Fried rice is so suburban...

King's Land Dim Sum from Denver.com

Yes, Denver's Barnum neighborhood borders a boulevard of pho, for as far as the eye can see. And it's awesome. But, there is more to Federal than Pho.

Did you know that we are lucky enough to have a number of really great authentic dim sum places nearby too? Because we do. And, since moving to Barnum I've discovered a world of Chinese food beyond fried rice and Kung Pao. 

If you've never had dim sum, I encourage you to find a culinary adventure buddy and make a weekend brunch date. Though some restaurants serve dim sum all day, it's more common to find it on weekends around lunch time.

It's an experience, not just a style of food. After being seated at a table and given tea, folks will bring carts around to your table and offer you little dishes of dumplings and rolls -- little adorable packets of deliciousness. You may not know what is in the dumplings. It doesn't matter. Don't worry. Just say yes to about two dishes per person. Get a variety. Then, share amongst yourselves and have fun figuring out which are your favorites. 

Where to start? Star Kitchen at Mississippi and Federal has won a bunch of awards, but King's Land at Yuma and Alameda (a few blocks East of Federal) has won my heart. Since drinking tea and eating dumplings is now my favorite thing to do on Sunday mornings, perhaps I'll see you there.

PS. The carts don't have prices listed at King's Land, but you can expect to drop about $10-$15 per person if you bring a hearty appetite. Not too bad, even if you're on a budget.