Photos: Shi Hai in Alhambra

Freshly fried cruller rolls are stuffed with a kind of shrimp mousse.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Kevin Yang, left, and his wife, Ally, enjoy dim sum at Shi Hai. The restaurant serves both dim sum breakfast and dinner.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Salty and chewy golden pancakes are made with assorted cured meats.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Taro-filled buns decorated as pigs can be served during dim sum.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Kenny Lei, fourth from right, serves a table during dim sum hours. The large and sleek restaurant has Art Deco lighting and a wall of live-seafood tanks.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Mushroom and pork dumplings are one of the many dumpling options served during dim sum.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Wendy Yang enjoys dumplings while out to dim sum with her parents at Shi Hai.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Baked dry scallop and turnip pastry.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

Ping Wu leaves the cashier area to serve customers at the Hong Kong-style seafood restaurant.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)