Siu's Asian Bistro in Baltimore: Cantonese Dim Sum and Roasted Meats

Siu's Asian Bistro is a Cantonese restaurant in Canton that specializes in roasted meats, dim sum, and traditional Hong Kong-style cooking. The dining room seats roughly 80 people across two levels and draws a steady mix of Cantonese-speaking regulars and neighborhood diners seeking roasted duck and char siu pork that are prepared in-house daily.

What Siu's Actually Is

The kitchen operates a roasting station visible from the street, where whole ducks and pork hang glazed and caramelized. This is not fusion cooking or pan-Asian comfort food. Siu's cooks Cantonese food as it is prepared in Hong Kong and southeastern China, with an emphasis on technique, freshness of ingredient, and respect for the source material. The menu runs to about 40 items and changes modestly with season. Dim sum is available daily at lunch, served from carts that roll through the dining room.

Menu and Pricing

Roasted meats are the core. A half roasted duck runs $17.95 and serves two people. Char siu pork (barbecued pork belly) costs $12.95 for a plate. Soy-sauce chicken, poached and finished with scallion oil, is $13.95. All three are served with steamed white rice and come in portions that reward sharing.

Dim sum runs $3.50 to $5.50 per order during lunch service. Har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai (open-faced pork and shrimp), and cheung fun (rolled rice noodle) are made fresh throughout the day. Chicken feet in black bean sauce and tripe are standard. Prices should be verified by calling ahead, as dim sum costs shift seasonally.

Rice noodle and soup dishes sit in the $10 to $14 range. Wonton noodle soup ($11.50) uses house-made noodles. Beef chow fun, a stir-fried wide noodle dish, is $12.95. Vegetables and tofu dishes are available and cost $8 to $11.

How Siu's Compares to Other Cantonese Options in Baltimore

Canton has three other serious Cantonese spots. Golden Phoenix, two blocks away on Eastern Avenue, also does roasted meats and dim sum but operates at a smaller scale and focuses more on seafood soups and noodle work. New Dragon, in the same neighborhood, emphasizes dim sum quantity and cart service over meat quality. Siu's roasted duck skin is noticeably more taut and flavorful than either, and the char siu seasoning here runs deeper and less sweet. Choose Siu's for roasted meats and straightforward Cantonese technique. Choose New Dragon if you want to spend 90 minutes grazing through 15 dim sum orders at lower per-item cost. Choose Golden Phoenix if you want a quieter room and are willing to order off-menu for house specials.

Who Siu's Suits and Who It Does Not

This restaurant rewards diners who speak Cantonese or are comfortable pointing at dishes on other tables. The staff speaks English but the menu includes items not listed in English, and the rhythm of dim sum service assumes some familiarity with the format. The noise level is high during peak lunch hours. If you want a calm meal in a quiet room, Siu's is not the choice. If you want roasted meat that tastes like it was prepared that morning (because it was) and dim sum that reflects Cantonese tradition rather than American adaptation, Siu's is direct and honest.

What the First Visit Involves

Arrive during lunch, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., when dim sum carts are running. A hostess will seat you at a table, and carts will begin circulating within minutes. Point at dishes you want, or ask the cart pusher to recommend. Plates are stacked in front of you and counted at the end for billing. If you arrive at dinner or want to start with a full roasted duck rather than dim sum, order from the printed menu at the table. Service is efficient and attentive to water glasses.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Siu's is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Confirm these hours before a weekday evening visit, as they may compress seasonally. Street parking is available on Eastern Avenue and surrounding blocks. The space is accessible by ramp at the front entrance.

Siu's roasted meats and daily dim sum service reflect Cantonese cooking practice more closely than most Baltimore restaurants manage. It is a necessary stop for anyone serious about the category.