Dim Sum House, Grand Opening, Philadelphia

Jane Guo and Jackson Fu announced the grand opening of Dim Sum House by Jane G’s at 1930 Chestnut Street February 20, 2020 opening at 11:30am. The mother-son duo, who also operate Dim Sum House in University City, will bring all-day, every-day dim sum in two styles to Center City and Rittenhouse Square. The expansive restaurant and bar will feature 4,000 square feet of space, with seating for 120 inside and 20 outside. From the kitchen, guests will enjoy a menu that focuses on two authentic styles of Chinese dim sum (Shanghai and Cantonese), plus fried rice, noodles, chef specialties and familiar Chinese favorites from the Jiang Nan region of China. Notable favorites include Dim Sum House’s celebrated Pork Soup Dumplings, Dan Dan Noodles, Roast Pork Bao, Peking Duck, Pork Belly & Mustard Greens, Hot and Sour Soup, and Norwegian Whole King Crab done three ways, which currently is around $450 market price for 8 lbs. (requires advance ordering). New to the menu, guests will find ample vegan, vegetarian, gluten free offerings, plus new dishes like Honey Vinegar Spare Ribs, Vegetable Soup Dumpling, Garlic Seaweed Salad, Stir Fry Brussels Sprouts and new Seitan offerings. At the bar, look for a full line of spirits, 8 wines by the glass, over 35+ wines by the bottle, 12 beers, and 8 cocktails (all inspired by awesome old school kung fu/martial arts movies). Grand opening festivities on Thursday, February 20 include free Scallion Pancakes from 12:00pm to 2:00pm and free Dan Dan Noodles from 5:00pm to 7:00pm - per table, when guests dine-in. For reservations, visit Open Table, call 215-563-8800 or visit dimsum.house.

“We are so proud to bring our celebrated Dim Sum House by Jane G’s to Rittenhouse Square,” said Fu. “After a fire that closed Jane G’s in early fall of 2019, we are excited to re-open the doors and bring our all-day dim sum in two ways to all new fans in Center City. We want to bring all of the favorite dishes we currently offer in University City, plus some new surprises - including a much expanded selection of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free dishes. We also want to pay homage to Jane G’s by offering some select favorites for our long-time loyal customers.”

Dim Sum House by Jane G’s is owned and operated by a family with long ties to the Philadelphia and regional culinary scene. Fu and Guo own and operate the original Dim Sum House that currently exists at 3939 Chestnut Street. Guo, with help from her son over the years, has owned and operated other restaurants in the region going back for decades. The two are joined in the family by another well-known member of the culinary community. Fu’s wife, and Guo’s daughter-in-law, Sally Song owns the award-winning Dim Sum Garden in Chinatown.

Opening services for Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse include lunch, dinner, and bar service. Opening hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 11:30am to 10:00pm, Fridays from 11:30am to 11:00pm, Saturdays from 11:00am to 11:00pm, and Sundays from 11:00am to 10:00pm. Lunch hours run 11:30am to 3:00pm weekdays, and 11:00am to 3:00pm on weekends. The kitchen closes at 9:45pm on weekdays and 10:45pm on weekends. Delivery service and catering currently exist in University City. They will launch in the new Rittenhouse location in March, 2020. Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse is fully handicap accessible.

Patrons can take advantage of meter parking on the street, or utilize a private lot nearby. Down the road, look for parking discounts and partnerships. Dim Sum House is located near several major SEPTA lines.

Connect on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with user name @DimSumHousePhilly.

FROM THE KITCHEN

Dim Sum literally means "touch the heart" in Chinese and is a dining tradition originating thousands of years ago in small tea houses lining heavily traveled roads. Focusing on small dishes meant for sharing, these small tea houses were meant to provide nourishment and sustenance for travel-weary guests, usually merchants and traders.

Dim Sum House’s menu will be a combination of Shanghai Style Dim Sum (soup dumplings) and Cantonese Style Dim Sum (a la carte style instead of the push carts). Shanghai Dim Sum items tend to be a little sweeter, whereas Cantonese is more seafood heavy and more light and delicate, natural taste of foods.

