Gitlo’s Dim Sum Bakery

Gitlo’s is the best Dim Sum in Boston. Yes, better than Chau Chau or Imperial Teahouse. As a Dim Sum diehard, it’s pretty annoying to see ratings on this place based on décor or the fattening nature of the food. Dim Sum is bad for you, homies, that’s why it’s a once a week meal.
If you’re super health conscious, order steamed things (Gilto’s Har Gow are as good as any NYC restaurant). The buns are fabulous, and the specials are always fresh and expertly prepared. It’s also cheap as one could expect. Check it out.

3.5 stars. Sadly I’ve never actually had a real dim sum experience… it can be intimidating when you don’t know what’s rolling up next to you and can’t really communicate with the person, especially when there are certain things you don’t eat at all (beef) and are afraid they’ll wind up snuck in a dumpling or something. Enter Gitlos. They allow you to pick and choose exactly what you want from their set menu and their daily specials without the stress– my kind of place.
Pros:
–price. It’s really really cheap.
–quantity. You get really nice sized portions. The first time I went here, a friend and I got 5 – 6 to share, and we could barely finish 3 between the 2 of us, it was so much food. Order sparingly at first, and then order more after later if you get hungry.
–really casual atmosphere
–smoothies are great (I love me some jackfruit smoothies)
–daily specials written on the chalkboard
–the sheer amount of items to choose from. Act

I was disappointed with such a small menu. I’ve only tried a few dishes since it was just me and my mom. It was a disappointment that they don’t make rice noodle (chuerng fun). They have quite a selection of buns for the bun fans. They also added Rickshaw Noodles to the menu.
Just a note, the XO sauce is not authentic XO, it’s Gitlo’s style. I was a bit disappointed with that.
I must say tho, they have the best shrimp dumpling (har gow) in town! unlike other places, this place uses large shrimp and scallions. Typically, in Chinatown, they make the shrimp pasty so they can mix some fatty pork in it along with bamboo shoots. The skin here is translucent and great texture.
Another dish I was drooling all over was the shrimp paste in the longhorn pepper. It’s the best shrimp paste I had. The chef said the key to good shrimp paste is getting shrimp with the shell still attached. Of course, this place doesn’t add fatty pork to it!
I would definitely come here again when I have a shrimp dumpling craving that compliments very well with their delicious iced milk tea.