What is an authentic Dim Sum restaurant doing out in the middle of Uncasville?
And why are we recommending the sushi and not the dim sum?
Mysteries to be solved as we talk about Oriental Bar & Grill.
The reason for this authentic, hole in the wall, dim sum restaurant in Uncasville is simple.
The casinos.
This restaurant is a stop on the Fung-Wah-style busses the cart people from Chinatowns to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.
Searching for the best dumplings in Connecticut brought us here, and we feasted.
Lotus Leaf Sticky Rice
Sticky rice with wood ear mushrooms wrapped in a leaf.
These are fine. The mushroom and sauce really add the most flavor.
The lead adds a delicate taste, but nothing much else.
The Rating: Lotus Leaf Sticky Rice
6/10
Roast Pork Bun
Char Siu-style pork inside an insanely fluffy shell.
They pull apart beautifully, but the bun to filling ratio is off.
It could use more of the pork filling inside. Good overall.
The Rating: Roast Pork Bun
6.5/10
Pork Soup Dumpling
These xiaolongbao have a perfectly cooked shell.
The insides are very meaty with a nice soup.
The only downsides are the soup is more like a coating. There just isn’t enough of it.
Secondly, there is a strong anise flavor in the dumplings.
If you like anise (like black licorice) you’ll find these lovely.
If you hate anise, they are still good.
The Rating: Pork Soup Dumpling
6.5/10
Lotus Leaf Sticky Rice Roast Pork Bun Pork Soup Dumpling
In short, the dim sum here is all good.
It’s about as authentic as you get in Connecticut, and there are plenty of great options.
So it feels weird to start talking about the sushi here, but it’s actually…better than the dim sum?
The fish is wonderfully fresh and the proportions of rice and insides are just right.
Miami Heat Roll
The fish is great.
In this roll there is a lot of hot sauce, which really overshadow the flavors.
It’s still very good, just a bit too much.
The Rating: Miami Heat Roll
7.5/10
But the real stars of the show are the super simple rolls.
Things like a tuna roll.
Or a salmon avocado roll.
Plain and simple, to really let the fish stand out.
The Rating: Salmon Avocado Roll
7.5/10
Oriental Bar & Grill
Address: 867 Norwich-New London Turnpike, Uncasville, CT 06382
Hours: Sunday through Thursday 10am to 10pm
Friday & Saturday 10am to 11pm