Renton is the town in Washington that you've never heard about with the best dim sum in the world
if you ever stop by one of Seattle's sister city, you might just find the very best dim sum
ANNOUNCEMENT!
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dear friend,
After decades of enjoying dim sum around the world — from New York and Toronto to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Vancouver, and California — I can honestly say the best dim sum I’ve ever had is right here in my hometown of Renton.
It comes from a spot that, if I recall correctly, used to be an American restaurant with a bar. Today, it’s been transformed into a true hidden gem: Triumph Valley.
Now, it’s not exactly hidden per se because if you try to grab a table on a weekend, you’ll likely be waiting alongside dozens of others (locals!) for at least an hour. I advise you to take your lunch break there, during a weekday, or even take a day off to enjoy a fun foodie adventure in Renton, home of Washington’s only IKEA and a Boeing factory.
Now, I’m super picky when it comes to dim sum. My siu mai? It must have shrimp — no exceptions. The dim sum chefs? They better not be shy with the MSG. And har gao, those delicate crystal shrimp dumplings, should be plump and juicy, with whole pieces of shrimp along with minced up shrimp.
For the rice and noodle dishes, I must taste wok hei, or the breath or smoky taste of the wok.
Triumph Valley hits all those marks and more. These days, I visit weekly with my mother to bond with her over our favorite cuisine. Triumph Valley is constantly innovating. A few weeks ago, they launched a delicious truffle siu mai, and for those who are willing to splurge and spend $9.99 on a plate of dumplings, they’re worth the upcharge. The siu mai are juicy and pleasantly earthy with just enough truffle flavor to whet your palate and not annoy it. Sometimes, truffle flavor can overpower and make a dish taste too Western. Not here.
Today, we discovered spinach scallop-and-shrimp dumplings, which were heavenly. They looked beautiful, like jade decorations. The chef topped the dumplings with tobiko (flying fish roe), which I initially thought were specks of salted duck egg yolk. I almost didn’t want to eat these dumplings, and my mouth is watering now, thinking of those sumptuous bites.
I always order the $6.99 plate of fried shrimp egg rolls. There’s so much shrimp inside, and each roll is crunchy, thick, and delicious, paired with the mayo/margarine sauce the dish comes with. I always mix chili crunch into the sauce.
You won't be disappointed if har gao is your go-to dim sum dish. Each one is plump, big, juicy, and the shrimp always has a good bite and tastes fresh. I think that’s the beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest. Shrimp here is sweet and never disappoints. The shrimp dumplings at Triumph Valley may be the biggest ones I’ve ever enjoyed in any dim sum restaurant.
Triumph Valley’s menu is extensive. For dinner, there’s hot pot, which I’ve never tried. I always default to ordering their clay pot dishes, seafood dishes, and beef chow fun. Their Cantonese food, the cuisine I grew up loving and learning to perfect, is top-notch.
But back to dim sum. You don’t have to order only steamed dishes. Try their desserts and pastries. Look at these beautiful pineapple buns filled with char siu or Chinese roast pork!
The next time you visit Seattle, check out one of its sister cities in the Eastside, Renton. You can stop by the IKEA, check out the Boeing planes at the Landing and Gene Coulon Park, then have dim sum or dinner at Triumph Valley. It may be the best dim sum you’ve ever tasted — in the last place you’d expect.
xoxoxo, Kat Lieu
“One day, I will be the Asian Julia Child…”- Kat Lieu <3 And you are paving the path for me to achieve this dream, dear friend <3
