Hot Spot | Yank Sing Dim Sum

Hey friends! I had intended to share these pictures with you yesterday (while setting up this post on my bus to work I seriously considered whether there was any way to get steamed shrimp dumplings for breakfast. That's weird, right?) but the day got away from me, so now you get two posts in one day! Huzzah! My family and I routinely visit Yank Sing Dim Sum in Rincon Center near the Embarcadero. When I was younger, it was the central meeting spot for our extended family around the Bay to come lunch, discuss graduations and schooling and trips, celebrate birthdays, or just give a quick hug over a pork bun. Now that my parents live even closer to the city, it is almost a regular haunt - on this particular trip, we drove in on a whim for siu mai instead of burritos near their house. It's a little on the pricier side, so I haven't been here with friends (not to mention there are 15,000 dim sum places in the city left to try) but a trip to Yank Sing is still one of my favorite things to do in SF.

Have you ever had dim sum before? I hope so, it is a treat for your tastebuds! In case you haven't, the main idea is that you stay at your table and the servers come around with carts of steam baskets, show you what they have, and if you want something they leave it with you on the table. Easy as that! Also easy to rack up a decently sized bill, but, usually it's worth it.

My fam and I always start with soup dumplings (also known as Shanghai Dumplings): pork and herbs cooked inside a doughy wrapper with hot broth, so that when you bite the toasty morsel, broth spills into your mouth. It sounds strange to describe it, but it is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. I cannot wait to go to Shanghai Dumpling King in the Outer Richmond to try theirs!

They give you a red vinegar sauce to put on top of the dumpling bite which perfectly accents the broth's flavor. My family always has a little unspoken competition to see who can remove the dumpling from the steam basket without breaking the wrapper - guess who always wins? That's right. Moi. Told you I love these little suckers!

Then, we move on to the traditional fare: pork and shrimp siu mai (little steamed dumplings), spinach & chicken and mushroom dumplings, steamed shrimp dumplings ("Har Gow," my favorite!), and steamed pork buns. Sometimes my mom makes us order greens, like steamed spinach or broccoli, but I didn't feel compelled to photograph that. Go figure.

(top: chicken and mushroom dumplings, right: spinach dumplings, bottom: shrimp dumplings)

(bottom: pork and shrimp siu mai, top left: steamed pork buns)

And, of course, I make my parents end with the fried sesame balls. The servers cut them into halves so that the marzipan on the inside shows and everyone gets a little fried wrapper and a little almond marzipan paste! Or, you can be like me, and just eat an entire one by yourself. I won't judge.

If you feel like splurging they also have amazing seabass, roast duck, crab claws, and a variety of other plates on a traditional menu. If you feel like learning more about the different types of dim sum dishes, I found this article with really great explanations of each! If you feel like going to Yank Sing with me, just tell me when.

Have you ever been to Yank Sing? Do you have any other dim sum recommendations for me in the city? Let me know in the comments!