Grade my restaurant lineup for this coming weekend

[robyn90068]

Driving up to North Beach from LA late Saturday and heading back late morning on Monday. Our tastes run toward the ethnic and unique. Plan to hit the following restaurants on our 48 hour food bender. Let me know if you'd sub or add anything else in:

Sunday AM Dim Sum:
Ton Kiang or Yank Sing (I know this is hotly contested...both sound touristy but I doubt we'll want to head out to Koi Palace after all that driving)

Lunch:
Burma Superstar for the green tea salad

Dinner:
Swan Oyster Bar

Monday Breakfast:
Dotties True Blue
OR
Mama's (on Washington Sq)

Thanks so much for weighing in...

[mlucier]

My vote is ALWAYS for Mama's. If you're set for Monday and Mama's isn't open, there's another place called Judy's on Chestnut and Pierce in the Marina. They have the same kind of fare, omlettes and pancakes, etc.

My vote is also for Ton Kiang. I'm not always a dim sum fan, but I remember their food being delicious.
Enjoy Northbeach!
Molly

[Problem Child]

Doesn't LA have better dim sums than SF?

[sgwood415]

I've had good dim sum in LA, but the only place I've had better dim sum than SF is in Hong Kong. I went to LA's Chinatown and found the dim sum there to be quite good, perhaps on par with Yank Sing. Ton Kiang is still the best I've had in California.

[Robert Lauriston]

What are your favorite items at Ton Kiang?

[PekoePeony]

If you go to Ton Kiang, you can get the tea leaf salad there (not exactly the same as at Burma Super Star but quite close and equally tasty), though BSS is a good option for dinner if you get more than the salad. Personally I also prefer Ton Kiang for dim sum over Yank Sing.

[sgwood415]

Mama's is closed on Mondays. It's worth going though if you can make it on another day.

[Robert Lauriston]

Yank Sing is consistently good. Nicer space than Ton Kiang, and after dim sum you can enjoy a nice walk along the bay and check out the Ferry Plaza a couple of blocks away.

[Doodleboomer]

dottie's for breakfast, always

[thirtyeyes]

Dim sum and then lunch might be a bit ambitious, no? Ton Kiang opens at 9am which might work, but Yank Sing doesn't open until 10am. BSS closes for lunch at 3:30 and doesn't re-open until 5. Oh, they're good choices, but I'd rather do Tadich Grill than Swan Oyster Depot. (both closed Sunday)

[adroit_minx]

Perhaps you can swap the Swan/Burma thing? Do Swan's for lunch, a bit lighter fare anyway (depending on what you order), and then max out at Burma SS for dinner... I assure you that once you see the menu, you'll want to try everything on it. As far as Monday breakfast goes, I think you can do better than either Dottie's or Mama's, strictly from a "good food" standpoint. But then again, it also depends on where you're staying.

[sfoperalover]

definately choose ton kiang...also, if you're staying in North Beach, you should have coffee at Cafe Trieste - it's a true neighborhppd place, despite the tourists who also go. best to go early.

[adroit_minx]

On the North Beach route, I'd also recommend Mario's Bohemian Cafe for lunch or brunch on Monday... not a breakfast place so don't know if that's gonna work for you, but it's a great "old" North Beach place to grab a bite, lots of local character.

[whiner]

I'm solidly in the Ton Kiang camp.

[margieco]

Swan's is closed on Sunday.

[Juliejf]

I think Ton Kiang is way better then Yank Sing, and cheaper. Burma Superstar is fabulous, but don't miss the felafel soup. It is fabulous. Also the mango salad.

Have fun!

[Jeni Bean]

It is samusa soup, I believe...

And it is the tea leaf salad, not green tea.

JB

[Robert Lauriston]

Samusa soup has chunks of falafel in it, right.

[foodseek]

Swan Oyster Bar does not serve dinner but it is open for lunch and serves to around 5:00, I believe.

[ML8000]

Indeed. Swan's really is a lunch place given the space and BSS is better for dinner..because they're open. If you're thinking of Swan's but want seafood for dinner, Tadich Grill might work.

[Robert Lauriston]

Swan Oyster Depot is open Mon.-Sat., 8am-5:30pm.