Mouthful - Have some dim sum

I dig me some dim sum. It’s not just that the concept of roving carts stacked high with steel baskets full of mysterious, bite-size goodies is so intriguingly foreign to our food culture. It’s the ritual around it. As my obsession has grown, I’ve begun to learn the ropes from the dim sum pros: Never dump soy sauce on your plate, only chili sauce; tap the table with two fingers to say thank you when someone is pouring you tea; invert the teapot lid when you want more tea.

But I’m not gonna candy-coat the situation, y’all: Atlanta is not a stellar dim sum town. Anyone who’s ever been to dumpling nirvana in New York or San Francisco’s Chinatowns can attest to that. Still, there are four places along or just off of Buford Highway that successfully satiate my dim sum craving.?

Many of these places serve dim sum all week long, but the best selection is always on Saturday and Sunday when the crowds come out. Arrive between 10 a.m. and noon for the freshest, hottest selections.?

Canton House
Favorites rotate as chefs and owners of restaurants change, but Canton House is currently on the top of my list ... and just about everyone else’s in Atlanta. The room is not nearly as big as the others mentioned here, and the waits are longer during prime time, but it’s all worth it. The steam rolls out of the baskets and the dumplings are blazing hot. Aside from doing the classics — steamed buns, turnip cakes, rice noodles — justice, someone in the kitchen has an inventive imagination. I’ve seen cinnamon rolls Asian-style and bacon-wrapped shrimp roll through the dining room as well. Kudos to Canton House.?
? ? 4825 Buford Highway, Chamblee. 770-936-9030.?

Happy Valley
Dim sum aficionados who are long-term residents of Atlanta have deep loyalty to Happy Valley. It looks like a Chinese restaurant in a Charlie Chan film, and it’s a bustling mob scene on the weekends. I’m partial to the siu mai — the circular dumplings with the wrinkly tops — as well as the shark’s fin dumplings.?
? ? 4166 Buford Highway, 404-633-9383.?

Oriental Pearl
The parking lot here is a madhouse: Be prepared to jostle for a space. There’s a cool multinational crowd of diners here, and the servers are typically speedy and friendly. Har gau — the translucent dumplings — are thin and delicious, particularly the herbed shrimp and scallop variations. Sweet dim sum can be a mixed bag. Kids will get a kick out of the large aquarium full of strange, graceful creatures.?
? ? 5399 New Peachtree Road, Chamblee. 770-986-9866.?

Royal China
This is an ideal place to bring dim sum neophytes. You may wait a few minutes for a table, but the overall vibe here, with its deep red carpet and smoking and non-smoking rooms, is relaxed and cheerful. This has long been my favorite spot for the lotus leaf-wrapped sticky rice mixed with random, esoteric pieces of meat. I also like the fish cakes cooked in a whole lot of oil in front of your eyes on a mobile frying cart. Don’t think — enjoy.?
? ? 3295 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee. 770-216-9933.

Did I overlook your fave dim sum spot? Let me know at bill.addison@creativeloafing.com.