Pair Dim Sum with Tea at Shanghai Dumpling King
The waiter brought out a kettle of tea, but Nancy Togami waved him back, asking for just plain hot water. Carefully, she used her thermometer to check the water temperature. One hundred and eighty degree Fahrenheit, too cool to steep the Baochong and Phoenix Honey that she brought. But Nancy brought her own water too, which measured close to 200 degrees, so we used her water instead. I’ve never brought my own tea to a restaurant, but it makes sense: people bring their own wine to restaurants, and when you have good teas, there’s no reason to refrain from pairing them with good food. The dim sum at Shanghai Dumpling King proved to be perfect experiment material.
Without Nancy, I probably would never have known of this hole in the wall way out on the west side of San Fran, and probably too lazy to get here because it’s not 2 blocks away from the BART and I’d doubt the dim sum would be worth anything farther than that. Now, dim sum are good. You have to really suck as a cook to make ground meat in a piece of dough taste bad (it happens, though), and I crave potstickers and xiao long bao at least once every other night, but the gap between the potsticker in my head and the potsticker in my mouth always ended up bigger than my head, so I can’t comprehend it. There’s some kind of epiphany reaction I want to get from eating dim sum that I’ve never gotten. But I think today came really, really close. Because of a duck and two teas.
The duck set the mood. We stood in front of the restaurant before it opened, so they had to rush setting up things to let us in. We were the first customers of a Sunday. Few minutes after we placed our order, the guy strode out asking if we would like some duck, the kitchen just finished steaming one. Yes, of course, we said. Out came small chunks of legs and thighs in a simple white bowl with a sprig of coriander, the meat still pink, the skin moist in a sunglow shade. It’s not chewing gum and it doesn’t fall apart like cornmeal, it has all the right tenderness, the right juiciness, the right saltiness. I couldn’t pry any information from the waiter except that it’s steamed. But they must’ve put something in the water.
The Hung Zhou crab and pork dumpling (Hung Zhou xie ruo xiao long bao) and the Shanghai soup dumpling (Shang Hai xiao long bao) both contain half a spoon’s worth of broth. They’re the juiciest xiao long bao I’ve found anywhere, and the Hung Zhou xie ruo ones are packed with enough savory sweetness on their own that they don’t need the vinegar and soy dipping sauce.
We got too absorbed in the xiao long bao that we didn’t pair any tea until the seafood and tofu eggdrop soup and the Tian Jing go bu li bao (steamed wheat dumpling with pork, mushroom and rice noodle inside) came. One one hand, Baochong, a light Taiwanese oolong, accentuates the chive in the bao, and the bao intensifies the Baochong’s floral note, so the pair just blooms in your mouth.
On the other, Phoenix Honey is a stronger oolong with a roasty profile and a sweetness of lychee, which complements the soothing eggdrop soup.
The spicy pork dumpling (xian shui jiao) kicked us in the throat, although we asked for “not too spicy”, but Baochong can sooth the spark away. The pan fried chive and pork dumpling (jiu cai xian bing) and Baochong made another floral pair, similar to their steamed smaller brothers. Phoenix Honey brought forth the nuttiness of fresh-but-need-more-salt peashoots.
Soon we figured out the rules: lighter tea with more flavorful dumplings, darker tea with milder ones. The sesame mochi in hot water (zhi ma tang yuan) is bland outside and intensely sweet inside, so neither tea had a noticeable effect on it, but the Phoenix Honey added a nice roasty finish that spotlighted the nuttiness of sesame.
The restaurant before 10:30. Half an hour later we got people sitting back-to-back with us and a line spewing out of the door.
After eating here, I regained faith in dim sum. I can look pass the obnoxious name. The duck helped. And the teas helped a bunch. Infusion after infusion, they kept their flavors and washed clean the dumplings’ grease, which was surprisingly scarce to begin with. Nancy was worried that the restaurant might not like us brewing our own tea. But we were seated by the window, our table filled with bamboo baskets, I was aiming my camera at all kinds of angles, Ken helped me rearranging the plates for the pictures, and Nancy was drawing in the aroma of a fresh cup. Old Chinese ladies walking on the streets kept stopping to look at our table with unhidden interest. I think we made a good window display. At the end, before politely asking us to leave the table for another group waiting, our waiter commented with much pleasantry: “You guys drink tea!”
