Dimsum Break (SM North Edsa)

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Bf got a Dimsum Break gift certificate from Badudets last Christmas. Of course I tagged along when he redeemed it because...food! We enjoyed our first visit so when we came back to SM North a few weeks later, I suggested we dine at Dimsum Break again. This review covers our two visits.

Dimsum Break offers fried dim sum, steamed dimsum, rice pots, vegetables, noodles, soups, shaopao (siopao), desserts, and beverages.

Taste

So far we have tried the following Dimsum Break items: Bacon Shaomai (siomai), Shaomai, Quail's Egg Shaomai, Empress Roll, Mushroom Shaomai, Crab Pincers, Stuffed Shrimps, The Original Steamed Fried Rice, Beef Sate Noodles, and Lomi.

The steamed dimsum we had (bacon shaomai, shaomai, quail's egg shaomai, empress roll, and mushroom shaomai) came in two or three pieces per kind. Except for the shaomai, they were placed in saucers with a little water instead of directly on the steamer basket. I was not impressed with the shaomai but I liked the others. They were all meaty, juicy, and yummy.

Bacon Shaomai - P65

Mushroom Shaomai - P65

Shaomai - P65

Quail's Egg Shaomai - P65

I became a fan of the Empress Roll, in particular. The veggie wraps gave a fresh, slightly sweet taste to the dimsum -- they cleansed the palate and kept taste fatigue (umay) at bay.

Empress Roll - P65

The stuffed shrimps were not as tasty as I expected. I had better luck with the crab pincers, though.

Stuffed Shrimps - P65

Crab Pincers - P65

The beef sate noodles had a thick and spicy sauce, not the soupy kind that bf was expecting when he ordered it (the picture was not clear). Nevertheless, it offered an interesting taste and had generous amounts of beef. The lomi was likewise satisfying.

Beef Sate Noodles - P80

Lomi - P80

The original steamed frice rice did not look like its name because it was not just rice, but a complete meal by itself. The rice was topped with chunks of meat and vegetables swimming in a rich sauce. This rice pot is different, by the way, from the plain steamed rice, which is also available.

The Original Steamed Fried Rice - P68

Affordability

The food at Dimsum Break is affordable. Dimsum (whether fried or steamed) cost P65 per serving, with typically 2-3 pieces. Rice pots cost P68 each and are big enough to fill you up by themselves. Vegetable dishes (veggie salads and garlic vegetables) are at P55 each while noodles and soups are P80 each.  Shaopao (siopao) costs P38 while the mini-pao is P18. Desserts go for P55-60 each.

The low price and small servings of the dimsum make it easy for you to try several kinds at once, instead of having to settle for just one or two like in some dimsum places that serve six or more pieces per order.

Interiors

Dimsum Break has a bright and attractive interior. Warm tones are balanced by the white furniture. The resto is roomy even when there are a lot of customers inside. The glass walls make the place inviting to outsiders even from afar and makes the resto look even more spacious from the inside.

This asymmetrical wall design adds a nice touch.

The lights are particularly lovely. They look like stacks of dimsum baskets and there are a lot of them. They are not just functional but also decorative and a really nice accent to a dimsum place.

Cleanliness

During both our visits, the place was clean and everything was in place. Tables were cleared at once after customers left.

Service

In Dimsum Break, it is self-service. Customers fall in line, with a tray to hold their food. You start at the steamed dimsum section. Here, you can get your steamed dimsum and shaopao -- all hot and ready to eat. You can also order noodles, soups, and vegetable dishes here and they will be brought to your table when ready. Right next is the case holding the fried dimsum, then the section where you can order your rice pots and plain rice. Last is the desserts and beverages area, just beside the cashier. There is a separate area where you can get your dips and sauces later on.

fried dimsum

rice pots

desserts

During our two visits, the members of the staff were friendly, attentive, and helpful. Service was fast. Our lomi and beef sate noodles were served at our table soon after we sat down and the staff who brought them was courteous. It was a good idea to make customers order the made-to-order food items (vegetable dishes, noodles, soups, and some dimsum) at the start of the line since the cooks get a head start in preparing them while the customer is still checking out the already-available food items or paying for his order.

Compared to relying on pictures or description when ordering, seeing the dim sum piping hot in their baskets while you order also makes it more tempting to try out a lot of different kinds while giving you an idea on how much you can consume. There are also colored and glossy menu leaflets at the start of the line, which are very helpful and convenient especially for first-time customers.

Dimsum Break

3/F SM City North Edsa - Annex
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
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