Philadelphia, PA—Jane Guo and Jackson Fu's Dim Sum House by Jane G's is at 3939 Chestnut Street in University City. This expansive and stylish Old Shanghai-inspired restaurant, bar, and lounge features 6,000 square feet and will seat over 225 people in five unique dining spaces.
Focuses on two authentic styles of Chinese dim sum (Shanghai and Cantonese), plus fried rice, noodles, chef specialties, and familiar Chinese favorites. Look for a full line of spirits, 19 beers, ten signature cocktails, and wine by the glass and bottle at the bar. The restaurant is on the second floor, with the entrance between 39th and 40th streets on Chestnut.
Dim Sum House is owned by a family familiar with the region's culinary scene. President Jane Guo owns Jane G's two-bell reviewed restaurant at 1930 Chestnut St. Partner/General Manager Jackson Fu has been involved with Jane G's and his family's restaurants for decades. His wife owns Dim Sum Garden in Chinatown.
"Dim Sum House will focus on Shanghai and Cantonese dim sum every day, all day (even late at night)," said Fu. "We aim to impress guests with our menu, size, and design. We want to provide an A+ experience without the stuffiness of a super high-end restaurant. We also want to surprise guests with fair prices. Our focus will be to push for sharing, affordability, and quality."
Opening services include lunch, dinner, late-night, and bar service. Opening hours are Monday through Friday, from 11:30 am to 2:00 am, and Saturdays and Sundays, from 11:00 am to 2:00 am. Full kitchen service stops at 10:00 pm Sundays through Thursdays and 11:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. A starter late-night menu is available from 10:00 pm to 2:00 am nightly, with a full late-night menu to launch later in winter. Delivery service and catering will also launch starting in February. Dim Sum House is entirely handicap accessible.
Patrons can use meter parking on the street or a private lot in the University City District area. Down the road, look for parking discounts and partnerships. Dim Sum House is near several major SEPTA - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority lines. The restaurant is within striking distance of 30th Street Station, the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, International House, and many other major institutions in University City.
MENU: Dim Sum House's menu will combine Shanghai Style Dim Sum (soup dumplings) and Cantonese Style Dim Sum (a la carte style instead of the push carts). Shanghai Dim Sum items tend to be a little sweeter, whereas Cantonese is more seafood-heavy and light and delicate, with natural-tasting foods.
"Focusing on the quality and freshness of ingredients, we aligned our Dim Sum concept with those found in almost all of Asia and even the West Coast in the USA," said Fu. "A La Carte style allows the kitchen to prepare fresh, made-to-order dishes. Although it takes a little longer to arrive, there's no question regarding the freshness and quality of food. Also, most Dim Sum restaurants wite push carts end their service by around 2:30–3 pevery dayay. We wanted to offer Dim Sum around the clock."
In terms of dishes Fu wants to be known for, he said, "Shanghai Soup Dumplings (made fresh to order, every order). Usually made with pork filling, the dish's highlight is that you will find broth within the delicate dumplings. Very flavorful and a fun way to eat!" Fu also spotlighted Shrimp Siu Mai, an obeisance open-face packed with fresh shrimp wrapped in an egg mixean with flour dumpling skin, then topped with a single green pea for color. "We make our Shrimp Siu Mai EXTRA LARGE, reminiscent of the Dim Sum restaurants in Hong Kong." Last, Fu wants Philadelphia to love his Pork Belly with Mustard Green Make Your Sliders, featuring flavorful pickled mustard green served with the Chinese Bao, made from flour, baking soda, & yeast. "The texture of the bao's are very light and fluffy, almost like biting into a marshmallow."
Not one but three chefs execute the menu. Each was brought in to showcase their style of cooking expertise. Chef Chen will focus on Shanghai Style Dim Sum, Chef Ricky Lee will focus on Cantonese Style Dim Sum, and Chef Weng Qingheng will oversee the noodles, fried rice, signature dishes, and familiar favorites.
BAR: Dim Sum House's full-servfull-serviceures featuringirits, signature cocktails, and draft/bottled beers. The inspiration for the bar program came from Fu's love for Asian culture and the quality and exciting ingredients that Dim Sum House can use. "I pair many classic designs with Asian flare and updated spirits, especially many craft distilleries."
For signature cocktails, look for a starting list of ten cocktails named from incredible old-school kung fu/martial arts movies and, of course, cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. "There are a lot of odes to old school classic feel cocktails from the '20s and '30s and pre-prohibition," added Fu.
In addition to capitalizing on Fu's 14 years of experience in the bar and restaurant industry, Dim Sum House will tap the talents of Beverage Manager Nickolas Brozek. Notable local spirits partners include Stateside, Faber Evil Genius, and Bluecoat.
For the full beer, wine and cocktail menu, visit:
http://bit.ly/dimsumhouseimages
"From the bar to the dining room, our service goal will be to focus on being knowledgeable and precise when needed, knowing how to execute a full wine bottle service or a kung fu tea service -- and everything in between."
DECOR: Dim Sum House has 6,000 square feet of space and rustic, old-woodwork decor inspired by Old Shanghai with a modern flair. The goal was to create a classy, clean, comfortable, yet beautiful environment that would complement the food and service experience.
Antiques, oil paintings, wood features, and decorations were hand-selected by the family and interior designers (DAS Architects) and came from China. The decor highlights include the sliding barn-style wooden doors custom-made for the private dining room and the Italian waves on the bar tiles.
LAYOUT: Dim Sum House can seat up to 225+ patrons, with room for additional seating to be added. The breakdown by room is as follows:
* Bar - 16 seats
* Bar Lounge and Pool Table - 84
* Main Dining Room - 80
* Private Party Space - 25
* Private Party Banquets - 24
* Chef's Table - Up to 20
In the bar, lounge, and main dining room, look for comfortable and spacious banquets that can seat up to 10 people. The bar and lounge also feature an old-style pool table and televisions for game-day viewing. In the kitchen, look for a full dim sum department, along with a smokehouse, double convection oven for pastries, and three hood locations.
Reservations are available on OpenTable or by calling (215) 921-5377. Connect on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook with the user name @DimSumPhilly. The website will launch in February at www.dimsum.house.
