Emerald Chinese Seafood Restaurant

Shrimp dumpling, other dumpling, fluffy bun (not pork).

Yet another dumpling.

Sticky rice dumpling that we liked.

Mysterious bun.

Sweet egg yolk bun.

Shrimp-stuffed tofu.

That beef noodle thing that Miko likes and Hildie hates.

Pork bits of some kind--tastier than it looks!

Fried dumplings--UNACCEPTABLY thick wrappers, dude.

Sesame balls--I always have to get them!  These were just okay.

Rating: Two thumbs down
Date: 4/15/12
Time in: 9:40 AM
Time out: 10:45 AM
Servers' recommendations: N/A -- they recommend everything on their carts

What we ordered: Any number of buns and dumplings
Number in our party: 3 (Hildie as a guest judge today)
Final check amount: $41.05
Notes: 

• A few of my friends swear by Emerald.  I had dinner there once, but it was so unimpressive that I can't even remember which entree I chose.  A sub-par experience in all, but I was excited to go for dim sum.  (Miko) 
• It's always nice to try lots of different things at a meal.  And we LOVE buns and dumplings!
• I especially liked the shrimp dumpling that was covered in sticky rice.  (Miko)
• Dim sum carts are fun in theory, but we'd rather go to China Max.  When the food gets pushed around in carts, the food tastes older or staler, and your conversation gets interrupted a lot.
• The service was rather incomprehensible.
• Hildie noted that the teapot was inexcusably dirty.
• Bottom line: the food was okay, but if anyone wanted to go to Emerald, we'd try to talk them out of it.  We'd rather go to China Max or Jasmine instead.  Maybe it's because we went so early in the morning, but the place was empty and kind of depressing.  And the clincher: there was a bug crawling around in one of the carts!  It looked alarmingly roach-like.  Jenne and I couldn't stop staring at it!  We're not germophobes, but that is quite the turn-off.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION
Address: 3709 Convoy Street, Ste 101
Phone number: 858.565.6888
Website: http://emeraldrestaurant.com/index.htm

Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: Private lot

Ideal group size: Any
Available vegetarian options: Vegetable and tofu dishes, desserts
Noise level: 2