

Our choice of dim sum was Mei Sum restaurant, a truly street-corner restaurant that could be lost amidst boba shops and herb pharmacies. The unassuming interior only got me more excited about the food-focused kitchen.

My mom instantly jumped on the chicken feet, and luo mi fan (a sticky rice steamed and wrapped in bamboo leaf). As the veggie onlooker, I requested my spinach garlic stir-fry and low bok gow.

• Low bok gow (steamed radish cake): A savory slab of sliced radish or turnip bound in a chewy, rice cake or meal, this is an essential for veggie dim sum-goers. All three of us. It's best fried on both sides until you get the  golden brown tints on the edges.

And, of course, we finished with dan ta, a dessert that is a sweet creation of warm egg custard filling and flaky outer pastry crust. I could eat 10 of these without thinking. Thank god dessert follows the main courses.

To think that we waddled out of there for only $21 for 3 people! Granted, the cart service was slow compared to bigger dim sum establishments; but, if you know what you want, this is a great place for traditional dim sum.

The other fun came in exploring the food markets that weave themselves through the side streets. As I mentioned before, my mom is something of a food court foodie, and she took great pleasure in simply feasting with her eyes on all the booths and vendors.

Ok, she may have gotten a little something something:

• Sweet Rice Cake ($0.60)
• Fried Fish Ball (free sample, chattin' up the Taiwanese chef)
• Red Bean Shave Ice ($3 from Hula-Boba)--The condensed milk was a perfect way to balance the blandness of the bean with its rich, milky sweetness. I will certainly be in search of these around the island: call it my "red bean hunt" if you will. In addition to the "malasada hunt," "creme brulee hunt," and "mochi hunt."
  
  Better get my guns ready, I've got lots of huntin' to do. Good thing I'm finally surfing tomorrow!

Here's to an 81-degree Christmas,
The Chew