don't hit me-Dim Sum

[tattud_gurl]

I know it's a loaded question and so many diff opinions. I searched the board and didn't see anything recent, so I'm asking. Looking for inexpensive, in or out of Chinatown.

[benv]

In SF: Hong Kong Lounge
Outside SF: Koi Palace

Those are my two votes. Hong Kong Lounge is pretty standard price wise and like others have said, Koi Palace will be a bit more. Still depends what you order.

Yank Sing is for when my parents come to visit from out of town.

[Ridge]

Koi palace is not the most inexpensive dim sum but I would not characterize it as expensive. Just went for dim sum. Tab for 2 was $35. And we ate a ton of food and have takeout. While I don't like everything here (I hate the cloying coffee rib thing), for me the quality of the dim sum here is worth it and is the only Bay Area dim sum that approximates dim sum I have had in Asia.

[ChowDownSF]

You can find great dim sum in the Richmond/Clement street as well as on 9th & Irving! Yum

[Melanie Wong]

What dim sum place is at 9th & Irving?

[ChowDownSF]

Sorry It's actually on 9th & Judah. Very small, hole-in-the-wall place called Hing Wang. Between 8th & 9th ave. They have the best cha siu bao.

There's also Andy's on 9th but it's not as good in my opinion.

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks, not hip to Hing Wang
39 Judah St San Francisco, CA 94122
[phone]

It's cha siu bao are the best compared to whose?

Andy's is pretty awful, if that's the point of reference, so not difficult to be better.

[Dave MP]

I've tried a fried sesame ball filled with red bean from Hing Wang and it was good. Not too memorable, but definitely not bad.

I will try these char siu bao sometime very soon! Any sense of what time of day they get made? Would prefer to have a fresher one if possible

[ChowDownSF]

All I know is the earlier the better, as with any dim sum. Sorry I can't be more specific! I think they open at 7am though, if that helps :)

[Cindy]

Baked or steamed?

[ChowDownSF]

Both! I prefer the baked just as a personal preference

[Cindy]

Thanks. I prefer steamed, kids like baked (and as noted previously, baked buns freeze well and defrost nicely in school lunches by noon.)

[Dave MP]

I passed by at around 7:30 this morning (Friday) and they were indeed open. I didn't get a chance to try it, but I will very soon!

[Ridge]

Went to Koi Palace yesterday. It's the one Bay Area Dim sum place where the food measures up to Dim sum places I went to in Hong Kong and Taipei. Get there early on weekends since the lines are huge. Excellent XLB, fat delicious fried shrimp chive dumplings with a crispy seared wrapper, radish cake, congee and anything with XO sauce.

[Dave MP]

In Chinatown: Lai Hong Lounge is probably your best bet these days.

Out of Chinatown, but in SF: Hong Kong Lounge. I also used to like S&T on Noriega, but haven't been there in a very long time.

Out of SF: Koi Palace in Daly City (not super cheap but not super expensive depending on what you order), Hong Kong Flower Lounge in Millbrae. If East Bay is an option, then there are places in Oakland and Alameda too.

[Robert Lauriston]

Koi Palace is expensive, its prices are second only to Yank Sing.

[Dave MP]

I think it totally depends on what you order. Prices for basic dim sum at Koi Palace are as follows:

Small: $2.95
Medium: $3.95
Large: $4.95

Almost all of the classic dim sum items fit into one of these categories. I will admit that Koi Palace can end up being more since it's easy to get tempted into more exciting, expensive options....but I don't think eating here is that much more expensive than other places. It's very different from Yank Sing, where based on the menu I'm seeing on Menupages, every single item costs more than $4.50

[Robert Lauriston]

Many of the items on Menupages' Yank Sing list are double orders.

When i went to Koi Palace three years ago, only one dish was under $4.50.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/584326#5457265

The best dishes are so good that I'm sure you can eat well there if you go with a regular or maybe even if you just speak Chinese, but the last meal I had there (dinner) had so many problems that I doubt I'll ever go back.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7096...

[Dave MP]

The prices I quoted from Koi Palace are from their menu on their website, not Menupages.

You can see it here: http://www.koipalace.com/shell.html?p...

[Robert Lauriston]

Right, the Yank Sing menu's on Menupages.

[Windy]

I go to S&T often. It's very good. Haven't been impressed with Hong Kong Lounge on multiple visits.

Other good, inexpensive SF options away from downtown: Sea Garden on Ocean and Imperial Garden on San Bruno near Silver.

Koi Palace and Yank Sing are expensive. HK Flower Lounge in Millbrae is still my goto for higher end out if the city.

[abstractpoet]

During my last two visits to HK Flower Lounge, the service was so awful and the food just OK. I've crossed it off my list for the time being and am looking for a new go-to in that part of the Bay. Anyone else tried dim sum at South Sea Seafood Village lately?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6885...

How about Zen Peninsula? I haven't been there in years.

[Windy]

Asian Pearl is your best alternative near there.

I've been to Hong Kong Flower Lounge recently on a weekday and it was good (maybe not as good as at its peak, but pretty good).

I gave Hong Kong Lounge yet another try today and regretted it. Waiting in line 25 minutes for oversized greasy dumplings, poor service, no plates or cups cleared.

Everything there is fat: turnip cakes were pretty good but chive dumplings barely edible, torn wrappers, poorly fried. Sui mai should go on a diet. Pea shoots were overcooked and drowned in garlic.
Rice noodles in xo sauce were tasty but soggy rather than crispy.

No one ever asked if we wanted to order more, not that I did.