Chamber President Kelli Riggs said she was excited about the new business.
“This is the first Asian restaurant to join the Chamber,” she said.
Serving as manager for the restaurant is David Kuo, who said he has been in this country 35 years, married 25 years and working in the restaurant business for 20 years in the Dayton and Cincinnati area. He said joining the Chamber of Commerce was his suggestion.
“It will help you for business,” he said he told the student-owners. “The chamber helps each other. They listened to me.”
The restaurant held a “soft opening” two months before the ribbon-cutting formal opening.
Kuo said Dim Sum is popular in Hong Kong and growing in popularity in this country, with restaurants specializing in it located in most large cities.
A Wikipedia explanation describes it: “Dim Sum is a style of Chinese cuisine prepared as small bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. Dim Sum dishes are usually served with tea and together form a full tea brunch. Dim Sum traditionally are served as fully cooked, ready-to-serve dishes.”
The restaurant initially drew heavily from the Miami University Asian student population, but Kuo said there are increasingly more local residents coming in for lunch or dinner and he said he is hearing favorable comments from patrons who enjoy the quiet atmosphere and friendly staff, in addition to the food.
He called Dim Sum a full-service restaurant with carry-out and delivery service available in addition to sit-down meals.
“We just wanted to bring this to local people,” Kuo said of the new Oxford restaurant. “My job is to make things go smoothly. Do business the right way.”
In a nod to environmental concern, he said, they use pasta straws, rather than plastic, which some states are either mandating or considering.
“We do things the right way,” he said.
Kuo praised the five student owners of Dim Sum, saying they want to offer the community something everyone can enjoy.
“They just want a restaurant where American people can come, not like fast food,” Kuo said. “We want to make people comfortable so they understand the food.”
Dim Sum is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day.
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