Among Shanghai cuisine, the most world renown dish is the Shanghai Pork Soup Dumpling. Thin, flour wraps of juicy pork broth served with sliced ginger vinaigrette, this delicacy is a crowd favorite in any country. Guests can enjoy different pork-filling based soup dumplings from original, crab & pork, extra spicy, and pan fried. Other favorites include the donut-like consistency of pumpkin tarts, curry chicken dumplings, and vegan friendly vegetable bao buns.

Cantonese Dim Sum is among the four pillars of Cantonese Cuisine. The mainstay tradition of tea houses serving small plates for sharing, carried thousands of years to present day where endless tea is served with a wonderful variation of sweet & savory small share plates. Ranging from delicate pastries, to light seafood dumplings to hearty, glutinous sticky rice, Cantonese dim sum is still enjoyed today by the millions.

On top of two styles of dim sum, look for entrees and favorites from the region of Jiang Nan (or South of the river), which is comprised of mainly Shanghai, Canton, & ZheJiang cuisines. The South-Eastern coast of China prides itself in heavy seafood oriented dishes with a focus on the natural taste of ingredients. A nice balance of vegetarian dishes, light pork dishes, and even subtly sweet seafoods, Jiang Nan Cuisine ranks among some of the top cuisines in the world.

New for Rittenhouse, patrons will find special sections with offerings that are gluten free, vegan and vegetarian. Ten new dishes are also added to the menu, including Vegan friendly Soup Dishes, Steamed Lobster with Canton Noodles, Honey Vinegar Spare Ribs, Garlic Seaweed Salad, Stir Fry Brussel Sprout and Stir Fry Cauliflower.

Full menus are found here:
http://bit.ly/dshmenu2020

The menus and culinary vision at Rittenhouse mirror the same as those in University City.

“Focusing on quality and freshness of ingredients, we aligned our Dim Sum concept with those found in most all of Asia and even the West Coast in the USA,” said Fu. “A La Carte style allows the kitchen to prepare fresh made to order dishes. Although it takes a little longer to arrive, but there’s no question in terms of the freshness and quality of food. Also, most Dim Sum restaurants with the push carts end their service by around 2:30pm to 3:00pm everyday. We wanted to offer Dim Sum around the clock.”

In terms of dishes Fu is especially proud to bring to Rittenhouse, he said, “Shanghai Soup Dumplings (made fresh to order, every order). Usually made with pork filling, the highlight of the dish is that you will find broth within the delicate dumplings. Very flavorful and a fun way to eat!”

Fu also spotlighted Shrimp Siu Mai, which are an open face dumpling packed with fresh shrimp wrapped in a egg mixed with flour dumpling skin, then topped with a single green pea for color.

“We make our Shrimp Siu Mai EXTRA LARGE reminiscent of the Dim Sum restaurants in Hong Kong,” added Fu.

Last, Fu wants Center City to fall in love with his Pork Belly with Mustard Green Make Your Own Sliders featuring very flavorful pickled mustard green served with the Chinese Bao which is made from flour, baking soda, & yeast. “The texture of the bao’s are very light and fluffy, almost like biting into a marshmallow.”

NEW ORDERING SYSTEM

Dim Sum House will test a brand-new ordering system at the dining room tables. With each seating, guests will be able to place their orders for dim sum favorites on a checklist they can hand off and update with their server as their experience progresses. This is especially useful for large groups. Look for this system to debut in University City later this winter.

BAR

Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse features a full service bar with wine, spirits, signature cocktails, and draft/bottled beers. The inspiration for the bar program came from Fu’s love for asian culture and the quality and interesting ingredients that Dim Sum House can use. “I pair a lot of classic design with asian flare and updated spirits, especially a lot of the craft distilleries.”

Fu added, “From the bar to the dining room, our goal for service will be a focus on being knowledgeable and precise when needed, knowing how to execute a full wine bottle service or a kung fu tea service -- and everything in between.”

