YANK SING (SAN FRANCISCO, CA)

Yank Sing
49 Stevenson St
San Francisco, CA
www.yanksing.com
Tel: 415.541.4949
$$$ ($30-$45)
Cuisine: Dim Sum/Chinese
Sat, 03/26/2016, 1:30pm Walk-in
    (3.5 Piglets)

I love dim sum. I grew up eating dim sum nearly every weekend since I was a kid. It was something I looked forward to with my parents and something I still look forward to this day.

San Francisco is known to have good dim sum. Yank Sing, a James Beard Award winning restaurant is a very popular dim sum spot with two locations in SF, both in the Financial District. It is traditional in the sense that the Chinese ladies still push those carts filled with amazing little bites of food but modern due to the décor.

Yank Sing offers traditional dim sum dishes that range from feng Zhao (chicken feet) to siu mai (shrimp dumplings). Additionally, Yank Sing's employees speak English, which is a huge plus for those who don't speak Cantonese.

The push carts

Carts of delicious bites



Our fancy teapot!

SWEET RICE DUMPLING (4 PIECES-$11.00): Four delicious dumplings, fried crisp and filled with a slightly sweet and savory filling. There were sweet notes of cinnamon and licorice flavor like star anise. I thoroughly enjoyed the exterior as it was crisp and not overly sweet. 

A closer look at the interior

MY FAVORITE DISH. CHICKEN FEET ($5.50): I grew up eating these delectable little feet since I was a kid. I'm very particular when it comes to my chicken feet. I don't like it overly cartilage-y or fat skin (although that's what you basically eat). This feng zhao is actually pretty darn good. The sweet, bbq-like sauce coats every nook and cranny of the foot. I could eat these all day.

A closer look at the feng zhao

I basically ate the whole thing cause my friend wasn't interested in trying it! 

PEKING DUCK (BY THE SLICE) WITH BUN (1 ORDER-$6.55): I actually thought this was pretty good. It was quite small for $6.55, but the duck was delicious with a crisp skin that went well with the hoisen sauce. The bun was light and fluffy. A pretty good dish overall. 

CURRIED CHICKEN TURNOVER (2 FOR $5.50): This was probably my least favorite dish. The bun was pretty good and the bottom was fried crisp, but the filling was not my cup of tea. A simple savory chicken filling that was not very spectacular. I probably wouldn't order this dish again nor would my friend. 

SHANGHAI KUROBUTA PORK DUMPLING (6 FOR $14.00): The best kind of dumplings: xiao long bao. These were not that great. The texture was a bit off and the wrapping wasn't as chewy as I would have liked. If I want some xiao long bao, I'll just get some at Din Tai Fung. I believe they are opening one up in NorCal...

HONEY BAKED SEABASS ($20.55): So this is the most expensive dim sum item on the menu. It's good but the portion is quite small for $20. The fish was cooked perfectly, not overly done and definitely flaky. I did enjoy the flavors: a bit sweet from the honey with a caramelized undertone. If you wanna splurge, this is a good choice. 

Overall, Yank Sing is decent for dim sum but a bit overpriced for the dishes. It doesn't taste as authentic as other places I've tried. I appreciate the modernization and the variety of dishes that cannot be found at traditional dim sum spots. Considering the location and the cleanliness of the establishment, you get what you pay for.

Notable dishes: Chicken Feet, Peking Duck and Honey Baked Seabass