dim sum in S.F., CA
 

For those of you visiting S.F. Bay Area and craving dim sum (more fun than tapas IMHO!), I would recommend doing takeout or dine-in at the numerous "delis" in S.F. Chinatown. This would be the most "authentic" experience--all the locals stop by to do pick ups for snacks, etc. For those of you craving dim sum in a more "restaurant-like" setting, I would recommend checking out this link (http://www.woohoo.org/sfteahouses.htm).

One comment: if debating Hong Kong Flower Lounge or Ton Kiang in the "New Chinatown" area of S.F., my vote would be for HKFL--the food at TK was not good enough or reasonable enough to make the obnoxious attitude of the staff at Ton Kian worth stomaching, and the clientele is predominantly non-Asian (which raises questions of authenticity).

Lil

Thanks for the list, lilley!

A bit dated tho, it seems, Hing Lung at the Park has been closed for - oh - maybe 2 or 3 years at least. Ghastly lime green exterior also gone now - thank goodness!

Mayflower is a great recommendation - just had dinner there last week. Terrific crab in ginger and scallion sauce; messy but oh my sooo good! One of best dim sum houses IN the City.

Hong Kong Flower Lounge is good, but pricey. For those prices, I'd chose the Harborview in the Embarcadero (just a personal choice), which was not mentioned on the woohoo list.

Ton Kiang is Hakka food with some Cantonese thrown in. Mostly for round-eyes, who seem to like their food.

Very disappointed not to see some of the good dim sum houses in Chinatown on woohoo's list.

Also disappointed that he/she did not list the Koi Palace in Daly City - by far the BEST Chinese restaurant in the Bay Area - but woohoo did go all the way south to Palo Alto to pan Ming's!

Thanks for bringing up one of my favorite subjects - food! I'd still say this list is terribly dated and too short. Would be interested in what others think. Thanks again! :)

Round eyes? Hoo-boy.

Mayflower, yes. Been there. Good eatin'.

Fung Lum in Campbell is no more. Demolished for a housing/retail tower.

Also recommend in SF: Miao-Bao Kitchen near the Haight. Right next door to a veteranarian.

Additionally, the Chen-Ling Fens in Cow Hollow. Good stuff, if you can get over the steel mesh barricade. Chain Link Fence.

Pis

For a taste of real old S.F. Chinatown, head for the Hang Ah Tea Room--just above Stockton. Loaded with atmosphere, and the Gold Coin Buns are fabulous.

easytraveler, sadly the Harbor View Restaurant is no more, I believe they lost their lease at the Embarcadero. I also thought it was one of the best dim sum places in the city. In town I think New Asia or Gold Mountain are ok choices, with HKFL one of the better places out in Milbrae.

"Miao-Bao Kitchen near the Haight. Right next door to a veteranarian." LOL I wonder if the pun was intended

Interesting. It is our Chinese neighbor who introduced us to Ton Kiang and goes there regularly. When I've been there, the mix has been about 50/50 Asian non-Asian. Given that the attendants with the rolling carts can't speak English for the most part, I have difficulty seeing them as obnoxious--I sometimes wonder if they are paid by the amount of time it takes them to empty the cart.

The Harborview is no more???!!! Oh, no! Tell me it isn't so! Tell me they have just moved to another location! One of my most fav Chinese restaurants in SF!:(

Yes, agree with New Asia Garden and Gold Mountain in Chinatown. Also used to go to the Miriwa, which is next door to New Asia, but haven't been for quite a long time and don't know what the quality of their dim sum is any more.

Also agree that the HKFL in Millbrae is a great Chinese restaurant - but haven't had a chance to go there for a couple of years. Recollection is their dim sum was awesome. Was it their SF branch or their Palo Alto branch that appeared just average? Can't remember.

Fung Lum on "Bahhscom" had been going downhill for many years, so sad! Used to be a marvellous restaurant in the South Bay.

Didn't mean to imply anything negative by "round-eyes", just that the couple of times I've been to Ton Kiang, it has been more like the majority were non-Chinese. Food seems to be good to very good, but not great. However, eating is so subjective, so please don't take umbrage at this statement either!

Thanks for the recommendations of Miao-Bao Kitchen,Chen-Ling, and Hang Ah. Will have to try all of them in time! :)

Happy dining everyone!

I'm a little sensitive these days; don't mind me. I was on Clement St. last weekend from out of town...I did a mad toy shopping dash in Super Tokio, but no time for dim sum. Not even a pork bun to go. So, I'm probably just grumpy. Do any of these places mail order? Would it work?

City View on Commercial Street (off Kearny near Chinatown area) serves very good dim sum.

Yank Sing in the Financial District is quite good, especially for quick take-outs.

The chef of Harbor Village moved to the restaurant at the end of the marina in Emeryville.

Correct, it was Harbor Village not Harbor View. Thanks Michael.

Yank Sing has the best Xiao Long Bao dumplings (the Shanghainese dumplings: the literal translation is small dragon dumplings). The wraps are really thin, and still contain the juice from the meat inside. It was the best Xiao Long Baos I have had since I was back from China.

We though Yank Sing was just OK and somewhat expensive compared to the other places in Chinatown.