A new dim sum spot in Manhattan’s Chinatown is always good news. One that has carts and is big enough to accommodate a wedding is even better. This second-floor restaurant on East Broadway not only checks those boxes, but also offers great variety on its dim sum menu, with nearly 70 items (around half of which are available at any given time, including on weekdays). We’ve tried most of them, and found them to be consistently fresh, flavorful, and hot—unless they’re supposed to be cold, like one of the five different kinds of chicken feet. No dry buns or congealed rice rolls in sight.
photo credit: Kate Previte
video credit: Britt Lam
photo credit: Kate Previte
Inside, 100 Feast is less red-and-gold banquet hall and more hotel ballroom, with bird-like baubles floating from the ceiling, so try to sit near the windows overlooking Pike Street for the most atmosphere. But unless you’re at one of the round tables by the main walkway going through the room, the carts are relatively easy to flag down. (Or just run after the one you want with your card for stamping—no one will mind.) The ladies pushing these carts always encourage you to take more, and a few floor managers help out with drinks, tea refills, and made-to-order items, like the soup dumplings, or the rice and noodle dishes.
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
Even on a weekday morning the room fills up surprisingly fast, so the earlier you can get here, the better. They start running out of dishes in the afternoon, especially on weekends, and the carts stop around 3pm. You can make a reservation for dinner, when there’s a full Cantonese menu (we haven’t ordered from it yet). And if all that weren’t enough, upstairs, there’s a Japanese restaurant with sushi, donburi, and an omakase option for $89—plus a rooftop cocktail lounge crowning it all.
Food Rundown
Steamed Dim Sum
Around 13 kinds, including great seafood shumai. Other standouts include the sticky rice in lotus leaf, dace fish balls, and steamed ribs.
Pan-Fried & Deep Fried Dim Sum
Go big on the fried items. The shrimp-stuffed eggplant is a must, along with the sesame balls filled with custard. We also like the turnip cakes, taro puffs, and fried chive dumplings.
Dumplings
Get the shrimp crystal dumplings if you see them, but also keep an eye out for the pea shoot or mixed mushroom dumplings—they’re excellent and a nice change from the meats.
Rice Noodle Rolls
The special shrimp red rice rolls are a textural triple threat: soft rice noodles wrapped around crunchy fried dough and bouncy sweet shrimp. Get them if they’re available, but be warned that they do run out. The other varieties are worth ordering too.
Clay Pot Dim Sum
You might see a couple of clay pot items circulate during dim sum service, including their velvety congee—a heavy add to the rotation, but good.
Steamed Buns
Yes, the steamed custard buns look like cute little piggies. But don’t overlook the equally cute durian buns, and the bbq pork buns. Soup dumplings are also found in this section, and are made to order—but with so much readily available on the carts, you don’t really need to go to the trouble.
Baked Dim Sum
Everything in this section is excellent, especially anything filled with their bbq pork—it’s warmly spiced and not too sweet, and the meat is soft. The baked bun and pineapple bun are both good vehicles for it, but we especially like the bbq pork puff, with flaky, glossy dough.
Dessert Dim Sum
Not to be overlooked. Choose between flan-like puddings, honeycomb cakes, sesame rolls, and more. We especially like the cool, refreshing blocks of osmanthus jelly, and slices of comforting steamed sponge cake.
