Sam Po - Bien Dim Sum

There are urges and cravings that happen to me that I cannot control. Like clockwork it seems, I routinely get an urge for the delicious dumplings and fried dim sum items that cannot be quenched by any other meal. The combination of flavours and dining style of Chinese dim sum restaurants make them unique and unreplicable. And so I went on Urbanspoon and found a spot I had initially looked over, Sam Po Dim Sum.

Located in Chinatown, Sam Po is located right across the street from Noodle Express. In fact, I am told they have the same owners! Well despite that, Sam Po is truly the better looking of the pair. With shiny gold lettering beckoning you in, diners are taken aback by the large clean and modern dining room. Brightly lit and appropriately decorated, the restaurant instantly makes you feel comfortable and gives a sense of class that its sister restaurant did not give.

The food is typical dim sum fare. With all the regulars and dishes one would expect taken care of, Sam Po offers a nice variety for veterans and newcomers alike. I would have appreciated a pictoral representation of each dish but nevertheless the descriptions sufficed. For those not in the mood for dim sum (gasp!), there is an ala carte menu featuring (I went for lunch) a bevy of fried noodle and rice options, a popular choice for the majority of clientele this particular day.

These Shrimp Dumplings were a nice size and filled with a large amount of spongy and tasty chopped shrimp. The wrapper was nice and thin enough to encase the contents without being doughy and tough. Make sure to dip these in the accompanied hot sauce to add an additional element of flavour to contrast the smooth shrimp.

Scallop and Shrimp Dumplings with Coriander were unique and new to me. The filling is a nice combination of flavour chopped shrimp and scallop and is all wrapped in a thin wrapper and steamed to perfection. The addition of coriander (actually, cilantro) adds a herbal rustic flavour and aroma to the dumpling.

Large pieces of Sticky Rice greeted my burgeoning stomach next. The tender glutinous rice is filled with pork, peanut and mushrooms and the entirity is steamed inside a banana leaf. Imparting a subtle savoury flavour into the rice was the key to this tasty dish.

Deep Fried Pork Chinese Pierogies had a number of different pictures in my mind when I first read it on the menu. What came out was more in keeping with a deep fried pork dumpling. The exterior had a nice crispy shell while the interior was oozing with a nice mixture of pork, chive and mushroom. Aromatic chive is the key here by adding a nutty and sharp flavour to the dish.

Pork Dumplings (Shao Mai) were simply average here. While I appreciated the tender meat, there was little further flavour profile here to develop. In truth it was an explosion of fatty meat in a thin wonton wrapper; the dish needed something to contrast it, like shrimp, mushroom or daikon.

Nice and springy, these Beef Balls were above average. Tender, beefy and flavourful, it went well with the side of vinegar and soy sauce. Aromatic herbs give some textural and aromatic balance to the dish.

Overall Sam Po was above average dim sum. Sporting a handsome restaurant and offering tasty food, it should be a staple on the Winnipeger's list of dim sum restaurants. Definitely not the best in town but decent enough and will suffice if in a pinch or in the area.