Hollywood East makes the case for going to a shopping mall to eat. It’s just good, solid dim sum. I discovered it when I moved north of the city, near Wheaton, Maryland—meaning, it’s near my house—which has a very large immigrant population and many great restaurants featuring cuisines from around the world. Plus, chef-owner Janet Yu is a longtime friend, and I like supporting women-owned businesses.
It’s always very busy for dim sum; the restaurant has a large, well-run dining room, with roving carts—there always seems to be a new cart in front of you, just when you want to try a new dish. I like the turnip cake, most of the dumplings, and, if my spouse isn’t looking, sometimes I’ll order the chicken feet. It’s hands down one of the best places for dim sum in the city. I’ve enjoyed the crudo, which came plated with lots of edible flowers, and the paellas are known to be some of the best in the city.