Bar offerings will be broken down as follows:

* Wines by the Glass - 8 offerings priced $8.00 to $11.00 including white, red, sake and sparkling.

* Wines by the Bottle - 35+ offerings priced $35.00 to $190.00 including white, red, sake and sparkling.

* Draft beer - Five taps pouring for now, with room for expansion.

* Other beer selections - 8 selections, with notable beers, Tsingtao, Hitachino White, Sapporo.

For signature cocktails, look for a starting list of eight cocktails named from awesome old school kung fu/martial arts movies and of course, cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. ““There are a lot of odes to old school classic feel cocktails from the 20’s and 30’s and pre-prohibition,” added Fu.

For the full beer, wine and cocktail menu, visit:
http://bit.ly/dshmenu2020

VIBE AND LAYOUT

Dim Sum House features 4,000 square feet of space featuring Old Shanghai inspired rustic and old woodwork decor with a simple and modern flair. The goal was to create a comfortable yet beautiful environment that would compliment the food and the service experience. The restaurant can seat up to 140+ patrons, with room for additional seating to be added. The bar area seats 12 and the outdoor sidewalk cafe area seats 20.

“After the fire at Jane G's in the fall of 2019, we closed for a period of time and had to access and fix the damage,” said Fu. “We had been toying with the idea of bringing Dim Sum House to Rittenhouse Square based on demand. The time seemed right to make the switch. Jane G's was having a banner year last year - but out of the tragedy in the kitchen we found a new path. We will have a few Jane G's favorites on a special menu for those that loved some of the Jane's signature dishes.”

For renovations, Fu had already started the process earlier last year to open up the space, removing the big banquet walls, and adding more open seating. He said, “Our goal was a friendlier, lighter, more airy space. We wanted to meet demand for larger group parties - we were getting increases in demand from customers to host larger families, corporate events, big groups of friends, and students. We broke down the mezzanine and opened up the main dining floor adding capacity for three large groups to be seated at the same time. In University City, we can get a group of 10, 15, 20 and even 30 people walk in the door together, sometimes without reservation, and we anticipate that could be the case in Rittenhouse. As always, reservations are suggested though!”

Other renovations including new decor, paint, new lighting at the bar, adding more sinks in the bathrooms, and other decorative and cosmetic touches around the dining room.

Fu concluded, “We wanted to make the space more inviting, open and have a fine dining and clean look but with a more casual dining vibe than existed before. We want to be known as the spot to bring family and friends for memorable night out - and we want our atmosphere to be very approachable.

SPECIALS - HAPPY HOUR AND LUNCH

Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse will launch seven day a week happy hour later this winter. For lunch specials, guests can enjoy a $13 lunch featuring a choice of soup (Hot & Sour or Wonton) with a choice of one of 20 entrees, and a side of rice (White, Brown, and Fried).

SPECIAL EVENTS

Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse can host buy-outs and special events for over 140 guests. For inquiries, contact Jackson Fu (owner) at 484-300-1175 or contact@janegsrestaurant.com.

JOBS

Dim Sum House will create over a dozen full time and up to 15 part-time jobs during the opening phase. There is definite potential for expansion and increase in staff as word gets out and Dim Sum House enters its first spring in Rittenhouse.

DOWN THE ROAD

Look for Dim Sum House to launch official happy hour. In March, look for delivery on several platforms including Grub Hub and Caviar. Later in winter, look for the launch of semi-monthly events, such as nurse appreciation night, dim sum tastings paired with whiskey, wine or beer, industry night, and other special events.

Looking ahead, Fu also said, “We want to create a mold for Dim Sum House to replicate across different cities with the same focus on style, decor, service and quality of food.” Could a Dim Sum House be coming to a city near you? Stay tuned.” added Fu.

Also, Fu is preparing to launch an extensive and large new concept that will be announced in mid-spring or early summer. Fu said, “Stay tuned! We have exciting things ahead to share.” Fu is also exploring partnerships and new opportunities in several neighborhoods around Philadelphia. Fu is also to future pop-up opportunities similar to Lil Sum Sum at the Piazza Pod Park in 2019.