COCONUTS HOT SPOT — Located in Avenue K in the vicinity of KLCC, as the name suggests, Dolly Dim Sum is not your typical Chinese restaurant. Dolly Dim Sum is their modern interpretation of a traditional Chinese teahouse.
It’s refreshing to walk into a Chinese restaurant where its interior is not only contemporary in design but bright and cheerful as well.
The name “Dolly” is fun and somewhat frivolous, projecting modern care-free vibes which are echoed in the bright turquoise birdcages hung on the high ceiling and the matching tiles on the floor add on the charm factor. I was told “dolly” also refers to how their dim sum is made – each piece is like an art form, delicate and exquisite.
The dim sum menu in Dolly is not extensive and to me, that’s a good thing. It means their chefs can focus on their skills and time in producing the best from that exclusive list. Having said that, I wouldn’t say the selection of dim sum in Dolly is very different from the usual traditional items. In fact, most of them are the usual traditional dim sum as served in most restaurants.
Traditional and typical dim sum like “siew mai”, “har gow”, “loh mai kai” are all there on the menu. However, because the menu is kept tight, the dim sum is cooked only upon order and everything comes to the table piping hot.
Chicken and prawns feature predominantly as main ingredients for most of the dim sum in Dolly. The dainty Crystal Prawn Dumplings have prawns and chives wrapped in translucent dumpling skin.
Crystal prawn dumplings
Minced chicken and shrimps make bouncy fillings for the dumplings, both steamed and fried ones. Or even soupy dumplings, like their Spicy Szechuan Dumplings drizzled with a red oily sauce that packs a fiery punch.
Spicy Szechuan Dumplings
I particularly like the Steamed Chicken Wings, chopped into bite sizes and steamed with garlic and leek.
Steamed Chicken Wings
One of the rare beef items on the menu is their Steamed Beef Balls. Freshly ground beef is shaped into balls and steamed, studded with chopped pieces of aged mandarin peel which give the bouncy beef balls a lovely citrusy nuance.
Steamed Beef Balls
The squares of Pan-fried Radish Cake are bursting with the unmistakable aroma of radish enhanced with sundried prawns and dried scallops.
Pan-fried Radish Cake
Known in Cantonese as “ham sui kok”, the Chewy Meat Croquettes are really good. The chewy skin, made from glutinous rice flour has just the right “bitey” texture and delicious filling of minced chicken.
Chewy Meat Croquettes
I love “malaiko” – steamed sponge cakes flavoured with caramelised sugar. Usually served in big square pieces, Dolly presents them as Mini Dolly Cupcakes. Studded with pumpkin seeds, the little brown steamed cakes are pretty but somehow lack the deeper flavour of caramel and are a tad dry.
Malaiko
Besides dim sum, Dolly’s menu does offer some more substantial eats – rice, congee and noodles are available. I like their congee which uses imported pearl rice that has gone through long hours of slow boiling, resulting in a really smooth and silky texture. Topped with some ginger and scallions, their Dried Scallops and Shandong Peanuts Congee does not disappoint.
Dried Scallops and Shandong Peanuts Conge
In their Crispy Egg Noodles done Cantonese-style, deep fried shang mee is smothered with chunks of red snapper, chicken, mushrooms and sweet peas, all in a delicious thick broth.
Crispy Egg Noodles
Dolly Dim Sum is a perfect venue right in the city centre for a catch-up session over delectable pork-free Chinese fares and endless cups of premium teas. Oh they have some good mocktails and cocktails too, for that extra sparkle in your dim sum indulgence.
DOLLY DIM SUM (*pork-free)
G9-G9A Ground Floor
Avenue K
156 Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2181-3830
Open daily 11.00am till 10.00pm
Chris Wan also blogs at Pure Glutton.
