(sun-ya.cwok.com) – International District

How I heard of this place:  My friend Julie first introduced me to Sun-Ya, when she recommended it as a great dim sum eatery to gather friends on a Saturday morning.

Type of cuisine: Chinese fare including dim sum until three o’clock every day! Soups, seafood galore, beef, poultry and pork dishes available, as as are tofu and vegetable meals in hot pots, with noodles and rice.

Ambiance: Busy and full, the small parking lot, complete with attendant, has very little by way of supporting the number of people who can be accommodated inside the establishment. A small lobby area welcomes you before you turn the corner and see the huge expanse of restaurant ahead. Booth and table seating are available, each for large parties, as it seems the experience of dining at Sun-Ya is intended for families and groups of friends! Waitstaff pushing carts piled with little bundles of taste, others with carafs of water and tea, others yet with stacks of freshly washed and sanitized dishes make their way through the space between tables and chairs to bring you more and more of what you like, what you haven’t tried and what you may wish to leave behind.

What I ordered: At our table of nine we had many preferences, a couple of bold adventurers and a few timid dim sum-ers. Julie helped with the ordering and we ended up with a feast unlike any other! This feat included asparagus, Chinese broccoli, soy sauce chow mein ($3.50), stuffed eggplant ($2.65) – ordered on a whim, an impulse buy that will be had again, beef rice roll ($2.65), beef ball ($2.35), crispy shrimp ball ($2.35), steamed pork dumplings ($1.95) and baked BBQ pork buns ($1.95), banana leaf wrapped rice with beef and sausage ($2.65). For dessert, we had one order of the sweet jelly ($1.95) and one of the sweet bean dumpling ($1.95). There was definitely more at the table, but this is what I can remember based on the menu available online.  

What I loved: Among my favorites were the asparagus, Chinese broccoli and soy sauce chow mein. I loved the stuffed eggplant and crispy shrimp ball most of all of the dim sum we sampled. In reality, one must go and pick and choose what looks good off of the endless supply on carts wheeling by!

Why I loved it: More food than you can imagine, small packages so you can sample many, large tables so that all of your friends can dine together and an atmosphere conducive to enjoying a three-hour meal!

Cost: Low ($9 per person, including a 20% tip, for a unbutton-your-pants meal)