When the doors opened a few weeks ago, there was no dim sum at Jimtown & Then Sum.
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It took Michelle Wood nearly two years to reopen the former Jimtown Store after purchasing the Alexander Valley property in 2023. Nestled along a quiet stretch of Highway 128, the 132-year-old general store has been a gourmet pit stop for meandering cyclists, curious tourists and vineyard workers for decades. Its weathered plank walls, well-worn wood floors and shady front porch have graced countless Instagram feeds.
In early June, Wood debuted Jimtown & Then Sum, merging her longtime dim sum catering business with the Jimtown legacy. Fans of her handmade dumplings eagerly anticipated shu mai, potstickers and bao at the new location.
But when the doors opened, there was no dim sum at Jimtown & Then Sum.
The daily process of folding, filling and steaming dumplings proved too demanding in the early days of operation. But three weeks after this month’s grand opening — with the new business running smoothly — they are now on the menu.
From 11 a.m., the lunch menu features a section dedicated to steamed dumplings, spring rolls, bao buns and a poke bowl, served until sold out, which typically happens within a few hours. The menu also includes a barbecue pork banh mi sandwich and matcha cheesecake bites with honey and ginger.
Traditional deli sandwiches, including Italian subs, muffulettas and chicken curry, are also available, along with morning pastries and cookies.
On a recent Friday during the lunch rush, customers hovered over Wood’s Asian-inspired menu with curiosity. The most frequent question: “What’s an open-faced steamed bao?” (It’s a fluffy, sweet cousin to the taco.)
By 11:45 a.m., Wood was busy steaming dumplings as the dim sum orders began streaming in.
Standout dishes include her signature shu mai ($14 for six), filled with seasoned pork and shrimp; potstickers ($17 for six), stuffed with vegetables, chicken, or kimchi and tofu; and the open-faced steamed bao ($15), topped with braised pork belly or tofu and finished with hoisin sauce.
There’s also Vietnamese-style spring rolls with rice noodles, Thai basil and shrimp, served with sweet chili or peanut sauce ($14 for three), or veggie-only rolls ($12 for three). A poke bowl with seasoned ahi tuna over sticky rice is $23.
But it’s the pillowy barbecue pork bao buns ($6 each) that make me weak in the knees. Light, squishy and slightly sweet, they’ve got all the starchy satisfaction of Wonder bread, only better. Other fillings include Thai basil chicken, or broccoli and tofu.
Early birds and morning bicyclists will find pastries like apple-cinnamon coffee cake, muffins and scones, along with avocado toast, a breakfast burrito and coffee drinks.
But it’s Wood’s dim sum I’m coming for — finally.
Jimtown & Then Sum, 6706 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-756-5022, jimtown.com
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.
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]]>Coffee, pastries, sandwiches and dim sum are on the menu at Healdsburg's historic Jimtown market.
The post Jimtown and Then Sum Is Officially Open in Healdsburg appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.
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Although Alexander Valley’s Jimtown and Then Sum market and deli opened two weeks ago with coffee, morning pastries, sandwiches, salads and sushi rolls, owner Michelle Wood held off on adding her coveted dim sum to the roadside market’s menu — until now.
This weekend, the revamped market will mark its official grand opening with a $70 dim sum plate from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The meal includes six items from Wood’s newly launched dim sum menu.
“The menu will highlight our dim sum service and what is to come,” said Wood, who added that a limited selection of popular dim sum items will be available on weekdays.
Throughout the weekend, the store will also offer a limited menu of coffee, pastries and grab-and-go items. On Saturday, Wood will serve a ticketed barbecue menu ($70) with assorted meats and sides. Jimtown will be closed Friday.
Wood owns the catering company Dim Sum and Then Sum, known for its handmade Chinese dumplings, steamed buns and spring rolls inspired by family recipes. She purchased the property nearly 18 months ago and formally took over the historic Jimtown Store from longtime owner Carrie Brown in late 2023.
The store on Highway 128 first opened in 1893 as a post office, general store and gathering place for Alexander Valley residents.
Jimtown’s modern era began in 1991, when Brown and her late husband, John Werner, took over the space. It became an offbeat destination for visitors, who enjoyed Brown’s eclectic collection of toys, candies and housewares. Locals came for the sandwiches, Brown’s famous Chain Gang Chili and neighborhood gossip.
Preorder tickets for dim sum and barbecue at jimtown.com/order.
6706 Highway 128, Healdsburg, jimtown.com
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.
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]]>The forthcoming menu at the new Jimtown and Then Sum will include breakfast pastries, classic sandwiches and salads along with a selection of dim sum.
The post Healdsburg’s Jimtown Store Reopens with a Fresh Flavor and Familiar Charm appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.
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After closing in late 2019, the historic Jimtown Store is set to reopen June 10 with a new name and under new ownership. Michelle Wood, owner of the catering company Dim Sum and Then Sum, purchased the property nearly 18 months ago and formally took over from longtime owner Carrie Brown in late 2023.
Wood, who previously worked as a lab manager before shifting to full-time catering in 2021, began using the space for pop-ups and as a home base for her company, which is known for handmade Chinese dishes like dumplings, steamed buns and spring rolls inspired by her family recipes.
But it wasn’t her interest in cooking that first brought Wood to Jimtown. Instead, she said she fell in love with the historic Highway 128 outpost as a cyclist. With few food options in the immediate area, Jimtown had long been a popular mid-ride rest stop for riders who sipped and snacked while taking in Alexander Valley view.
The forthcoming menu at Wood’s Jimtown and Then Sum will include breakfast pastries, classic sandwiches and salads along with a selection of dim sum.
The Highway 128 store first opened in 1893 as a post office, general store and gathering place for residents of the Alexander Valley.
Jimtown’s modern era began in 1991, when Carrie Brown and her late husband, John Werner, took over the space. It became an offbeat destination for visitors who enjoyed Brown’s eclectic collection of toys, candies and housewares. Locals came for sandwiches, Brown’s famous Chain Gang Chili and neighborhood gossip.
More details coming soon.
Jimtown and Then Sum, 6706 Highway 128, Healdsburg, jimtown.com
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]]>July 12
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Jimtown Store (6706 Hwy 128, Healdsburg) hosts a buffet dinner featuring Pollo Jocon, a traditional Guatemalan chicken in green mole sauce, along with Rancho Gordo beans and rice, corn tortillas, pineapple empanadas, homemade tortillas and salsa and “palomitas and pepitas”, a snack of popped corn and pumpkin seeds. July 12, 7:30pm, $25pp. A collection of hand-woven cloth will be available for purchase, and portions of the proceeds help AMIDI, an organization that helps Guatemalan women and girls. 433-1212 for reservations.
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