I’m still feeling a little lightheaded after plunking down $1500 for car repairs right before the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Ox, a Chinese astrologist says, will bring the Star of Wealth to me but I certainly don’t feel very wealthy right now.

So Steve buys me a dim sum dinner at one of our favorite Daly City holes-in-the wall, TCP Stry on Saint Francis Square on Southgate. The place is actually called TC Pastry but for the longest time their sign was missing an “A” so I still call it TCP Stry.

TONS OF PARKING

Quality and price-wise, TC Pastry is comparable to any of those little Chinese bakeries that sell dim sum in the Sunset. The big difference is, you don’t have to fight for parking.

So you get the Sunset dim sum experience minus the hassle, gas usage and car wear-and-tear.

TC Pastry proudly calls itself a dim sum specialist, and I believe it. But do not expect dim sum coming to you in a cart, or served hot from a bamboo steamer. The reason their prices are low is because you pick your pre-cooked dim sum from a glass display cabinet. Once you make your choices, the dim sum lady will pull it out of the display, or from a steam cabinet behind the counter, fast-food style. You tell dim sum lady your order and in 5 minutes or less you’re out the door. Or at your table with your Styrofoam box.

One thing that amazes Steve is the dim sum lady’s memory and math skills. Dim sum lady won’t write your order down. But no matter how big your order, she’ll get it right and have the total even before she punches it into the cash register. Steve says she hasn’t made a mistake yet.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

For $1.80 plus tax, you get three pieces of assorted basic dim sum, pick your combo: shark fin, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork. $1.80 is the average going rate for three pieces of anything here.

If you have more than a buck-eighty to spare, then try the potstickers, or fried shrimp cake or pan-fried shrimp and chives dumplings, 3 pieces for $2.10.

And if you have less than $1.80, you can go for one steamed barbecue pork bun or the hot dog bun for 90 cents. That’s cheaper than a small brewed coffee at Starbucks or anywhere. Or a bag of Cheetos.

But Steve was splurging. He got $18.37 worth of food (no tip), equivalent to a whopping 22 pieces of various types of dim sum. That included 2 Pearl Rice Wraps for $1.40 each and dessert, two Coconut Balls stuffed with Red Bean Paste at 65 cents each.

Needless to say this was too much for two people (who are trying not to gain weight). There were 7 pieces left over, good enough for another meal.

I won’t vouch for this, but Steve, who is on a 2060 calorie-a-day-diet says, based on his internet research, each basic dim sum ball is at or about 50 calories. He’s not a nutritionist so this is not written in stone.

So, hypothetically, if all I had was $2.00 left in my pocket after spending $1500 to fix my car, I’d probably still leave TC Pastry satisfied, with 3 pieces of dim sum. Or one 90 cent steamed pork bun. Make that two.

Cheap dim sum is a good way to start the Year of the Ox right—help get that wealth flowing by not blowing too much money eating out. Kung Hei Fat Choy!

UP NEXT: Exotic South Indian Food...Cheap and Tasty!