Hong Kong Lounge II is back as HK Lounge Bistro.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/hk-lounge-bistro-open-17781201.php
2 posts were split to a new topic: Silly words in restaurant names: threat or menace?
Finally got around to trying it and with the possible exception of the long-gone Harbor Village it was the best dim sum I’ve had outside of Vancouver. They take and honor reservations. They even have a pretty big selection of dim sum on the dinner menu. Thanks to Bill Addison for reminding me. Detailed report coming soon.
I’m not big on steamed bao, usually just take a bite if that, but I enjoyed one of these. Seemed less sweet and more porky than usual.
Different from the usual: beans were al dente, no blackening, and served with XO sauce, which they didn’t even mention on the menu. Excellent.
Duck and peanut: great. The wrappers were that sticky translucent kind. Also had some water chestnuts, nice mix of textures.
Great shrimp dumplings. Perfectly seasoned, don’t mindlessly splash soy sauce on these. I tried a drop of chile oil on one bite but they were better without.
Shrimp “toast” were great though I don’t think there was an actual slice of toast, just a good amount of breadcrumbs. Didn’t detect any truffle, which was fine. Fantastic and original.
Excellent siu mai.
Turnip cake was thicker and softer than usual. Great with the XO.
Beef chow fun was delicate and good. Reminded me of the venision chow fun at Yan’s place.
Pan-fried shrimp and chive were excellent.
Looking forward to going back and trying a bunch more things, maybe with some of the Abbazia di Novacella Kerner they have by the glass.
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Begoni Bistro in SF Chinatown. Almost everyone else was Chinese. Full at noon on Thursday, didn’t have to wait very long for a table for two.
salt & pepper wings: good
Pickled vegetable with shrimp & fish ball: delicate, good. Tasted like water rather than broth. Ate maybe four before remembering to take a picture.
XO sauce turnip cake: I thought these would be regular turnip cake but no. Kind of a mochi-like texture. Needed more XO sauce. Was better at home reheated with more XO sauce.
Taro cake: dry, too much taro.
BBQ pork noodle roll: very good.
Crispy green onion pancake: dry.
Sticky rice in lotus leaf: good.
Also had scallop and shrimp dumplings and egg tarts, both good, and chrysanthemum tea. Price seemed fair for the amount and quantity.
Harborview. Is this the same space where Harbor Village was years ago? Huge space. Pretty busy at noon on July 4 but got seated immediately. Warm day, sat outside.
Shrimp and pea shoot: really good but stuck to the paper and steamer.
Gai lan: excellent. Seemed like better than usual oyster sauce.
Siu mai: excellent.
Har gao: best I’ve had outside of Vancouver.
Turnip cake was as good as I’ve had. Taro dumplings almost as good as Yank Sing’s.
Glutinous rice and custard tarts were also excellent.
Surprisingly reasonable price given the quality’s on a par with Yank Sing and HK Lounge Bistro. Looking forward to going back soon.
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Went to Creek House in Walnut Creek because Luke Tsai enthused about it and compared it with Saigon Seafood Harbor (which I guess is not reopening?)
It was good and I’d go back if I were nearby and wanted dim sum, but it’s not worth a drive through the tunnel from Berkeley. I wouldn’t order the sugar-crusted buns again (anywhere) and the salt-and-pepper fried eggplant and green beans wasn’t very good (maybe the chef has changed since Tsai was there).
Solo lunch at HK Lounge Bistro.
Not what I’d call dan dan (beef was in big chunks) but a nice bowl of noodles.
Nice kang kung.
Turnip cake same as last time. Kerner was good.
Suggested tips on total with surcharge and tax. Nope.
Hacked Toto. Or do they sell them like this?
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Thanks for the intel on this spot. Was up in SF for the weekend and wanted to treat my hosts to dim sum a tad nicer than what they usually did. This was lovely. Really precise cooking and flavors, nice calm space.