I suppose I should start off by saying that dumplings are my favorite food. I can never get enough of them. Since going to college, I've been craving dim sum pretty much every day. Unfortunately, Colorado Springs does not have the best selection of dim sum restaurants, especially given its size. But fear not! I have found a place to fulfill all your dim sum needs.
Yellow Mountain Tea House is located in Old Colorado City, a cute neighborhood with some gooood restaurants. From the outside, you might not think that this place is the best thing to happen to you all year, but I'm telling you, it is.
Tea
This place is firstly a tea house. The walls are lined with hundreds of teas. You can find your everyday staples, or something exotic that you've never heard of. I loved the wall that had teas labeled by feelings: teas to drink when you're happy, sad, anxious, depressed or sick.
Once you've selected your tea, someone that works in the shop will come over to your table to prepare the tea authentically. I recommend sitting in the front where you can sit barefoot and cross-legged at the tables. Now, I can't quite explain what went down in this tea making process. All I know is that there were a lot of bowls, a lot of utensils, and it looked really cool.
#SpoonTip: get the sweetening leaves mixed into your tea—they're super yummy!
Dim Sum
Now for the part that we've all been waiting for: hot, steaming dim sum. The menu is small but plentiful. Between myself and two others, we ordered xiao long bao (pork soup dumplings), chicken dumplings, beef buns, and a spring roll filled with peppers and ribs. Is your mouth watering yet?
My favorite was the xiao long bao. Wow. The owner brought them out steaming in small cups. Using our chopsticks, we were supposed to mash up the bao to let the soup run out. Then we slurped down the soup that was salty with tender pork. Using either the spicy or mild sauce on the table, we drowned the beautiful soft bao in sauce to finish it off.
The others were nothing less than delicious. The beef buns were soft on the top with crispy dough on the bottom. The beef was mixed with some delicious spices, as were the chicken dumplings. The summer roll was different-- not what I would usually order when having dim sum, but still extraordinary.
If you're looking for outstanding dim sum, an authentic tea experience, and all around great experience, look no further. Yellow Mountain Tea House has all you need and more. Come here for a fun weekend lunch or with a couple of friends. You won't be disappointed.