When New Yorkers talk dim sum, two heavy-hitters come up more often than not - Nom Wah Tea Parlor and Dim Sum Go Go. The former never gave me a reason to stray so I never bothered to try the latter. But alas, a few weekends ago - after a long walk from Brooklyn Heights, across the bridge, and through Chinatown - Rene and I decided to try our luck at the other place.

As soon we sat down, we both remarked on the unpleasant interior - stiff tablecloths, harsh fluorescent lights, white and red walls and lots of mirrors, all of which contributed to a remarkably cold feeling. Strangely enough, it had the aura of a dingy airport terminal restaurant.

We ordered all our dim sum favorites and they soon arrived.

The stuffing in the steamed mushroom dumplings was well-seasoned and dense. The skins had a pleasant eggy texture, but were too thin to contribute in taste.

Rene had the duck soup, which came with a delicious bite-size, savory fried pastry. Besides it’s small serving, Rene had no complaints about the soup.

We also shared a rice roll with shrimp (not pictured), which is one of our favorite items to order at Nom Wah. The roll encased some hefty, plump shrimp, but the dough itself was bland and lacked the characteristic chewy texture that we love so much.

And last but not least, the fried pork dumplings. I always cherish that delightful moment of first biting into the crackling skin of a fried dumpling, but these, unfortunately, left me disappointed. It seems the pan they were seared in was too hot and not oily enough, which resulted in barely crisped, sad-looking skins.

I was ready to put on my coat and take off as soon as we were done eating, which is how I know not to go there again. It’s not just the somewhat subpar offerings that turned me off - granted, we didn’t try any of their signature dishes - but it’s that I didn’t want to be there. The truth is, when it comes to choosing a restaurant, the desire to spend time in a particular place is just as powerful and important as the desire for a crispy dumpling.