Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (Sunnyvale, CA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 04:11:52 +0000

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.

Entrance of the Sunnyvale location.

Tofu Skin.

Xiu Mai.

Har Gow. Shrimp dumplings.

Cai Lan. Chinese broccoli.

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!

Rating: 4/5

Fung’s Kitchen (Chinatown, Houston, TX)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Mon, 04 May 2015 02:17:31 +0000

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.

Har Gow. Chicken Feet. Xiu Mai.

Steamed Sticky Rice with Mushroom and Pork.

Steamed Egg Custard Bun.

Xiu Mai Rice Noodle.

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!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

xiu mai – ChefsGirl

Saigon Seafood Harbor Restaurant (Sunnyvale, CA)

Fung’s Kitchen (Chinatown, Houston, TX)