Myers & Chang: Dim Sum

Seeking a nontraditional brunch? Want to skip the eggs and pancakes and try some more innovative cuisine? If so, I have a great suggestion for you: Sunday Dim Sum at Myers & Chang.

Their Dim Sum is a bit nontraditional, but basically consists of over 25 small plate options, costing $3-6 each. It runs every Sunday from 11:30am-4pm. Their brunch is still relatively new so is subject to some changes as they endeavor to improve it through their experiences, as well as to add new dishes.

I have had a few delicious lunches, a couple I previously reviewed, at Myers & Chang. So I was intrigued about their Dim Sum and finally stopped by on a recent Sunday to check it out. The small plate concept really appeals to me and I think it is a great way to survey a cross-section of a restaurant's cuisine. Myers & Chang has succeeded, creating a delicious and interesting Dim Sum Brunch and which I fully recommend.

The menu currently is divided into Dim Sum (10 choices for $5 each), Stuffed Bao (6 choices for $4 each), Fried Dumplings (3 choices for $6 each), Noodles (2 choices for $3 each), Rice (2 choices for $5 each), and Sides (4 choices for $6 each). There may be a couple specials as well. There is plenty of variety on the menu, and it includes smaller portions of some of their regular menu items.

We began our meal with a bowl of complimentary shrimp crisps, of which I have talked before. See my previous review for more information about these crisps and other of the dishes below which are smaller versions of items on the regular menu.

The Sweet Potato and Chinese Sausage Fritter ($5) is nicely crispy on the outside, with a soft, moist interior with a definite sweet potato flavor and spicy sausage. A nice combination of flavors and textures.

Mama Chang's Pork Dumplings (3 for $6) were similar to what I have eaten here before, except they were more fried. My prior dumplings were just pan fried on one side. So these had a crispier exterior, which tasted very good too. As I said before, these are excellet dumplings, filled with plenty of meat and veggies.

The Wok-Roasted Lemongrass Mussels ($5) are a smaller portion of a regular menu item. And they were as tasty for brunch as they were when I had them for lunch.

We had two different Stuffed Bao ($4 each), one with roasted duck and the other with soy braised chicken. The steamed bun which acts as the bread is soft and light, and contains plenty of flavorful and tender meat. I enjoyed both the duck and chicken, and want to try their braised short rib and Asian pear Bao.

The Tea-Smoked Pork Spare Ribs ($5) are also on the regular menu and this dish is only a tiny bit smaller than the regular dish. I love these incredibly tender ribs, which come off the bone very easily. Plenty of meat with a delicious glaze.

The Nasi Goreng ($5) is another small version of a regular menu item, and another good choice. (I ordered several dishes I have previously eaten because my dining companion, my mom, had never been to Myers & Chang. So I wanted her to experience some of the excellent dishes I knew she would love.)

Something new to me were the Shrimp and Corn Fritters (4 for $5) which come with a cilantro lime sauce and an aioli. These were absolutely heavenly! Light, fluffy and flavorful with real kernels of corn. The shrimp, corn and spice flavors melded well together and I didn't think they needed any sauce. I liked their clean flavor and felt they were fine on their own. I could have sat and easily eaten a dozen of these fritters.

Chef Matthew Barrows was working the brunch and spent a little time chatting with us, asking us whether we enjoyed the dishes. He was quite personable and his passion was evident. He asked whether we wanted to try a new dish he was working on and we eagerly assented. It was a Seared Scallop in Sweet Corn Sauce with Chili Sauce. Chef Barros prepared the dish while we watched and it was excellent. The good-sized scallop was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very tasty, a nice sweetness to it, and it went very well with the scallop. That corn sauce would work well with other dishes too. You may see this dish on their Dim Sum menu in the future.

Service was excellent, as usual. Overall, I was very pleased with their Dim Sum Brunch and I will certainly return. All of the dishes I had were delicious. Plus, overall it was a good value with plenty of food for a reasonable price. I am sure that it will also continue to get better over time, with new and innovative dishes to tantalize the palate. Maybe I will see you there some time.

Myers & Chang
1145 Washington St (South End)
Boston MA
Phone: 617-542-5200