owa

Hi, We are leaving for SF on Saturday and would like to hear some suggestions for dim sum. Thanks

internetwiz

Yang Sing is the most wonderful dim sum place I've been to and I've been eating dim sum for 25 years. They have a location in the financial district and another in Rincon Center. As our concierge described it: a better quality of ingredients (try the sea bass or wild mushroom dim sums -yum!)

almesq

The name of the place the previous poster was talking about is Yank Sing, on Stevenson Street, and it is excellent.

easytraveler

Depends on whether you are round-eyed or almond-eyed - just kidding!

Yank Sing is probably the round-eye favorite.

More classic Cantonese is Harbor Village in 4 Embarcadero Center.

Both of the above are expensive.

In Chinatown, there is Miriwa and New Asia, both on Pacific. These are frequented more by local Chinese.

Out on Geary is Mayflower. Also more classic Cantonese. (I'm assuming that you are asking for a Cantonese dim sum house, which accounts for about 95% of the dim sum served in the US).

Then there are plenty of smaller places all around SF. There is one that is our favorite smaller dim sum house: South Sea Seafood Village on Irving. Small restaurant, good dim sum and great seafood.

For some reason, good dim sum in San Francisco tends to be on the expensive side.

Best dim sum I've had on the West Coast have been in Los Angeles and Vancouver, with much better prices.

An authentic dim sum house, regardless of size, should offer you only dim sum tea. These are special teas that go with dim sum. It's like having red wine with meat and white wine with fish. You drink only certain teas with dim sum. My favorite is GOK BO, which is bolay tea with chrysanthemum flowers. Or else I'll order just the chrysanthemum flowers with no tea leaves, just the flowers.

Lastly, to tell if it's good dim sum or not, one way to judge is to see what is in the Har Gow (the shrimp dumplings). If WHOLE shrimp (one or two) are wrapped inside, that's good. If it's chopped up shrimp, then there is the chance that the shrimp has been "diluted" with other stuff - not so good.

Happy dining in San Francisco!
easytraveler

andy

I happen to be a " round eye" who LOVES Yank Sing..Have been going there for years...

They have 2 restaurants in SFO..the better of the 2 is in the Financial District..

I figure if the Chinese are eating there, that it has to be good...right???

Anyway, it is good that someone posted some alternative options...but I still LOVE Yank Sing for their dim dum..
Make sure you get their steamed pork buns, as they are to die for!

BigRed

I have only one Dim Sum experience and it's at Grand Palace in Chinatown. Don't go there. I would risk saying that almost anywhere else is better

PamSF

I agree with the best dim sum being in Vancouver!(Kirin on W. Georgia and Alberni). However, in SF I do like Yank Sing. I have heard Ton Kiang on Geary is very good as well. If you go to Yank Sing in Rincon Annex you will be down by the water and have easy access to the Embarcadero for strolling. BUT..rumor has it the rain is starting up again on Friday so bring all that is necessary for that.

kikahead

Ton Kiang is fantatic!!!!!!!! It is on Geary at 25th Avenue (there are not a lot of "touristy" things in this area--it is on the way to Ocean Beach/Cliff House however). If you go on a weekend be prepared to wait (~30 minutes). Fantastic dim sum!!!!!

easytraveler

kikahead (Hi, Barbara!): Thanks for the recommendation to Ton Kiang. I haven't dined there in years. It used to be a Chow Chiu restaurant, a different regional cooking. Chow Chiu dinners start out with a special Chow Chiu tea (usually Tie Guan Yin tea) which comes in small cups and is downed in one gulp. It's thick like Turkish coffee. Wonder if this is the tea they dilute and also serve with dim sum? Would you know?

PamSF: agree with Kirin in Vancouver. I can't remember the street. The restaurant was upstairs and I can drive there in my mind but the street name escapes me for the moment. Kirin has several locations in Vancouver.

andy: fortunately liking dim sum has nothing to do with the shape of our eyes! Yank Sing is a great choice!

BTW, on the barbecue pork buns: another way to tell if this is a good dim sum house or not - there should be solid, juicy pieces of barbecue pork inside, not some mishmash of unidentifiables. Good dim sum houses do not skimp on ingredients.

Good dim sum: good quality ingredients, no skimping, freshness, freshness, freshness, and above all great tea.

After all, going for dim sum in Chinese is "yum cha" - to drink tea. Earlier, dim sum houses used to be translated as "teahouses".

Good grief! I feel the need to have dim sum for lunch today!

owa

PamSF you scare me!! What do I need to bring to prepare for the rain? I'm from South Dakota. Is it layer, layer, layer? Thanks

J_Correa

It's always "layer, layer, layer" when you come to California. We are the land of microclimates.

Being from South Dakota, you will likely just need a light rain coat with a hood. Nothing heavy because it wont be cold - temperatures are supposed to be in the 50s and 60s. Bring an umbrella - or better yet buy a cheap one at Walgreens when you get here, if it's stormy the thing probably wont survive the wind anyway.