“I tried 12 dumplings at Chung Ying in Chinatown to see if they really are Britain's best”

Birmingham Mail visited to see if Chung Ying has the best dim sum by trying our recently awarded best dumplings in the UK.

Article and pictures below by Kirsty Bosley

The last time I had to fill out a form by marking boxes with black crosses, I was trying to get my driving licence. Here in Chinatown, I was not tussling with a tricksy DVLA application, but instead an A4 print-out showing 71 dim sum options. This was tougher. Last week, we brought you the news that Chung Ying Cantonese, the oldest of its kind in Brum's beautiful Chinese Quarter, had been celebrated at the Golden Chopsticks Awards, earning the Best Dumplings title. It gave me fresh cause to visit, so I showed up on a busy Friday lunchtime to get my mouth around those gong-winning morsels.

The regular menu was handed over, with the paper print-out placed on top, showcasing the huge selection of dumplings. It was presented as much of a statement as anything else. "Look at all these dumplings!" it said, and I didn't bother touching the standard menu at all.

Read more: The very best dumplings in Britain are served in Birmingham's Chinatown

The dim sum menu was split into three key sections, steamed, fried and vegan. There were 11 plant-based options, which I was thrilled about, so I skipped over the cuttlefish, century egg and pork, prawns, scallops, duck, beef and ox tripe and started marking my boxes with a pencil.

Service was swift but not rushed, and I asked what was in each vegan dumpling. "Vegetables, all of them vegetables," the waiter advised. I pushed for a bit more but, getting no further detail, decided to just take the chance, unwrapping each dumpling like a surprise once they got to the table. I ticked boxes for vegan Shanghai dumplings (£5.50), steamed monk's dumplings (£5) and spicy vegan dumplings (also £5).

The dining room itself feels a little dated, but in a warm, comforting way. Chung Ying has been here since 1981, with couple Siu Chung and Yuk Ying Wong passing it down to their sons, who still run it today. Any major updates would spoil it. It retains its heart, seemingly focusing its efforts on making excellent eats rather than creating elegant nooks and elevated, sophisticated private dining rooms.

The dining room was pretty chocka, considering it wasn't long after 12pm. There were work colleagues catching a lunchbreak, young families and solo diners like me. There were a mix of Brummies of different backgrounds in, the restaurant noise a quiet chorus of different languages and laughter. The dining room was pretty chocka, considering it wasn't long after 12pm. There were work colleagues catching a lunchbreak, young families and solo diners like me. There were a mix of Brummies of different backgrounds in, the restaurant noise a quiet chorus of different languages and laughter.

Just as I began wondering how different each of my vegan dumplings was going to be, they were placed before me. A bowl containing gyoza-style dumplings in a vibrant chilli oil and sprinkled with spring onions told me these were the spicy vegan dumplings, a staff member splitting my double-decker bamboo bowl to show steamed monk's dumplings on top and the vegan Shanghai option below.

They all looked very different, a dozen dumplings in total. I went in, chopsticks clicking in anticipation. The spicy dumplings were absolutely wonderful, filled with finely-sliced greens that offered a brassica flavour that was cut by the chilli, tangy and hot enough to make your nose run but calm enough to lure you into smashing another, no problem. I snatched up three in quick succession. A perfect dumpling, by my standard, the casing firm but not dry, chunky enough to hold itself together but not so thick that it sticks to your teeth. Joyful.

Once I'd polished those off, I dunked what was left of my boingy monk's dumplings into the chilli oil left over from my first round. It was still stunning, fresh and moreish. It didn't leave an oil slick over my palate. I thought about dunking my fingers in but didn't want to embarrass myself.

Looking around, almost every other table was topped with the bamboo boxes, indicating that they were having dumplings too. When my bill came, I noticed there was 20% off because I'd visited between 12 and five. Brill.

They might have won over the Golden Chopsticks Awards with their dumplings, but Chung Ying had just scooped the Kirsty Bosley Award for Most Delectable Dim Sums too.

Article available here: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/tried-12-dumplings-chung-ying-25162295