Yumcha Heroes, Dim Sum, Mitte
March 23, 2011 18 Comments
Cute logo. Right? Even cuter interior. Plenty of natural light, a fun wall with bamboo motif wallpaper, a fuchsia pink glass window onto the kitchen (quite similar to Yauatcha’s), large glossy photos on the other wall. It’s an attractive joint.
I purposely kept my expectations low, expecting Ping Pong type dim sum (a large, successful chain in the UK).
My girlfriends and I ordered the lunch menu for €7.50, described as steamed beef dim sum with soup. And a side order of fried dim sum.
The soup came with 3 black beef dumplings. Alongside that were a further 4 dim sum in a steamer basket. Both types of dim sum shared the same beef filling. Which we all found to be rather peculiar. If they were serving it as a menu, why wouldn’t they put a different filling in one of them?
I’m assuming the dim sum were hand-made, they were rustic, knobbly and large. Too big to shove the whole thing in my mouth but when I bit into it, everything awkwardly tumbled out.
It must be getting tedious for you, reading all these “yeah, well it was fine but not great” (accompanied by a virtual shrug) reviews from me. Console yourself with the fact that it’s my wallet and stomach that are taking the hits. In the words of Kate Spicer (Master Chef judge and restaurant reviewer for The Daily Telegraph) “I could probably have two more bedrooms at home if I didn’t eat out so much.”
Once I have eaten my way through Berlin, I will have some truly stellar recommendations (and will weigh 100kg). For now, have a look at my Berlin Favourites page for some ideas of good eats.
In the meantime, my quest for outstanding dim sum in Berlin, continues…
Yumcha Heroes
Weinbergsweg 8
10119 Berlin, Germany
030 76213035
www.yumchaheroes.de
I don’t like that place at all. Have you already tried Wok Show China on the Greifenhagener Straße 31?
They serve good dumplings.
If you want good dumplings in Prenzlauer Berg, wander up to Wok Show at Greifenhagener Str. We are there at least a couple of times a month *blush* Their Gurke- or Chinakohl- Salaten are both fab as well.
oh, I was beaten to the punch! Well, that proves it then. Feel free to delete both the above!
I, for one, am truly grateful, that you bravely try out all these places, so I don’t have to.
And I don’t suppose it’s your fault, they don’t meet the expectations. In my opinion, these fancy Mitte eateries go more for style than quality.
Wok Show has good gyoza / jiaozi, but no real dim sum. The steamed and fried dumplings they have are good, but they have quite little choice.
The interior is a bit worn down, but the owner who is serving herself is very friendly.
Though, in terms of price they are unbeatable. And yes, the cucumber salad is fantastic.
A place I have been to before you write about it here. Finally! (Just so excited because I didn’t get out of the house for too long while you ate yourself through disappointing restaurants.)
I went in October and only really enjoyed a beef salad. The rest was mediocre.
And I second Andrea about the style instead of quality food notion.
I, for one, really appreciate that you are eating your way through Berlin. So many places I haven’t heard of and want to try now.
Damn, I was hoping you’d found a good one just in time for me to visit Berlin. Bah!
Robert, Kim. Wok show you say? Will give it a go (read the most searing review on Qype by Puncrock http://www.qype.co.uk/place/487107-WOK-SHOW-Berlin)
Andrea, Annika. Awww, you guys! Thanks!
Sasa, Asian food doesn’t seem to be where it’s at in Berlin but plenty of other great places to eat. Maybe the Taco truck will be around when you are?
I wasn’t so impressed by Yumcha Heroes either. And Wok Show - I know a lot of people rave about their dumplings, but they’re not really a dim sum restaurant at all. They only really do gyoza (potstickers). There’s a range of fillings advertised, but they all tasted the same (and not very special) to me - certainly inferior to the gyoza you can find in most decent Japanese restaurants here.
I’ve resorted to making my own dim sum now, I’ve generally found the quality to be so poor in Germany! But I’ll continue reading with interest, in case you stumble across a undiscovered gem. I’d love to find somewhere with decent char siu bao…
Hmm, maybe that can be one of your supper clubs… Chinese food? I will certainly come to that one!
I’ll keep you posted. Not sure if I can manage a whole meal (and I’m sure my Chinese food is far from authentic) but I’ve been toying with the idea of at least sticking some dumplings on the menu as a starter.
I stumbled across Y.H. a couple of weeks ago. I can’t remember what exactly I had but it tasted lovely. But I agree the size of the dumplings made them quite awkward to handle with chopsticks.
I was on my own but it was entertaining, the place is so small and crammed that you can eavesdrop on every single conversation in the room…
I salute your noble quest for the perfect Dim Sum. I’m looking forward to following your footsteps!
For those who complain about the overall poor quality of dim sum here -it hasn’t been around for long. The first time I even found a place that did them, in Berlin, was in 2007, and I had been on the lookout ever since I was taken to a fabulous Dim Sum place in Boston in 1990. So my joy of finding places at all may cloud my judgememt sometimes but the ones I found were generally quite decent.
Berlin walks the walk, talks the talk so it seems likely that you will find dim sum or good chinese - or whatever. It’s hip, it’s cool, it’s up to date (architecturally, graphically, museum wise, galleries, etc) but the food scene is a whole other level.
That is why restaurants like Brochardt, Grill Royal or even Lutter & Wegner can charge such prices and are so in demand, because the rest of the food scene is so far behind in terms of quality, consistency and service - that they basically own the market.
What I am waiting for (and hoping for) is for those same young people that make Berlin so exciting on so many levels to get into the food scene and shake it up. But they need to address quality, consistency and service.
That’s my impression so far, but I feel like Berlin is on the cusp of great things - culinarily speaking…
Couldn’t that be you…..Young, smart, talented and full of ideas…..why not your own place…..one of us has to!
I don’t know if Haute Cuisine is ever going to be my cup of tea. I’ve never been to any of those fancy places but I certainly enjoy finding more and more places with decent or slightly better than decent food. I won’t hold my breath for the great things, I think Berlin is essentially a cheap place but we’ll see, and we’ll read it here first, I hope
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Here’s a tip for a no-nonsense workday treat: Splitterbrötchen at/ from Bäckerei Hacker in Stargarder Str. 69/70. Splitterbrötchen are a type of yeast raised pastry, and the ones at Hacker’s are really good. One serves two, they’re quite big. Best if eaten fresh, they don’t improve lying around in paper bags but then what does…
I am so jealous. What ethnic food can you NOT find in Berlin?
Kathleen
Thanks Julie. And you have a very good point, I have only tried the Dim Sum.
I need to get out there and eat some more! Feel like I am lagging behind with restaurant reviews.
Hi Julie,
Thanks! I need to get out there and try (then write about) some new places, I have been lagging lately.
Good point about Yumcha. All I ever tried were the Dim Sum. I do like spare ribs.