Jade Cathay, dim sum bajo el estruendo del punk rock

Typically live music at restaurants is faint and barely noticeable, like a piano gently playing in the background. But at dim sum restaurant Jade Cathay, crashing cymbals and loud vocals echo throughout the building. The delicately steamed, subtle-tasting dumplings are contrasted by the loud, clashing sounds of rock. At one point, lead singer Alvin Alvarez shouts, “Dim sum!” and the crowd goes wild.

Jade Cathay is nestled in a quiet neighborhood adjacent to the San Jose airport. The restaurant is a stylish place dressed with chandeliers and sleek wooden accents. The family-run staple has been around since 2011, but a few years ago they started throwing indie rock shows. Twice per month, the jade chairs and lazy Suzan-equipped tables are pushed against the wall to make room for dancers and drum sets. Guests are greeted with a catering-style serving table loaded with golden chive dumplings, barbecue pork bao, fries, chow mein, and siu mai. There’s also dim sum carts parked next to the table stacked high with steaming baskets. Every dish is sold in a set of four to seven pieces, all in the $8 price range. You pay at the card reader mounted on the wall. Some tables are left set up for anyone looking to sit down for their feast.

On a Saturday night in July, Oakland’s pop punk Poser Emo took the stage. They fill the room with the sound of beating drums and shredding guitars, the amps metaphorically rocking the chandeliers. It’s a high energy event with the crowd bobbing their heads while chowing on dumplings. The songs are all intimate, emotional, and raw. In between songs, the guitarist takes a sip of a bright green bottle of Tsingtao. There are about forty young adults in the crowd, and one toddler rocking light-up sneakers and a pair of noise-cancelling headphones (a family member of one of the performers watching from a dining table in the back). Everyone else is sporting sneakers, long hair, and tattoos.

The events are orchestrated by Heavy Lemon, a collective of friends that organize concerts at restaurants, bars, and cafes around the Bay. Their other venues include San Jose’s Chromatic Coffee and Fremont’s Tamper Room. Chris Gough created Heavy Lemon to give local and touring musicians a place to perform, including talent from as far as New York. The name Heavy Lemon is inspired by the group effort it takes to get the “juice”, aka put on these DIY musical performances. Punk rock shows have a history of being held in impromptu venues since the genre emerged in the early 1980s.

In 2022, Jade Cathay owner, Mandy Lu, reached out to Heavy Lemon and asked them to hold shows at the restaurant. Lu was introduced to the idea during a visit to her cousin’s restaurant in Hong Kong that hosts musical acts. The shows provide bands a place to rock out and in return the restaurant gets to introduce their food to new people. Dim sum is a meal that’s best enjoyed as a group, so naturally it lends itself well to community events.

Jade Cathay is approaching its 15th year anniversary, but they keep things fresh by constantly evolving. Over the past few years, they’ve added a full bar, music shows, and, as of August, stand-up comedy nights. Lu is in charge of the bar and likes to experiment with cocktails for each show. Her latest hit is an elderflower spritz mocktail that can be spiked with gin or vodka. Her parents, Grace Guan and Kevin Lu, run the kitchen. Jade Cathay is known for its lo mai gai, a package of sticky rice steamed in a lotus leaf. During regular service, they offer a large dim sum menu that includes pot stickers, rice noodle rolls, and deep-fried treats. Jade Cathay’s combination of shareable bites and a bar makes the restaurant an attractive space to host events. For the local rock community, coming together to enjoy music in this space is a comfort food of its own.

Jade Cathay (1339 N First St, San Jose) hosts band nights twice a month. For more information, see Heavy Lemon’s event schedule.