By Marco Shalma

Here’s the thing about Nom Wah. You walk in thinking you’re doing Chinatown right. Oldest dim sum parlor in the city, neon sign, checked tile, all vibes. Then you open that English menu and it’s game over. Shrimp dumplings. Pork buns. Spring rolls. Every person who read one blog post about “hidden gems in Chinatown” is ordering the same five dishes. Forty bucks later, you feel cultured. Meanwhile the table of grandmas next to you is twelve minutes into a feast you didn’t even know existed for less money.

If you’re here for Instagram, stay on the English side. If you want dim sum the way locals actually eat dim sum, you have to reach into the stuff they don’t translate for a reason.

Start with steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce. It’s called pai gwat. Not on the English menu. Six dollars. They’re fatty and tender, with this salty fermented bean sauce that hits you before you even pick one up. This dish alone separates the “I love dim sum” crowd from the “I read about dim sum” crowd.

Then get ja leung. Rice noodle rolls wrapped around a stick of fried dough. Crispy inside, silky outside, sweet soy sauce on top. This is the bite that tells you what dim sum is actually about: texture on texture, soft against crunch, sauce holding it all together. If you don’t get this, you’re not playing the real game.

The deep-cut? Chicken feet. Yeah. The dish that scares anyone who only eats chicken breast. Braised in black bean sauce until the skin is tender and the cartilage gives a little. This is what Hong Kong aunties order every Sunday while reading the Chinese paper and judging everyone. If you’re not ready, fine. But don’t pretend you know dim sum.

The cheat code is simple. Go to the steaming station. Point at whatever looks good. Use your phone to translate the characters on the wall. If you really want to win, point at the table of Chinese customers and nod. They’ll understand exactly what you’re after.

The order is clean: pai gwat, ja leung, turnip cakes, shrimp and chive dumplings, oolong tea. You just ordered off-menu without speaking Mandarin.

Send this to the friend who thinks authenticity comes with a QR code.

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