Featured in AirTran Airways Inflight Magazine!featured

If you happen to be flying AirTran Airways this month, be sure to take a look through their inflight magazine, GO…and don’t be surprised if you see mah face!!!

Each month, GO features a different food blogger from a different city, and asks them to do a Top 5 round up of a specific dish that city is known for (ex: Best barbecue in Kansas City, or Best chowder in Boston). And, they asked yours truly to do a list of the Best Dim Sum in SF!

Here’s a link to my list, republished on GO’s site.

*** Disclaimer: Please pardon 1) the inordinately large photograph of my face – not sure why they made it so huge, and 2) the reference to our lovely city by the bay as “San Fran” – I’m sure their editor didn’t realize how much that nickname grates on the locals. ***

As many of you already know, dim sum is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. It is also something that folks in SF are fiercely passionate about, and discussions over where’s the best dim sum in town often lead to heated debates. So, to have to boil it down to a measly five places was not an easy task. I decided the best way to go about determining my top five was to narrow it down by dish. Here’s my unedited round up. Enjoy!

1. GOLDEN GATE BAKERY “This is a mecca for egg tart (dan tat) lovers. Devout worshippers line up out the door for a taste of these egg custard pastries with their creamy filling, flaky crust, and gentle price.” 1029 Grant Ave; 415-781-2627
2. YANK SING “Since 1958, under the watchful eye of three generations of the Chan family, this venerable, upscale, house of dim sum has delighted aficionados with signature dishes like Shanghai dumplings (xiao long bao), whose delicate wrappers burst with a mouthful of aromatic soup. In-the-know nine-to-fivers flock to Yank Sing 2 Go, the restaurant’s more affordable lunchtime takeout window.” Multiple locations: 101 Spear St (Rincon Center); 415-957-9300; 49 Stevenson Street; 415-541-4949; www.yanksing.com
3. S&T HONG KONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT “Quality dim sum at a great value, S&T is a local favorite. Be sure to try their shrimp noodle rolls (har cheung), succulent, sweet shrimp swaddled ever so gently in a silky sheet of rice noodle and drizzled with soy sauce.” 2578 Noriega St; 415-665-8338
4. GRANT PLACE RESTAURANT “If shrimp dumplings (har gow) is your game, make a beeline to this restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. The ubiquitous dim sum item is remarkably good here – savory and light, generously stuffed with whole shrimp, and a translucent wrapper with just the right amount of flavor, chew, and thickness (bypass the rest of the tourist-centric menu).” 737 Washington St; 415-982-3705; www.grantplacesf.com
5. TON KIANG “Steaming carts full of fragrant classic dim sum fare, like fluffy barbecue pork buns (char siu bau), and less common dishes, like egg custard rice cakes (nai wong siu ben), abound at the popular Ton Kiang. Their pan-fried shrimp and chive dumplings (gao choy gau) are also crowd-pleasers – fresh and plump, with a satisfying texture that’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.” 5821 Geary Blvd; 415-752-4440; www.tonkiang.net

Now, I know you all have opinions on what else should have made it to this list 😉 Please share! My tummy is always looking for some good dim sum.

And thanks again to GO Magazine for selecting me! The publication reaches over 1.8 million people per month, plus, I am ssstoked to be sharing a publication with Chris Rock.

GO Magazine, AirTran Airways Inflight Magazine (April 2010)