In the Canton provinces, many people gather at tea houses during the morning and early afternoon to socialize or conduct business over small meals. In the United States, however, we are most familiar with the term dim sum to describe these small meals. There are also sweet pastries, vegetables, meats. The portions are bite-sized, and they are served in small quantities, usually three or four to a plate, so that the diners can enjoy a variety of foods, whether they eat very little or indulge in a huge feast.
Variety is one of the keys to dim sum.
Some restaurants offer over 100 different items on a busy day. The presentation of the dim sum meal has no equivalent in the West. Servers push carts, loaded with a variety of foods, through the dining room, past the customers, who keep an eye out for appealing dishes. Once a desired item is in sight, the diner flags down the cart and points out what she wants. The dining room bustles with the activity of carts wending among tables, calls for attention, and the clatter of plates.