Hi guys! I have had a terrible end to March and start of April. So much of it not eating much, mostly spent lying in bed or the Sofa, plain old feeling sorry for myself. Well, I am almost out of that now. To be frank, Crohn's is a b**** and it can take you down any day of the week for any number of reasons. For me, it came in the form of full on Nausea, followed by a bout of Shingles and now I'm pretty sure I'm getting a cold. Ah well, I must soldier on and in between all of this health madness I have found some respite in food and creating some new masterpieces, which now I am feeling well enough to type, I shall be sharing with you all.
The only part of these lost weeks that truly gets to me, is that I missed Easter. I missed the joys of Easter Sunday lunch in which I was going to host my whole family and create a Gluten Free Vegan masterpiece. I missed the reduced leftover Vegan Easter Eggs and worst of all I missed the ASDA Hot Cross Buns. Gutted.
Moving on, for this blog, I want to rewrite one of the first reviews I published. I went there again recently and oh my has it improved! I loved them before but now, I can't get enough of them. The restaurant I am talking about of course is (clue in the name) Dim T. A restaurant specialising in Dim Sum and authentic asian oriental food. Their dishes are beautifully presented, wonderfully freshly created and have the brilliant ability to be easily modified.
Without a further ado, I mean it has been almost a month of waiting, here is my comeback review... Dim T 2.0
Staff:
Now I don't like to start on a negative, so I won't. I'll do what people like to call a bad sandwich. (I know it's not called that...)
The Staff are always wonderfully welcoming and 9/10 times we get to choose where we sit. They are always happy to handover their allergen folder and menu, explaining how to use it and what to say to the waiter.
One of the issues I have with this restaurant is that it is almost impossible to have a meal without a hitch. Every time I have been the waiter either forgets a part of our order, food comes out cold or in minimal portions or we spend nearly half an hour trying to get the cheque.
Having said that they always come through in the end. One time they even got a massive load of chocolate sauce for my friend Ingrid to take away with her because she loved it so much.
7/10
Food:
The one thing that keeps me going to Dim T time and time again is the food. Every time I think of going, honestly I do have to think if I have the patience because of something always happening but the food convinces me. Even their drinks are some of the most exciting and delicious non-alcoholic drinks available in Restaurants.
Something I always have, without even a moments hesitation is, you guessed it. Edamame Beans with Salt. I am completely addicted, I can't go a week without having some. The ones from Dim T are 100% some of the best around, if not the best. The amount of rock salt sprinkled over and the consistency of the steamed to perfection beans are brilliant. It is such a simple starter but I can't imagine not having it. They are so tasty and Dim T get them cooked perfectly every single time.
The main meal is normally pretty much the same thing I order each time. This isn't something I am fussed about. It is so fresh, healthy and delicious that I don't see any need to worry about eating the same thing over and over again. What I enjoy the most is the Superfood Teriyaki Stir Fry, it consists of Butternut Squash, Broccoli, Carrot, Chinese Leaf, Sugar Snaps, Pak Choi, Courgettes and Spinach. It is intended as the "no-carb option" but I always ask for it with either Rice or Rice Noodles. The Vegetables are absolute stars of the show. Each one is shouting it's own flavour and again cooked perfectly.
Previously I used to enjoy it just on it's own as the sauce was not Gluten Free. However, now they have made some changes and I am able to enjoy it with a Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce which adds a complimentary kick of fruity and sweet flavour. It was absolutely delicious and I was beaming from ear to ear when I learnt they had made that change.
Some of the time, due to the basic need for some sort of naughtiness in a meal out. I go for the Sorbet to finish, if I have enough room left in my stomach. After all, I have just eaten a ton of vegetables so I often feel too good! The Raspberry Sorbet is brilliantly sweet and tart at the same time. A great palette cleanser at the end of the meal.
For those wondering about the tasty drinks I was referring to, I adore the Lemonades or Iced Teas they have to offer. I have tried pretty much every one of them but my favourite has to be the Passion Fruit Lemonade. It is a tangy, sweet and sugary taste sensation, a perfect accompaniment to a meal of pure healthiness!
If you're looking for trying something different though, I would recommend trying either the Lychee Lemonade or Iced Tea. You won't find that anywhere else and it is a great flavour.
10/10
Allergies/Intolerances:
Dim T have one of my favourite layouts for their Allergen Menu. Strange thing to get excited about, I know. It is just laid out so easily and is quick to read. They list each meal and underneath the header, it lists in turn each ingredient and what allergens each ingredient contains. Easy to see what you can take out to make it work or what is too big of a part of the dish.
On their new menu, I have to commend them on their new found even more inclusive behaviour. The menu has Vegan (V+), Vegetarian (V) and Gluten Free (Wheat symbol crossed out) clearly marked by each relevant meal. They also indicate which meals have a Gluten Free option (gfo) so you can clearly see what you could ask for instead.
For me, there are now two main meals that I can ask for. One being the super-duper Superfood Teriyaki Stir Fry and the other would be the Japanese Fried Rice (asking for it without the egg). I can determine that with a quick glance at the main menu and just for paranoia sake, I check the Allergen Menu as well.
10/10
For an Asian Restaurant, the options are somewhat still limited if you're comparing to somewhere like Pho. However, in comparison to Wagamamas who recently made it harder for Gluten Free and Vegan, they are doing pretty well. I would say that Dim T are actually way more fresh and tasty than Wagamamas. I guess that is just what happens when you go too mainstream Wagas!
Having said that I wish there was a Dim T in Reading, the closest one to me is Winchester and in total they only have 6. I really hope they stay open because every time I go they aren't very busy. Such a shame because if people tried it, they'd know it's better than the competition and on the same price level if not cheaper. Maybe, it's the service putting them off, something they definitely need to work on.
Everyone in the Whitely or Winchester area, go! They also have 4 dotted around London. Try it out and you'll thank me for it later!