South China Dim Sum Bar. Long Street.

Vintage Bruce Lee movie poster at South China Dim Sum Bar.

The food at the South China Dim Sum Bar is inspired by South East Asian street-food.

Wontons, pot stickers, noodle dishes, steamed buns, and a small dish of braised beef short rib graced a small but perfectly formed menu that I tried out.

Wooden boxes and rough hewn tables.

Owners Edmund Hung and Clinton Ho-Wing are Chinese South African’s who hail from Johannesburg.

They met at a casting session for a TV ad in Cape Town and got talking about food. Edmund, an accountant, and Clinton, an IT specialist, both felt a need to follow a more creative calling.

Vegetarian pot stickers. You can also choose beef.

Edmund had spent six years in  Toronto, working in  the food business in that cities Chinatown.

Based on all their experience they felt that there was an opening in Cape Town for a South East Asian street food done simply, using fresh in ingredients and cooked freshly.

Vietnamese spring roll.

And this is what they most certainly deliver – fresh zingy, clean flavours hit the spot. There’s no liquor licence, but there’s no corkage charge, so you have to bring your own beer or wine. They do serve a selection of soft drinks and home made lemonade. The noodles are home made too, and use free range eggs in the ingredients.

Braised beef short rib with rice.

The interior is about as pared back Asian minimalism as you can find.

The parquet wooden floor is there from a previous tenant, but the furniture is bare unpainted steel bar fabrication, covered with recycled wood from packing cases. You sit on old wooden bottle crates. The walls are rough plaster, adorned with vintage Bruce Lee movie posters. I felt I was dining in a back street in Hong Kong or Saigon.

Pared back Asian minimalism.

It’s about the food – but the interior really works.

This place is a gem, and is worth a visit. I look forward to seeing their menu expand to include a wider range of dishes.

Dishes R12 – R 52.

Ed Hung and Clinton Ho-Wing of South China Dim Sum Bar.

South China Dim Sum Bar

289 Long Street (Top of Long Street, opp the Lutheran Church, same side as the baths).

Dinner Tue-Sun 6pm ’till late.

Lunch 12 – 3pm. Wed – Fri.

Hope St. Market on Saturdays during the day.