Address: Shanghai Dumpling King
3319 Balboa Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 387-2088
Big lunch for three: ~ $62
This post also appears on Tea & Mai.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
1Great post, I conceive website owners should larn a lot from this weblog its rattling user pleasant.
2Absolutely written content, thankyou for selective information.
3Thanks for another informative blog. Where else could I get that type of information written in such an ideal way? I’ve a project that I am just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
4you’re really a good webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterpiece. you’ve done a wonderful job on this topic!
5Hey there, You have done a fantastic job. I’ll definitely digg it and for my part suggest to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this website.
6Appreciate it for helping out, superb information.
7That is really fascinating, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to looking for extra of your fantastic post. Additionally, I have shared your website in my social networks!
8Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is simply spectacular and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
9Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It actually was once a leisure account it. Look complicated to more brought agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?
10You could definitely see your skills within the paintings you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
11Hello. remarkable job. I did not imagine this. This is a remarkable story. Thanks!
12Wow! Thank you! I always wanted to write on my site something like that. Can I include a portion of your post to my website?
13Good website! I really love how it is easy on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!
14Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.
15Thank you for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research on this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such excellent info being shared freely out there.
16I was curious if you ever considered changing the page layout of your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or 2 images. Maybe you could space it out better?
17Very interesting topic, regards for posting.
18Howdy, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you stop it, any plugin or anything you can recommend? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any assistance is very much appreciated.
19Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your put up is just nice and i could think you’re an expert on this subject. Fine together with your permission let me to grab your feed to stay updated with drawing close post. Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work.
20This design is incredible! You definitely know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
21Yay google is my king aided me to find this great web site! .
22I love it when people come together and share opinions, great blog, keep it up.
23Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You obviously know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
24great post, very informative. I’m wondering why the opposite specialists of this sector do not notice this. You must proceed your writing. I’m sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!
25Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website? My blog site is in the very same niche as yours and my visitors would really benefit from a lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this alright with you. Many thanks!
26It’s actually a nice and useful piece of information. I’m happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
27Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!
28This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
29hey there and thank you to your info – I’ve certainly picked up anything new from proper here. I did however expertise a few technical issues using this site, since I experienced to reload the website a lot of instances previous to I may just get it to load correctly. I have been wondering in case your web host is OK? Now not that I’m complaining, however sluggish loading circumstances instances will very frequently impact your placement in google and could harm your high quality ranking if advertising and ***********|advertising|advertising|advertising and *********** with Adwords. Anyway I am including this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective exciting content. Make sure you update this once more very soon..
30Howdy! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thank you so much!
31obviously like your web-site however you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very troublesome to tell the reality however I’ll definitely come again again.
32Its wonderful as your other posts : D, thankyou for posting.
33Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clarity for your publish is simply excellent and that i could assume you are a professional on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to clutch your RSS feed to stay updated with approaching post. Thank you 1,000,000 and please keep up the rewarding work.
34This really answered my problem, thank you!
35You made some nice points there. I did a search on the topic and found most persons will approve with your site.
36I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 certain. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
37I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an shakiness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
38Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
39Very interesting subject, thankyou for posting. “Welcome to President Bush, Mrs. Bush, and my fellow astronauts.” by Dan Quayle.
40Wonderful work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my web site . Thanks =)
41I just could not depart your site before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the usual information a person supply to your visitors? Is going to be back ceaselessly in order to check out new posts
42Hey would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a difficult time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!
43You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
44I am really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility issues? A small number of my blog audience have complained about my blog not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Opera. Do you have any recommendations to help fix this issue?
45Wow, awesome blog structure! How long have you been blogging for? you made running a blog glance easy. The full glance of your web site is wonderful, as well as the content!
46Lovely just what I was searching for.Thanks to the author for taking his time on this one.
47I intended to draft you this very small remark to help thank you the moment again for these pretty strategies you’ve featured in this case. This is quite remarkably open-handed with you to make extensively exactly what many individuals would have offered for an ebook to end up making some dough for their own end, primarily considering the fact that you might have tried it in the event you desired. The tactics additionally worked like the easy way to fully grasp most people have similar fervor just as my personal own to learn more and more concerning this condition. I’m sure there are lots of more pleasant moments in the future for folks who look into your site.
48I just could not depart your website prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard information a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back often to check up on new posts
49Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your site. You have some really good articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some content for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Regards!
50