looking for a Peninsula Hong Kong seafood place for Saturday night

[Sushi Monster]

The spouse has ordered me to find something so we're not driving aimlessly and in increasing desperation from one Chinese restaurant to another. (You'd be schocked the number of Chinese restaurants that are *not* open on Christmas!)

Who's got a solid go-to choice for Saturday dinner that's between Mountain View and San Mateo?

I'm thinking ABC Seafood in Foster City, with China Village in Belmont as a backup ...

Many thanks,

Sushi Monster.

[K K]

SM, where did you end up?

It is also worth noting that Diamond Harbor Seafood's sister deli store across the street, something like Diamond Harbor Won Ton House, has kept the Tai Wu won ton house menu. This smaller cafe/deli/eatery roasts their own Cantonese BBQ items in house (and not at the restaurant by the waterfront). Selection is smaller than that of Cheung Hing or Marina Food deli. While sit down/eat in dinner isn't anything to write home about, the takeout roast duck and cha siu (bbq pork), soy sauce chicken, are all very good and of course surpassing Marina Foods easily (I don't even want to mention the roast duck or pork at 99....the color alone makes me nauseous). Half a duck + half a pound of cha siu runs about $15, and they take credit cards. No need to drive to Cheung Hing in Millbrae, where I don't think the quality is holding up there either.

[Sushi Monster]

Heya K. Long time no lunch!

We ended up at ABC Seafood in Foster City, which was roaring busy in the front room. We were bumped to the back banquet room, which was empty and rather glum. Salt-and-pepper crab was a fine thing. The $12 abalone medallions were scored properly but still rubbery tough. Favorite dish of a half-dozen was actually dim sum at night: the scallop-and-shrimp dumplings. Yeah, I'm a Philistine who demands dim sum at any hour, not just 11:30 am on a Saturday.

Next time, next 12/25, R&G Seafood in Palo Alto for sure. Or one of the Millbrae HK powerhouses. This was a "just OK" meal at a $90 tab for two adults and a hungry 7-year-old.

My best to you and yours for a happy healthy 2011! We're overdue for some Akane time, brother.

Sushi Monster.

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Akane
250 3rd St, Los Altos, CA 94022

[vincentlo]

I'm sure you meant R&B in Palo Alto? They were closed on 12/24 and 12/25, and that was why I had to "settle" for Peking Duck. I was telling my best buddy how I was looking forward to the giant clams, lobster lo mein (believe it or not--I've never tried that at R&B), and the inexpensive live steamed striped bass at $12/lb. at R&B, only to get so disappointed in finding out they weren't open around Christmas.

[Melanie Wong]

You might consider Champagne Seafood or Yummy World, both in San Mateo. Have not had full on seafood dinner yet at Yumm World nor tried Champagne myself, but there are several posts on the board.

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Champagne Seafood Restaurant
88 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

Yummy World
2216 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94403

[K K]

+1 on Champagne....had dinner there during the summer with an out of town relative and the general execution was very good, although we didn't order any fresh from the tanks seafood. Zen Peninsula in Millbrae would be another place I would go and they have probably slightly more live seafood tanks than Champagne.

Hunan Garden last time I went was 9 years ago for a farewell lunch for a coworker, and one guy decided to get the Australian snow crab (that looked like a Star Wars Empire Strikes Back Imperial Scout Droid), all 5+ pounds of glory, garlic steamed and it was very well executed...but the rest of the stir fry stuff were ok to acceptable.

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Zen Peninsula
1180 El Camino Real, Millbrae, CA 94030

[Melanie Wong]

How would you compare Champagne Seafood with ABC Seafood? And has anyone been back to the place that took over Mr. Fong's space in Foster City?

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Champagne Seafood Restaurant
88 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

[K K]

Well ABC has been around a lot longer and to me suffers from a lot of inconsistency issues at least during dim sum lunches (this is especially the case with the newer downtown ABC Bakery Cafe in San Mateo, owned by the same group, where quality seems to have sloped downward since they opened). Haven't been there for dinner in over a year, but last time was not bad (ordered a whole fish, 2 way with creamy soup and steamed body, plus a stir fry and 2 bowls of rice).

Champagne...they are newer and while they seemingly tried to be like another Koi Palace at first, I think they've settled down on having their own identity. We tried a stir fried brown rice dish (the rice looked more like multi-grain to me) and even that came out stellar as the chef must have put in some superior stock. Sing Tao (local) Chinese newspaper's food critic praised the executive chef for his skills and experience (supposedly 20 years in Hong Kong and China combined). Even a simple dish of tofu with mixed mushrooms was done nicely, and the sauce was not the typical cornstarch thickened goop. Prices are definitely a notch or so higher than ABC, but perhaps not by too much on the regular items. I'd say I would pick Champagne over ABC.

Diamond Harbor (Mr Fong's replacement). Probably on par with or a slight notch below ABC overall. Last two times there for dinner....one was Chinese New Year's (within a day or two of) and the place was a packed mess. Practically every table ordered the CNY special set menu and quality really suffered, despite having multiple entrees that had specific CNY meaning (ie health, prosperity, longevity). The other dinner was good, but no wow.

Yummy World does not have live seafood tanks on display. Been there three times and while the food is good (and cheaper than Silver House) I'm sad to say the last time the service was so poor I will likely not go back there ever again, even though the food was acceptable (although major warning, I came back very thirsty, not a good sign). Would rather pay a little more and eat at the tried and true Silver House (Silver Lake across the street, is like a SF Sunset/Richmond neighborhood Cantonese, very very good value especially the , family run kind of place, but unfortunately it's another one of those walk out thirsty type of joints)

[mdg]

Does it have to be Hong Kong seafood, or more general Chinese?

