To most, Sunday brunch yields visuals of pancakes and omelettes. To me, however, my quintessential Sunday brunch is, without a doubt, dim sum. While I may as well be an ambassador for the bacon egg n cheese society, there is nothing as beautiful as entering a gilded 2nd floor ballroom in Chinatown as servers whisk endless varieties of steamed dumplings in all directions from their rolling carts. There are infinite options, but none in Manhattan exist on the same playing field as Golden Unicorn, which is a palatial institution just off the Bowery. After being deposited at one of dozens of tables in their plush red and gold ballroom following oft-excruciating waits, it’s time to strategize. The options are truly endless, and feel free to go crazy, but pay close attention to the green leek dumplings, which arrive intricately folded and nearly translucent with a soft bite of minced shrimp and chive, the baked pork pastry, which fills croissant-like dough with savory pork, or their classics like lotus leaf filled with rice and meat, or iconic siu mai and har gow. It’s safe to go with around 4 dishes per person, and best to select a variety of textures and fillings, yet the world is truly your oyster on dim sum mornings as nearly every dish sits below $7. When I was young, I was always the kid who ordered multiple entrees because I couldn’t make up my mind, and here, that desire for variety is undoubtedly satisfied.
Golden Unicorn
18 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002
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