Dim sum is one of my favorite foods. I grew up spending weekend mornings with my family at noisy, crowded restaurants where middle-aged ladies pushed steaming carts piled high with baskets through impossibly narrow spaces between huge round tables, pausing to lift lids and offer us piping hot har gao, siu mai, pork buns, and all manner of more obscure dishes. It’s a core memory—a fragrant one.
Photograph by Anne Godenham
When my husband and I first moved to Bellingham, we’d cross the border into Richmond as often as possible to get our dim sum fix. The pandemic and a move to Mount Vernon ended that habit, and for years we tasted our favorite steamed dumplings only in our memories (and on rare trips south to Everett or Seattle).
So you can probably imagine how thrilled I was when Surachai (Alex) Teachaakarakasem and Thanisara Tantraporn, the married duo behind Bellingham’s beloved Wanida Thai restaurants, announced in March that they’d be opening a new fusion restaurant—including dim sum offerings. I don’t think I’ve ever texted my husband faster.
Photograph by Anne Godenham
SOHO Bellingham Asian Kitchen & Bar opened in April, and by May 1 my husband and I were seated at a windowside table in the colorful, charming space, the table heaving with dim sum and other delicious dishes.
My first priority was trying the Shrimp Har Gow, a steamed shrimp dumpling that’s my barometer for dim sum as a whole. While I’ve never had har gow in this shape (or with gold leaf on top), the fresh flavor and tender, perfectly-steamed shrimp was enough to make my eyes roll back with pleasure. The SOHO Shu Mai was more in line with what I’ve had before, and was equally delicious. We ordered the Crab Shu Mai too, which was topped with fresh crab and lent a lovely PNW touch to the flavorful dumplings.
Photograph by Anne Godenham
We didn’t limit ourselves to just dim sum, though—we also loved the Cold Cucumber Salad, with its refreshing crunch and delicate balance of sesame oil and chili, and the Cold Cantonese Drunken Chicken, which was tender and light. The Peking Duck Bun had everything: flavorful duck with crispy skin inside a fluffy steamed bao, with shredded scallion, cucumber, and carrots to add freshness and a thick, sweet sauce to complement the rich meat. And for dessert? Rich, gooey steamed Egg Yolk Bao, which wasn’t the lightest choice but was deliciously indulgent.
Photograph by Anne Godenham
SOHO is a fusion restaurant, with Japanese, Korean, and (of course) Thai dishes in addition to the Chinese dumplings and mains, so next time I’ll definitely be branching out to other cuisines. But I’ll still need at least one order of har gow, all for me!
202 E. Holly St., Ste. 101, Bellingham, 360.746.7942, sohobellingham.com
