Kala Ghoda has a new addition to its rich culinary scene – The Dimsum Room. Nestled in a building that is 100 years old, on the same floor as its sister restaurant, HyLo, The Dimsum Room offers more than its eponymic dish. Through The Listening Room and its well-curated music playing from retro vinyl records, it offers the tastiest dish of all, music. And I got to sample it all – the music, the vibes and of course, the delectable dim sums.
The Dimsum Room In Mumbai
The Listening Room is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It boasts quite a sizeable library of vinyl records, all of which get their turn on the record player. The music, though loud, does not drown out your conversations. This means you won’t have to yell to talk to the person you’re with – and that’s my favourite part about it. It offers good music but not at the expense of good conversations.
The zen garden sky terrace was my favourite space of all. The mood lighting and the rare instance of Mumbai sky actually featuring a few stars instead of being a disorienting grey haze made quite the combination. And even though the place has just opened up, judging by the crowds, you’d think that the establishment was as old as the building it is housed in!
Along with me on this culinary journey of the Hong Kong streets was Madhumoy, a fellow writer and friend. As an avid lover of dim sums, this was probably a place that I was looking forward to visiting the most. We had sampled the vibes, now it’s time for the bites!
Spicy Sips, Delectable Dim Sums And A Starlit Sky
Since I’d already had the privilege of visiting HyLo when it first opened in December, I was quite looking forward to how Razwan ‘Raz’ Zamfirescu would raise the bar (geddit?) this time. We started with a Vihara and a Hibiki. The former was icy and spicy – just how I like my drinks – and the latter was quite smooth with notes of honey.
Would I Order Them Again? Yes
The second set of drinks was recommended by Raz – an Opium Den and The Persimmon. The former was accompanied by a dramatic red vermouth which, when poured over the drink, almost reminded me of blood being spilt. The drink was dry and had an almost earthy flavour. The Persimmon, on the other hand, was quite fruity.
Would I Order Them Again? Yes
The first to arrive was the Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai. As soon as I tasted this, I knew that The Dimsum Room would exceed my expectations. A rich, juicy dumpling that is bursting with flavours, it is comfort in a bite!
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
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The next was the Shanghai Pork Xiao Long Bao. I have scoured Mumbai for good Xiao Long Baos and these would easily feature in my top 3. Also known as Soup Dumplings, they are little meat parcels filled with broth. As soon you eat it, a burst of rich, umami broth floods your mouth. But beware, while it is extremely irresistible, the soup can also be scalding hot.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
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Then came the Crispy Prawn Salt & Pepper Cheung Fun. Another dish that I was looking forward to quite a lot! The flavours, as expected, were mindblowing. The rice flour wrapper was soft but not falling apart. The sauce poured over it was deliciously sweet, salty and slightly earthy.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
Next came the Shrimp & Chili Crab Potstickers. You can always tell how good a potsticker might be by its skirt, a thick, crusty layer that forms around the dumpling. And the skirt of this potsticker was so glorious, it made me feel underdressed. With a healthy helping of their house-made chilli oil, the dumplings were just perfect!
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
We also ordered the Chilled Tofu which was quite light and the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. The texture was so soft that it felt like biting into a jello. It was the perfect refreshing snack.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
The last dim sum we tried was the Spicy Chicken Dumplings With Spicy Soy Butter Dressing. The gravy added depth and dimension to the dumplings that simply cannot be understated. It was creamy, it was well-spiced and simply delicious.
Would I Order It Again? Yes
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The Dan Dan Noodles were as hearty as they were spicy. Laden with peanuts, chilli oil and pork, they would make for the perfect hangover cure. Absolute banger!
Would I Order It Again? Yes
Finally, for dessert, we were given the Hong Kong-Style Compressed French Toast. It was surrounded by a pool of malt custard. For dessert lovers, one bite of it will transport you to dessert heaven. It was definitely sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. The texture was so soft and creamy, it was almost like silken tofu.
Would I Order It Again? Yes, Absolutely!
Final Thoughts
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When it comes to the food and the ambiance, I have nothing but good things to say. However, owing to high footfall that night, the staff did struggle to put their best foot forward. There was quite a bit of back and forth and we had to wait quite a long time for the dishes to come, sometimes even having to ask them twice or thrice about it. However, to their credit, it was a Saturday night and the staff looked like they were doing their best despite being spread out too thin.
And once the food arrived, its flavour more than compensated for the delay and was certainly worth the wait. There is something so inexplicably comforting about dim sums that it feels like you can never have too many. At The Dimsum Room, almost every dumpling was filled with this comfort. It is now genuinely one of the places that I look forward to visiting again!
Where: 3rd Floor, Building 30, K Dubash Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort
When: 7 PM to 11:45 PM
Cost: ₹3,000 for two approx.
Cover Image Credits: @thedimsumroom_mumbai/Instagram
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First Published: February 20, 2025 10:22 PM