"Dim Sum of the Month Club" at New Capital Seafood

Next up for the "Dim Sum of the Month Club" was New Capital Seafood in Rowland Heights! Awhile back, I read about this tasty dim sum restaurant from Elmomonster's Blog, Monster Munching and ever since then, I really wanted to check it out and I finally got my chance.

To start, New Capital is extremely busy, but even though there were people packed like sardines both in front of the restaurant and inside the waiting room, our group of 10 didn't have to wait too long before we got seated. Once we got to our table, the onslaught started. Those carts came from everywhere, from the left, from the right, etc. I wouldn't have been surprised if they even floated from the ceiling. Of course, at the first sight of steaming dishes, we pounced.

Considering that all the dim sum dishes were under $2, it was easy to get carried away. When the dust settled, we had ordered 19 savory dishes and 5 desserts, with multiple orders of most of them, adding up to over 50 dishes. Even with tax and tip, our group of ten each paid only $13. Yes, $13! I had to re-calculate just to make sure that I didn't make a mistake. You may think that with such a value, the food may not have been as up to par, but in this case, you'd be mistaken.

While I liked some items better than others, for the most part, everything that was served to us was pretty good. Some of my favorites included the Chiu Chow Dumplings, which had a nice crunchy vegetable filling and the breaded shrimp paste with sugar cane inserts with its light crispy texture on the outside. Other items I'd want to order again were the mini burgers which had a pork patty topped with crisp cabbage, the steamed fish paste that was stuffed partially into what I think was bitter melon and also the leek/chive dumplings.

As for what was more forgettable, I'd say that both the BBQ and steamed pork buns were nothing that special. Generally, I'd rather skip them myself and go for more of the unique items, but I can also understand why like a pair of comfortable shoes, people may want to have dishes that are familiar before diving into foods that are more unrecognizable to the eyes and the palate.

Overall, New Capital Seafood became one of my favorite Dim Sum places that morning. When you consider price, value and quality, you really do get a bang for your buck. Also, the sheer variety of dishes was amazing. Even as we were standing up and walking away from the table, I saw foods coming out of the kitchen that weren't present earlier. I was almost tempted to sit back down for more dim sum, but reason prevailed. For those of you on the Westside, Rowland Heights may be quite a trip to make, but if you're in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by. You may find that New Capital Seafood may actually be worth the drive anyway.

To see pics, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157603344694750/

New Capital Seafood
1330 Fullerton Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
(626) 581-9813