Menu decisions
First dim sum order for two: a small round with different textures
Build your first dim sum order for two with a few different textures, check pieces per basket and fillings, and add dishes in rounds rather than ordering everything.
Reviewed by SeEat editorial ·
Start here
For two first-timers, begin with three or four small dishes with different textures, then add more if needed. Ask how many pieces come in each basket. The starting count is our tasting suggestion, not a rule about how much every restaurant serves.
Choices to compare
One dumpling basket
If both diners eat shrimp, ask about har gow. If you prefer another filling, request a dumpling the restaurant can describe. Do not order a shrimp item just because it appears on a beginner list.
One bun or rice roll
A bun offers a different format from a dumpling. Dim Sum Guide lists barbecue pork buns, shrimp dumplings and rice rolls among familiar menu items.[1] Check the filling before selecting one.
One crisp or vegetable dish
Add a contrasting texture rather than another basket that tastes nearly the same. Ask whether a vegetable-looking item includes meat or seafood, and confirm sauces. Save dessert for when you know how much more you want.
Make the first round easy to share
Our sample plan is one dumpling basket, one bun or rice-roll dish and one vegetable or crisp dish, with an optional fourth choice. Ask staff whether the actual portions are a reasonable start for two.
With three pieces in a basket, decide whether to split one, order another basket later or simply take different amounts. You do not need two baskets of every dish to share fairly.
Use preference checks before dish names
Say whether both people eat pork, shrimp and egg, and whether either wants to avoid chilli. Ask for filling descriptions when a name does not reveal the contents. This makes the shortlist more useful than memorising a long list.
If the restaurant uses carts, look at what is offered and ask about the dish before accepting it. If it uses a paper menu, confirm how to record quantities; a tick may mean an order rather than one piece.
Build your order
Suggested starting plan; adjust to the restaurant’s portions and your appetite.
- Agree on ingredients both diners want.
- Choose three or four contrasting dishes and confirm pieces per order.
- Eat the first round, then add whichever texture or portion is missing.
Ask your server
- How many pieces come in each basket?
- What is in this filling, and does the sauce contain seafood?
- Can we add another round after these dishes arrive?
Before you order
Should we order one basket per person?
Only if that matches what you want and how the restaurant portions it. Shared baskets let you try different items without duplicating every dish.
Do we have to order dessert first?
Ask how this restaurant handles ordering. You can plan dessert separately rather than counting it as a required first-round dish.
Sources
- Dim Sum Guide. The ultimate guide to dim sum. Accessed
Choose from the menu in front of you
SeEat reads menus and helps you compare dishes with your taste. Confirm undisclosed ingredients and portions with restaurant staff.