This is by far the best Dim Sum I have ever had. Everything is made-to-order, so all of the ingredients are super fresh. Each menu item is different and a work of art. This is Dim Sum at it’s best.
My server Zoey was just the perfect addition to my glorious lunch. She guided me along the way and brought me some surprises, that I did not order, but loved just the same. Whatever you try here, you too will be greatly astonished.
About Chef Tony:
Chef Tony began his cooking career at age 15, apprenticing with some of the greatest chefs in Guangdong Province, China (formerly Canton Province). He later moved to Hong Kong where he further developed his culinary techniques, including training under “Abalone King,” Yeung Koon-yat. In 1992, Tony opened his first concept in Zhongshan City, part of southern China, called Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant. Then in 1996, he immigrated to Canada to open Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant in Richmond, BC. In 1998, his traditional Dim Sum and artistic Cantonese cuisine were raved by immigrants and locals alike. It was such a huge success that he expanded his business southward, opening Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant in the Los Angeles area (Rosemead). He was an apprentice to Yeung Koon-Yat, a culinary master in Hong Kong who had served world leaders including Deng Xiaoping and Jacques Chirac. It ranked #1 in the Top Ten Best Chinese Restaurant in Los Angeles in 2011 and 2012 (Los Angeles Magazine). His Rosemead-based Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant had even drawn accolades from the famed Los Angeles Times late, great food critic Jonathan Gold. In 2013, Chef Tony established Yi Dong Seafood Restaurant, also known as Chef Tony Seafood Restaurant in Richmond, British Columbia. It has an area of 6,700 square feet, delivering a high-end Chinese fusion dining experience to a diverse clientele. The Restaurant won many awards over its three years of operation, including Gold Award for Best Dim Sum 2015 and Silver Award for Best Chinese Upscale 2015 by Vancouver Magazine (26th Annual Restaurant Awards). The Restaurant has also won Critics’ Choice of Chinese Restaurant Awards for three consecutive years (2014-2016) and Top 10 new Vancouver restaurants of 2014 by the Globe and Mail.
Tony had also launched his ever-popular Chef Tony Dim Sum Restaurant in the busy Metrotown Mall in Burnaby. In 2021, another Chef Tony Dim Sum Restaurant had its grand opening on Baldwin Avenue, in the upscale community of Arcadia. Chef Tony Dim Sum Pasadena is Tony’s new venture in Southern California. It is situated at the corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks in Historic Old Pasadena, originally built in 1929, featuring lavish art deco style.
The term “Dim Sum” literally means “touch your heart” in Chinese.
Tony says, “I wish to bring to America the art of making and savoring Chinese food.”
Here’s What I Tried:
Cocktails:
Plantation Breeze with Plantation Rum, fresh pineapple juice, topped with cranberry juice. A nice tropical drink with lovely color, this will blow your hair back.
Blue Goose, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice, lime, and Grey Goose Vodka. Fragrant fruit flavors drive this special cocktail all the way to my taste buds and inner senses. It’s a winner.
Starters:
HOUSE SPECIAL LOBSTER SALAD, what a beautiful presentation. There is lobster art on the side of the plate made out of hoisin sauce. This salad is otherworldly.
DEEP FRIED CRISPY KING PRAWN, beautiful huge prawns, just a perfect starter.
DEEP FRIED JAPANESE OCTOPUS, tender and crisp, another lovely starter.
CUCUMBER SALAD WITH GARLIC AND VINEGAR, this is a palate cleanser and gets you ready for the amazing Dim Sum.
Dim Sum Steamed:
SQUID INK SHRIMP DUMPLING WITH GOLD LEAF, so beautiful to look at and is just filled with luscious flavors.
SHRIMP AND PORK DUMPLING WITH BLACK TRUFFLE, I just loved the combination of pork and shrimp in this great dim sum.
SCALLOP AND SHRIMP DUMPLING WITH FISH ROE, I always love scallops any way I can get them. This is another beautifully presented dish.
Dim Sum – Baked and Fried:
DEEP FRIED TOFU WITH THAI SAUCE, this is very fluffy tofu dim sum and the sauce is just amazing.
DEEP FRIED SHRIMP SPRING ROLL, a very simple dish, hit the spot.
Meats:
ROAST DUCK AND MINCED DUCK LETTUCE WRAP (PREPARED TWO WAYS.) What a marvelous dish, so fragrant and fantastic. The sliced pieces are served on top of a great Chinese bun, like a pancake, and the chopped-up with dark meat is served with lettuce leaves, but with much more flavor to make a very fun wrap.
Noodles:
FRIED CRISPY NOODLE WITH ASSORTED SEAFOOD, with fish, scallops and shrimp. The noodles are crisp and there is a bit of light sauce, this is a dish I will crave.
Rice:
SOUPY RICE WITH SEAFOOD, it’s part soup, part rice, but very yummy.
Vegetable:
SAUTEED STRING BEAN WITH MINCED PORK, this is a very flavorful vegetable, I loved it.
Dessert:
Coconut Pudding, they are shaped like bunnies, and is so pleasing to the eye.
Steamed Sponge Cake, this is served in a Dim Sum steamer and it has great consistence, it dances all the way to the table.
The interior is very Art Deco, with a colored ceiling, and carved wood birds. You know it is upscale with the crisp, beautiful white tablecloths. The floors are black and white tile, with long wood banquets along one wall. They have lots of fresh orchids, but the focal point is their gorgeous large crystal chandeliers.
This is my new go to Dim Sum restaurant. They pay so much attention to detail, and it really is remarkable. Make Chef Tony’s Dim Sum your Sunday brunch destination location, it’s just that good!
Chef Tony Dim Sum
Hours Monday – Sunday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
2 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA. 91105
626-803-0028
- Note some content was taken off of their website.