During my latest restaurant outing, my friend said, “My anaconda don’t want none unless you got dim sum.” She was right. I had never had proper dim sum until I went to Oriental East in Silver Spring, Md.
The impressive spot is in a shopping plaza, but it’s far from tiny. With high ceilings and an estimated seating capacity of over 100, lines are a big part of the Oriental East experience. The Sunday I went, the line wrapped around the corner and down the street.
We took a number and waited for the decider of our starving fates to call our number. Don’t let all of this waiting discourage you, though. Once seated, carts and carts of delicious, authentic dim sum fly by.
Sesame balls with bean paste, pork buns, fried crab balls, Chinese broccoli, pork fried rice, shrimp noodle crepes and dumplings were more than a few of the incredibly tasty dishes shared within my group. The shrimp noodle crepes, dumplings and a sweet roll stuffed with pineapple custard are surefire hits.
Even though my friends and I dined like pigs, the total was surprisingly low for a 12-dish meal. There were still dishes we wanted to try, though, and the availability of a doggy bag helped me hold onto the last bits of dim sum for as long as possible.
Given the droves of diners, the service was fast, friendly and frequent. My friends and I were in the far corner on the farthest side the restaurant, but we still had carts of food come on a steady basis.
Take your friends, take your family and get to Oriental East early to savor the carts and carts of happiness.
Where: Oriental East, 1312 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD
When: best Saturdays or Sundays, dim sum daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Metro stop: Silver Spring, Red Line
jsmith@theeagleonline.com
