[Paris 6e] Steam Bar - dim sum lunch

[naf]

5th day of the new year of Tiger, yesterday we went to eat at Steam Bar, situated in the 6th district, in Saint Germain. H has read some good things about this place a few weeks before, chef Chi Cheung Wong was from Hong Kong, worked in several places in France including Shang Palace, Shangri-la hotel as dim sum chef and also banquet chef and briefly in Switzerland . I made the reservation in late afternoon the day before, the restaurant confirmed the booking 15 minutes later, and asked if we mind seating at the counter.

We arrived at the place at 1pm, packed with people. One salle has mainly small bistro tables, the other half has bar seats and some more small tables. We were offered to choose our places at the bar.

The kitchen was situated further at the back, we watched mainly the bar staff making drinks and passing the dishes from the kitchen.

Black pearl - hakao with prawn, thai basil, ginger, sesame sauce.

The black hakao was one of my favourite in this meal, juicy prawn made a good contrast with the fresh herb spice sauce.

Hong Kong Streets - pork chicken siu mai with smoked scamorza, peanuts, sage, crispy shallots

Kanako - gyoza ground duck and chicken with carrot, ginger, hoisin sauce and sobasha
A bit flat for me, couldn’t tell it was duck or it was chicken.

Lili rouge - prawn siu mai, scallops, carrots, celery, toibko

My another favourite, remind me of the Hong Kong taste.

Wan Chai - fun gor, ravioli with pork, prawn, carrot, chives

Dan dan noodles - wheat noodles with omelet, seaweed, sesame and nori sauce, side dish with pickled vegetables

Quite different from a traditional Sichuan dan dan, a tasty interpretation with Japanese elements

Litchi ice-cream mochi served on shiso

For me, shiso overpowered the delicated litchi flavour. Not bad.

Service was fast, saw 3 asian looking women doing food preparation and steaming in the kitchen. The dim sum making craft was there, skin was thin and taste was delicate, although the taste was not exactly traditional, they try to modernize by adding Japanese ingredients or south east influences. It would be better, if they made the traditional dim sum and a few creative ones as added on, but I think the non Chinese French public would prefer this than the “same” traditional stuff in cheaper places. The dim sum was more or less limited to dumplings style, except bao which we didn’t order. It will be great if they can include some different styles, such as cheung fun or deep fried ones.

I recommend the place if you are looking for an unconventional dim sum meal, we ordered tea to go with our meal: Sobacha and Honjicha grilled tea. Bill was 79€ for 2.

Le Steam Bar
2 rue du Sabot,
75006 Paris
www.steambar.fr

[pilgrim]

Thanks for this. It looks like a great addition to the area, and decent dim sum, not always a sure thing.

[naf]

Any travel plan? Starting from 14 March, no mask will be required by the authority in interior, except public transport and health facilities.

[Deuxchevaux (Jake D)]

Yes, thanks for this. Regarding the masking (and vaccine pass) rules changing March 14: That and the continuing high infection rates (10 to 12 times higher than when we visited in October, and recently stalling out about that point), together with the continued requirement to test negative one day before boarding a return flight (we still have day jobs and responsibilities at home) all operate to keep us away for a while longer. I suspect we are not alone in this caution. That’s a long and windy way of saying, these new relaxed rules are actually a turn off for us. But we are hoping to keep our scheduled visits in July and October — and some dim sum might be welcome, so thanks again.

[naf]

Personally I will continue to wear mask in crowded place. Some suspect this is linked to the upcoming president elections where mask wearing is a very unpopular measure from Macron. Another difference may link to the fact that the virus changed from Delta to Omicron, the infection rate is higher with Omicron but people that have been vaccinated 3 doses, it is less dangerous. And the most important factor, maybe it means the hospital can have the capacity to handle the serious cases.

[Deuxchevaux (Jake D)]

Yes, I agree with and get all of that
— including the political calculation by Macron. But for those of us who have full-time jobs and personal responsibilities “at home” far away from Paris and France, the calculus is heavily influenced by the currently still quite high risk of testing positive (like I mentioned, 10+ times higher Van when we were there in October) — even though we might/probably wouldn’t suffer serious consequences.

In other words, it’s the “quarantine in Paris” issue. Some may be able to absorb/ accommodate that prospect much easier than we and others in our situation.

Here’s hoping this situation will soonish change — both in terms of the infection rate, and the “testing negative in order to return to the US” policy.

[naf]

People here, many they don’t even bother to test if they have light symptoms. They just think it’s a bad flu. So I believe the real positive cases are much more. Some, they make the joke saying getting infected is the 4th booster dose.

Do you need to test negative to get back to your country?

[Deuxchevaux (Jake D)]

Yes, and that is exactly the problem, and a major part of our calculus. Since at least January 2021, a negative test is necessary in order to board any flight entering the United States, and that obviously includes
a return flight from Paris.

Imagine how disruptive a week or two of quarantine in a hotel would be if one has personal responsibilities back at home. That’s why these loosening of masking requirements, and elimination of proof of vac requirements, actually keep us away for now — rather than entice us to come at this time.

[naf]

The election will happen in April, maybe after that, the restriction will be back?!

[Deuxchevaux (Jake D)]

Ha! But not likely ….

[onzieme]

Masking requirement used to be very strictly observed on the Métro; the last few days, I notice in each car one or more persons not bothering to wear a mask and several/many others with the nose peaking over.

Those in Deuxchevaux’s situation of needing to return to work physically in the US on a specific date are in a tight spot as long the testing requirement remains in place for re-entry to the US.

But right now, there are US and Italian visitors (mostly, it would appear, not first-timers), but not many from other countries, at least where I’ve been. Read: easy to get reservations.