I am a big fan of dim sum, but I don’t enjoy it as often because I live in the South Bay, and the top dim sum places are in the San Gabriel Valley. Yes, Dim Sum 101 Express opened nearby, but I’ve longed for an experience with a vast menu. I was thrilled when I learned that Lunasia opened a location in Torrance.
Lunasia opened its first restaurant in Alhambra with the slogan “Modern Dimsum and Cuisine.” It differentiated itself by being an upscale dim sum experience. Since then, they branched out to Cerritos and Pasadena, and they recently launched their Torrance location in the Rolling Hills Plaza.
I’m the type that enjoys old-school dim sum, where the elderly Asian ladies push dim sum carts in large banquet rooms with families and large groups. They display the offerings on their carts and nod in delight when you select something, almost as if they are commission-based salespeople.
The modern decor fits in with this community. The interior lacks traditional round dining tables with white tablecloths and is furnished with rectangular tables. I was impressed that they make their kitchen operations transparent with large plate windows looking in. The rock garden with orchids surrounding it is a beautiful touch.
Lunasia is an a-la-carte ordering of dim sum dishes on your phone using a QR code, which is very usual. The connotation of dim sum is supposed to be almost chaotic, with dim sum ladies pushing carts around and lots of families and friends sharing small dishes. Instead, the servers simply deliver food from the kitchen, almost like you were in a fast-casual establishment.
The menu encompasses traditional dim sum, BBQ such as Peking Duck, Roasted Duck, and BBQ Pork, Congee, chef specialties including Nanami Lamb Chops, noodle dishes, and a good assortment of Cantonese stir fry dishes.
I was there with my family, and we each chose a couple of dishes. We started with traditional dim sum offerings – Har Gow (Shrimp) and Pork Shumai. Both were first-rate – hot and juicy inside.
My wife and daughter favored the Beef Chow-Fun and the Spicy Eggplant. While these dishes were delicious, and the portions were sizeable, I was there to try their small plate offerings.
Soup dumplings are another of my daughter’s favorites, but Din Tai Fung and Kang Kang Food Court offer better versions. The Rice Noodle Roll is better elsewhere – the insides weren’t as flavorful as I have experienced.
Since I live minutes away, I will surely revisit them. I’ll just be more selective about what I order.
Lunasia, 2575 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Torrance; 323.372.0828; lunasiadimsum.com