San Francisco Dim Sum
 

We are looking for a recommendation for a Chinese restaurant serving Dim Sum @ nontouristy prices.

Many feel that Ton Kiang, 5821 Geary St., serves the best dim sum in town. Huge variety, resonable prices.

My husband's family (Chinese-American) always goes to Asia Gardens. I can't remember the street address but it's in Chinatown and will be listed in the phone book.

Emily - Asia Garden changed their name. They are now known as New Asia. <BR> <BR>Frank - Asia Garden is probably the least expensive dim sum restaurant mentioned. <BR> <BR>However, there are some other great places in the City (outside of Chinatown). One is Mayflower Restaurant on Geary (a few blocks down from Ton Kiang). Both Mayflower and Ton Kiang tend to be quite crowded on the weekends. <BR> <BR>Some other good restaurants, right outside San Francisco, include Koi Palace (in Daly City - right off HWY 280), Fook Yuen (in Millbrae on El Camino Real), and Hong Kong Flower Lounge (in Millbrae, also on El Camino Real). These three are always packed on the weekends. <BR> <BR>Bon appetit.

We wouldn't think of going any other place for dim sum than Yank Sing on Battery St. Get there as soon as they open or phone for a reservation. There are a couple of additional Yank Sing locations in SF, but we haven't tried them. <BR> <BR>Enjoy!

I highly recommend the Wok Wiz tours of Chinatown (there's a website). The guides are fabulous, the tour is wonderful. There are several tours from which to choose - one includes a dim sum lunch, and then there's the "Eat your way through Chinatown" tour. We loved this!

Another vote for the Hong Kong Flower Garden Lounge in Millbrae, on El Camino Real. This can be combined with your trip to or from SFO, either arrival or departure. There is also a branch in the Richmond District, I think. I also highly recommend the Wok Wiz tours---walking tours of Chinatown and a dim sum lunch. Caveat---if it looks like chiken feet, chances are, it's chicken feet--an acquired taste, they tell me. Enjoy.

Chicken feet are yummy--it all depends on the sauce, however. If the sauce is no good, don't bother. <BR>Duck and goose feet are even better, especially when the webs are wrapped around a delicious stuffing. <BR>No, I'm not making this up. I have eaten (and enjoyed) more than my share of these tasty (albeit bony) morsels.

Here's another vote for Yank Sing.

Yank Sing is great albeit a little touristy for my taste. As a Dim Sum junkie, some of the best I have had anywhere is to be found at a little spot called Pearl City on Jackson, about 3/4 block from Grant. (Take a right on Jackson if you're entering the Chinatown gate on Grant. Jackson is a few blocks up.) <BR> <BR>It's definitely NOT a tourist stop. If you aren't Asian or Asian-American, you might just be the only non-Asian in the place, but the Dim Sum is spectacularly fresh and varied and the prices are great. I found it via a SF Chronicle food critic's article a few years back and have made it a regular lunch spot on every trip to SF since. I'm always amazed at how inexpensive my final bill is as I waddle out ot the restaurant stuffed. It's the real thing! (Judging from the large parties of Chinese-Americans at the big tables with Lazy Susans, the regular fare must be scrumptious too, although I stick to the Dim Sum with maybe a side of soup if anything. I promise you won't regret it!