Tom's Seafood Restaurant - All You Can Eat Dim Sum

Well I am a happy man. Tom's Seafood Restaurant has brought back the all you can eat Dim Sum deal. For those who are not familiar with Tom's it is located at 3048 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland Ohio, right between Slyman's and E.30th Street and the Inner Belt (see map here). Set in a stand alone building with a mock red Chinese front, the outside may appear dated and a bit run down, but the inside is a different story. Consisting of one large room with some Chinese decorations and the fish tanks in the back, Tom's is light and clean and creates a nice impression. Depending on the time of day, there can be a wait for a table, especially when all you can eat dim sum is going on. In the past I have been seated at a large table with a number of other different people, so they work hard to get everyone served. All you can eat Dim Sum is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am to 3:00pm and costs $9 per person. The way that this works is that a number of carts are wheeled about the dining room and you select which items you would like. Dim Sum is basically small appetizer sized items in a number of configurations. For an idea of what Tom's offers you can go here on their website. The choices are varied and will change from time to time and during the time you are in the restaurant. Among the items you will be offered are steamed items, such as shrimp dumplings, shue mei, chicken's feet, tripe, and bbq buns. There will be fried items such as eggrolls, stuffed eggplant and pot stickers. They have noodle dishes and a rice porridge called congee. Also there are desert items and other varieties. One of the challenges can be the language barrier, those who are operating the carts do not always have the best English skills, however they are always friendly and willing to show you everything on the carts. The regular wait staff is attentive and will help out on requests as they are permitted. Tom's does have some photo menus that can help you navigate through the varieties of Dim Sum. Having learned that the all you can eat Dim Sum was back, I headed down there at about 1:00pm on Saturday. This was about the end of the lunch rush and I was seated quickly. I started with an egg roll and an order of Chinese Broccoli in oyster sauce. This was soon followed by orders of Shrimp Dumplings, which are my all time favorites, combining shrimp in a translucent dumpling with just the right amount of sesame flavor. I also had the shrimp and chives dumpling, the shrimp rice roll, some stuffed tofu, a helping of noodles and a couple of the custard tarts as dessert. This is probably the best all you can eat deal in town; the food is fresh and well made, there is a wide variety and it is unique. Be warned that when Tom's is very busy, such as Sunday lunch time, the most popular items (such as the Shrimp Dumplings and the Custard Tarts) can be snatched up quickly, so it pays to keep a eye out and don't be afraid to get up and get what you want. The advantage of these busy times is that there is even more variety of items offered and the carts are frequently restocked. Tom's draws a heavily Asian crowd and provides great food and a chance to be daring in your choices. One of my true favorite food experiences in Cleveland it is hard to go wrong here. The most fun is if you get a group of adventurous friends and head down together, that way you can share the experience. I highly recommend you head down to Tom's during the weekend and check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Bo Loong - Asia town mainstay

Well it was time for a dim sum fix and since Tom's Seafood is no longer doing the $8 all you can eat Dim Sum, I figured that we would go back to Bo Loong and see what they are offering. Located at 3922 Saint Clair Ave NE Cleveland, OH 44114, Bo Loong has been a mainstay of Cleveland's China/Asiatown for quite a while. Located between a gas station and a warehouse just East of the train tracks bridge, the outside is a bit restrained and offers only limited parking which will usually be filled all too fast. Once inside Bo Loong has two large rooms with traditional Chinese decor; of note is the large wooden sculpture and the number of fish tanks, some of which contain decorative fish, others which offer seafood to order. This trip the decor seems to be showing its age with the room feeling a bit old and musty, but it is familar and the food is still excellent. Some will feel that Bo Loong looks a bit outdated, but it does offer plenty of seating and an atmospere that I enjoy. Once seated, on Saturday and Sunday lunch time you are presented with a number of carts containing dim sum, small orders of various meats, foul, seafood and vegetables wonderfully prepared and then either fried, baked or most often steamed. Each order is usually in the $2-3 range, so the best idea is to bring a group and share a lot of different items. It can be a bit of an adventure since you are not always sure what is in each item, but the women bringing around the carts will help guide you through the items. Among the highlights this trip were the har gua, which are simple shrimp dumplings in a steamed starch wrapper that were light, flavorful and just the right hint of sesame oil; the shrimp rolls which have shrimp wrapped in a wide starch noodle and then steamed; and a tofu wrapper around vegetables that packed just the right combination of flavor and texture. The table also really enjoyed the chicken shumei, the steamed meatballs, potstickers and the baked bbq pork buns. To finish the meal we went with the steamed custards, which are slightly sweet egg custards in a light flakey pie shell, delicious and the perfect end for the meal. All told the bill came to about $9 per person and we had a wonderful time. In addition Bo Loong also offers an extensive menu of well prepared Chinese foods. The menu is primarily Cantonese, so if you want hot and spicey you will have to add some of the hot chili oil, but they have been one of the best and most consistent Chinese restaurants in Cleveland for years. Among my favorites on the menu are the clams in black bean sauce and the Shrimp Pan Fried Noodles. Bo Loong is open late and is a great place to get a late night or holiday meal since it seems they are open every day of the year. With a large Asian clientel along with many Ocidentals, Bo Loong can be one of the busier restaurants in town. A unsual adventure is to head down late on the weekend when you will often find that Karoke is going on and the place is full. If you have been to Bo Loong before, it is still the same great Chinese Restaurant, if you haven't been, it is time to venture downtown and see what you have been missing.