rol san.

I love dim sum.

I mean, what's better than getting a group of family or friends together on a lazy weekend late-morning and heading to a place where you chat around round tables and pretty much indulge every whim and yummy scent that passes you by?

It's one of those cuisines that I'm pretty much always down for but rarely get around to actually eating.   

I should really go more. When it's done well, it's just so good.

Anyways, I'd had a craving for dim sum for about a year that was just kind of subsiding, unacknowledged in a dusty corner of my mind, until I read this blog post and re-realized it, big time.

I needed to go to Rol San. Immediately.

And so I did.

I dragged my boyfriend down to chinatown a few weeks ago on a Saturday around noon, where we waited in a poorly-formed line at the front of delicious-smelling, packed Rol San for half an hour. Starving.

Things finally got so desperate that I found myself waving down a staff member and begging him to let us sit at someone else's table - anyone's. And so sat we were, with a random assortment of other folks with an obviously-equal desperation for dim sum. I wish I could say I struck up some great and insightful conversation with our table companions, but I was way too hungry for pleasantries. I had some serious business to get down to... 

... beginning with two bundles of Sticky Rice in Banana Leaves. I couldn't get enough of these sticky, savory, steamy little parcels. I could have eeeasily eaten two more.

The moment your chopsticks hit that hot, meat centre in the middle of the rice parcel = best.

I kept seeing these little treats whiz by me and was intrigued. I found out what they were (Deep Fried Taro with Pork) and ordered some. Upon taking my first bite, I was immediately trying to flag down our server to order another round. 

The delicate, crispy casing of these gave way with a light crunch to the most delicious, savoury, flavourful, creamy centre of pork and taro. 

They were the star of the meal for me. I'd go back to Rol San for a plate of the Deep Fried Taro with Pork alone. 

BBQ Pork Buns were their usual yumminess; soft, slightly-sweet pillows of spongey dough filled with hot, sauce-y pork pieces.

 Whoever invented dim sum was clearly all about great centres. I like them. A lot.

The Har Gow were a delicious, simple flavour to lighten up the meal although they came without the usual hot sauce they're served with, leaving us to fend for ourselves and come up with our own. We mixed a bunch of the soya and hot sauces on the table - not bad. 

And finally, just when we thought we were gonna have to be rol'ed out of Rol San (oh sorry! I should have warned you this post might knock you over with wit!) came our final item, the Crab and Pork Dumpling Soup. I was making all kinds of noise about not even being able to try one bite I was so full.

 And then (surprise, surprise) I ate the whole thing. Out-ate my boyfriend, once again, for reals. This soup was just too good to pass up. 

One big, soft wonton was filled with a mixture of succulent pieces of crab and pork, veggies and ginger. When it comes to clear broth soups, I often find the asian variety lacking in that flavour-kick I so crave. Lack, this did not. Every sip of broth was full of flavour and every bite of the wonton managed to surprise me as a new taste blossomed in my mouth. 

I just had to turn the bowl upside-down and drain it for every last drop. I couldn't not.

We left Rol San perfectly satisfied (read: barely able to walk the two blocks to our car) and a wallet with a fatter width than usual following feasting of that magnitude. 

Dim Sum, I won't forget you like that again. You're too good to me.

Rol San

323 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON

416-977-1128