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Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)

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As the weekend approaches, I’m excited and embarrassed to share my latest discovery. Panda King Dim Sum has been around for years. I tried it years ago and my dim sum snootiness kept me from coming back. I would only enjoy dim sum when I’m traveling to Houston, San Jose, or other major diverse cities because there’s such a lack for authentic dim sum in NOLA. I decided to give it another shot and here’s what I’ve found…

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Fried Squid. (Like Calamari)

 

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Rice Noodle with Shrimp. 

 

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Pork Spare Ribs. Mushroom Sticky Rice. Shrimp and Pork Xiu Mai. Har Gow.

 

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Xiu Mai. Tofu Skin. Chicken Feet. Beef Tripe.

 

I am so surprised! The preparation and flavors for some items were slightly different but still very delicious. The Chicken Feet had more of a Szechuan flavor or seasoning, but I enjoyed it! The main room is the Fine Dining Room at Panda King, however, they expand into the buffet room on the weekends. Next time, I’m craving dim sum I won’t let my food snobbery get in the way because I really enjoyed everything and the service was pretty good! It’s no Din Tai Fung (Michelin star-rated dim sum), but it definitely satiates the craving! (By the way, DTF (Seattle) review coming very soon!)

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Panda King Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (Sunnyvale, CA)

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When I asked the locals for the best dim sum place, Saigon Seafood Harbor is the best around! It’s known for authenticity in food and in service… If you’re familiar with the asian food service industry, you’ll know it’s  subpar at best. There’s an ongoing joke in my family about one time when we requested 3-4 xiu mai trays for our 6+ person table. The waiter replied “Later! Later!” because they wanted to accommodate other tables also so we could only have one. Never in the history of my restaurant going have I ever been so blatantly ignored. Since then, we’ve learned that going really early in the morning or at slower hours of the day, you’ll get better service and as many orders of xiu mais your little heart desires.

 

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Entrance of the Sunnyvale location. 

 

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Tofu Skin.

 

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Xiu Mai. 

 

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Har Gow. Shrimp dumplings.

 

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Cai Lan. Chinese broccoli.

 

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Roasted Duck. 

 

My favorites are the xiu mai, tofu skin, taro puff, xiu mai rice noodles, and cai lan. These are my usual must-haves when I order dim sum. We also ordered the Roasted Duck and that was delicious. It was seasoned perfectly and had a nice crispy skin. If you’re looking for dim sum in the area, I would highly recommend Saigon Harbor Seafood Restaurant. Just be sure to avoid primetime hours for quicker and more polite service!

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Rating: 4/5
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Fung’s Kitchen (Chinatown, Houston, TX)

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In a recent family trip to Houston, Texas, what better cuisine to feed the family than dim sum? During my time in Houston, Fung’s Kitchen was my favorite place for dim sum. The quality is the best and the offer a wide variety of options. For those who haven’t had dim sum, it is a Chinese family breakfast and lunch option where servers push carts of a variety of steamed trays. Each tray is priced a la carte and each server will stamp your card as you order to keep track.

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Har Gow. Chicken Feet. Xiu Mai. 

 

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Steamed Sticky Rice with Mushroom and Pork. 

 

 

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Steamed Egg Custard Bun. 

 

 

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Xiu Mai Rice Noodle. 

 

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Shrimp Rice Noodle. 

 

The staple dim sum dishes are the rice noodles, xiu mai, har gow, and when you’re ready for it…chicken feet. Chicken feet is considered a dim sum delicacy. Fung’s Kitchen has THE best. It has the perfect balance of flavor, but only order whenever you’re ready for it. There is an off-the-menu item, which I don’t know the Chinese name of but I order directly through the waitress. It’s called “The Rice Noodle with the Crunchy Stuff, Shrimp, and Chives”. They used to offer it every day, but now they no longer offer it on busy days or weekends. It’s my favorite rice noodle dish though so be sure to order it if you’re there on a weekday. Another item that I love at Fung’s Kitchen is more of a dessert option: Egg Custard Steamed Bun. It’s a moist sweet bun filled with ooey gooey goodness.

For those who are new to dim sum, you may be subject to all sorts of new and interested tastes and textures. Once I took my friend here for the first time, she was weary at first but began craving dim sum every Sunday for the next few years we were both in Houston. It’s that good!

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Fung's Kitchen on Urbanspoon

 




Yank Sing (San Francisco, CA)

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Yank Sing is a fine dining Chinese restaurant that serves dim sum, which an assortment of steamed dumplings and side dishes. It’s very well-known and has recognition from the James Beard Foundation: http://www.yanksing.com/about-us/reviews/james_beard_09.html

At first glance to people who are unfamiliar with dim sum, it may seem strange as a breakfast/brunch option. Don’t worry, you’ll crave it for breakfast soon enough. It’s the perfect meal to bring families and friends together. It’s shared family-style so it’s no wonder large families gather for dim sum every Sunday! The dim sum at Yank Sing can be a bit pricey, but I’d pay for the quality and freshness that they put out. They also have a superb wait staff as compared to other more homey dim sum restaurants. I have nothing against the classic, small, hole-in-the-walls, but I don’t mind the extra customer service and food quality that Yank Sing offers.

Yank Sing has two locations and during my short trip to SF, I went to both…

 

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Soup Dumplings.

 

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Tofu Skin. 

 

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Xiu Mai.

 

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Savory Taro Puff. 

 

 

 

 

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Har Gow.

 

 

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Cheers!

 

The two locations are: the Spear St. location and the Stevenson St.. The Spear St. location is within a business building food court and it’s very nice. The Stevenson location is smaller and not as popular so you may not see as long of a line, but there will still be a wait. Food is consistent between the two.

So were there any notable dishes? Absolutely. The Soup dumplings. I first discovered these Chinese delights in NYC’s Joe Shanghai restaurant. It’s well-known for their soup dumplings and I can still taste my first bite. Unfortunately, New Orleans has no such thing, but I’ve discovered them in major cities like Houston and more recently in San Francisco. Yank Sing has one of the best soup dumplings I have ever had. The dumpling casing is so delicate and very similar to a won-ton. It holds the perfect temperature of soup and dumpling within. Once it’s in your mouth, it just melts…Be sure to add the ginger and red vinegar. It balances the flavors so well. It can be an acquired taste so start with just a touch!

Overall, excellent food and service.

Yes, the dim sum prices are pretty steep, but it’s worth a try! Honestly, I would just go to Yank Sing for a few orders of Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) and some tea. That would be the perfect meal right about now on this Sunday morning…

Foodie Tip: Get there earlier in the day for soup dumplings. They’ll run out if you’re too late!

 

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Rating: 4.5/5
Yank Sing on Urbanspoon
Yank Sing on Urbanspoon

Super Star Asian (Southwest Denver)

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Have you ever had Dim Sum? What is it? Well, dim sum is a Cantonese cuisine, which consists of small, steamed dumplings that are commonly served during breakfast or lunch time. These delicious dumplings are then pushed out by waitresses on small carts to you so that you can pick and choose which dishes you would like. I’ve had my fair share of dim sum so here are a few of my favorites…

 

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Being an area with such a small asian community, I was quite surprised at how great Colorado dim sum can be! Definitely “Super Star” dim sum!! Great flavor steamed to perfection.

Must orders are Xiu Mai, Har Cao, Tofu skin, Steamed Rice, and Rice noodles with BBQ pork. Honestly, I just pick what looks good, when it comes around. Not pictured is the Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce. Gotta have some green!

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Super Star Asian on Urbanspoon