Hunan Garden in Palo Alto is by far my first choice for Chinese in the Santa Clara County part of your geography. They have a lot of nice seafood dishes including crab preparations. The menu ranges much farther than Hunan, though they indeed have a wonderful hot and sour soup.

The closest Hong Kong seafood place I know in the county is the place in Sunnyvale on Lawrence, which is outside your geography.

I have no idea if these places are open on Christmas day, though.

Michael

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Hunan Garden
3345 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306

[Melanie Wong]

Fu Lam Mum in Mtn View and R & B Seafood in Palo Alto.

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Fu Lam Mum
246 Castro St, Mountain View, CA

Fu Lam Mum
155 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041

R & B Seafood
2209 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306

[vincentlo]

Peking Duck, which moved into Jade Palace's location next to the California Avenue Caltrain station, will be open during Christmas and New Year. I just hosted a 30-person banquet there last month, and it only cost $20 a head (including tax and gratuity). And Peking Duck was included! The food was spectacular. I wonder how good their dim sum is.

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Jade Palace
151 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306

[vincentlo]

Since R&B was closed last night, I went to have dinner with another friend at Peking Duck. Everything was great but a tad expensive. The place was packed, with over half of the customers non-Chinese--a bit surprising.

I asked the owner to surprise us with great dishes, after turning down his suggestion of ordering half a duck. We got two cold appetizers, the first was marinated wheat gluten with peanuts and fungus, and the second was deboned duck web with celery. Both tasted great, but I was a bit shocked at the end that each cost $8, especially for the wheat gluten.

The owner suggested the pea shoot soup with crab meat, something I've tried many times in their old location, always with satisfaction.

We then got sauteed string beans that had a little kick, and a deep-fried beef short rib dish with "gold sand" (fried garlic). There was a long wait at this point between the courses, but oh well the restaurant was packed...

I wasn't full at this point, and so I ordered their signature egg white dish Dragon & Phoenix.. Interestingly there was no longer any ham in this dish, and there were fewer shrimps--only five, I counted. Kinda stingy for a $15 dish.

The free dessert was your typical red bean soup. I usually applaud restaurants for their restraint of sugar in desserts, but this one really cried out for just a bit more sweetness.

The good news was they didn't charge us corkage for the sake we brought. The bad news was they charged $1.50 for each (albeit high-quality) bowl of rice. The bill came to $68 plus tip and tax. There were no leftovers. I thought that was just too expensive, especially for a Chinese meal with little seafood. Quality of the dishes throughout was high though.

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Peking Duck
151 S California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306

[Ruth Lafler]

The place was packed, with over half of the customers non-Chinese--a bit surprising.
************

Haven't you ever heard of Jewish Xmas? For that matter, I think the increasing awareness of this tradition (e.g. Elena Kagan mentioning it during her confirmation hearing) has inspired more non-Jewish Caucasians to go out for Chinese. After all, Chinese restaurants are specifically geared for family celebrations and are open on Xmas, when the other options are mostly expensive hotel restaurants or coffee shops.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-...

"Have yourself an Elena Kagan Christmas,
Pass the egg rolls, please.
Let's all have some kung pao shrimp with fresh snow peas."

[vincentlo]

The point is over *half* of the tables were non-Chinese. Have you ever been to an "authentic" Cantonese restaurant in Millbrae or Milpitas where this is the case?!

I also wonder if these folks that patronized Peking Duck on Christmas Day were Jade Palace or the old Peking Duck loyalists. At least it looks like Peking Duck will be doing fine in its current location for years to come, which is good news.

[Ruth Lafler]

My point is that non-Chinese people don't have as many non-Chinese choices on Xmas as they do other days, so it's not surprising (to me) that there would be many more than usual in a Chinese restaurant. Plus, this is Palo Alto, not Milpitas -- offhand I'd say this restaurant has more non-Chinese residents and many more Jewish residents within a five-mile radius than a restaurant in Milpitas.

[Melanie Wong]

In your first post you describe it as a good deal, then your second dinner is deemed too expensive. What did you order for the 30-person banquet?

William and I tried the new Peking Duck this summer, shortly after you mentioned the move/merger. Got an earful from the owner on why he had to move.

Beef shank cold appetizer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5296200708/

Duck soup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5296200706/

Lions head meatballs in broth
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5296200704/

Chewy rice balls in sweet osmanthus syrup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/5296200700/

We enjoyed the meal but haven't rushed back.

Last visit to Peking Duck (during the 2008 Olympics)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/551547

[vincentlo]

Ha sharp observation, Melanie. The recent banquet was indeed a phenomenal deal. I just let the owner Mr. Szeto (spelling?) pick the courses, but requested to include Peking Duck and walnut prawns for $20 per head, tip/tax included, for 4 tables of 10 each. I was really embarassed because at the end I could only fill 3 tables, and Mr. Szeto said he had to throw away some of the prepared dishes. Before they moved, they would never be able to include Peking Duck for that price quote, but somehow the owner found out I had organized the banquet at Su Hong Palo Alto over the summer instead of at their restaurant, and he became very accommodating.

That banquet included 9 or 10 dishes I think: some simple soup, Peking Duck, walnut prawns, a deep-fried fish course with many chili peppers (surprisingly one of the most popular dishes of the night), some stir-fried beef dish, barbecued pork buns (kinda strange in a Chinese dinner banquet), and two or three vegan/tofu dishes for the non-meat-eaters. I may have forgotten a dish or two. The overall quality was certainly much higher than the banquet I organized at Su Hong earlier in the summer.

So the banquet was $20 after tip/tax a head, and the dinner on Christmas Day was like $45. I guess that was the economy of scale at work!