GOAT CITY: REFLECTIONS ON fOOD

Today's SFGate has an article about Yank Sing, a dim sum restaurant in the financial district that some locals sneer at because it's a bit higher price than many dimsummeries, and has a bougie ambiance. I do not sneer. I appreciate it for what it is. A welcome boat in a storm, an emergency room in the middle of a battlefield, and damned fine place to have a civilized lunch. I have eaten fabulously well there.

Consider the options: do I want to risk foodpoisoning at a hipster burrito chain that's had a health scandal half a dozen times in fifteen years, or dig into some excellent dim sum? Should I go stand in line at a salad joint that charges fancy prices for artistically presented rabbit food, or dig into some excellent dim sum? Do I want to surround myself by yuppies swilling very mediocre cappucinos with their toasted mediterranean eggplant sammiches while yakking on their cellphones, or dig into some excellent dim sum?


Do I want a splendid carnitas burrito with salsa picante regular rice no beans at a taco truck, freshly made by someone who still doesn't speak English after TWO WHOLE MONTHS in the States, or dig into some purely excellent dim sum?

Actually, both of those options sound fine.


一盅兩件
"One tea steeping and two items" (describes the perfect lunch, in Central).


Every single time I've gone to Yank Sing I've had a wonderful time. There should be large sign outside the place with a huge red cross indicating that restorative life saving treatment is offered within. If you've read more than a few of my little scribbles on this blog, you realize that I speak passable Cantonese and tend to eat Chinese food a lot, and that I hang out in Chinatown often, because it's sort of my home neighborhood. And also, as a typical Dutch cheapskate, I don't like spending money. But I like Yank Sing, and recognize that they do a fine job and offer lovely altenatives, even if you can escape the Financial District and eat elsewhere.

If your skeevy cousins from New York are in town, go have Thai.

When your favourite elderly uncle from Vancouver visits, go have some excellent dim sum. Heck, take the day off and drive him and the brood all over, visit Golden Gate Park, the museums, and the bridge. But have some excellent dim sum at Yank Sing first.
I rather wish they were within walking distance of where I usually hang out.
But there are some nice alleyways nearby where one can smoke.


YANK SING
49 Stevenson Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-541-4949


That's easy walking distance from the old office, and where the pipe and cigar crowd used to hang about around lunch time. As well as where a good taco truck was parked. Near Market Street and the Montgomery BART station. Two blocks from a Peet's, if you needed real coffee instead of that Seattle yuppie slop.

The only reason for the pipe illustration above is that I've had it longer than dim sum. Bought it while I was still a student. It's an excellent smoker, and I'll probably have it with me the next time I have dim sum. It will be a splendid afternoon.
Lazy. Golden. Well-spent.



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THE IMPORTANT STUFF

Having some business in the financial district today, I also went to Chinatown to stock up on the necessities. Which are, in order of importance, hot sauce, coffee, a bag of cane sugar, a box of individually wrapped Happy Moment Choco Pies, a pack of Camel straights, plus freshly made snackipoos from a dim sum place that was still open.

These are survival supplies.
Bare minimum.


SNACKIPOOS!

Steamed riceflour noodle roll with cilantro, pot stickers, shrimp bonnets, and glutinous rice packed around chunks of pork, a salt egg, a slice of sausage for fragrance, and peanuts, wrapped in a bamboo leaf and steamed for several few hours.
Respectively: 芫茜腸粉 ('yuen sai cheung fan'), 鍋貼 ('wo tip'), 蝦餃 ('haa gaau'), and 粽 ('jung').

Because my apartment mate's original ancestral language is Toishanese, she pronounces all of those funny; that last one mentioned (粽), in her parents' native tongue, comes out as 'doooong'.
And she says I sound weird.

One thing I've noticed is that if people were born here and grew up speaking English, they can't understand a thing I say, but if they're immigrants who find English hard, there's no problem whatsoever and dang, I speak good!

The folks who run the dim sum place are Toishanese and understand me perfectly well. But their kids prefer it when I speak English.


When I got home I gave some of the dim sum items to my landlady.
They were very well received.


Normally I'd smoke a pipe after eating in C'town, but it's cold and windy, and kind of depressing these days because so many of my favourite places are closed until life returns to normal -- maybe even forever -- and I just bought stuff, didn't have lunch. So after eating at home I went out for a walk in the area near the apartment. Which is also closed and nearly void of people, but that's much easier to deal with. Smoked one of the pipes I restored a few years ago, which despite the abuse it had received before, turned into a exceptionally decent smoker once it got treated right.

No-name pot

I've mixed up some more of my own tobacco blend to smoke. Should have enough of this to last me till way beyond the time when I'll need to buy hot sauce, coffee, and sugar again. Obviously I'll need dim sum much earlier, as well as those individually wrapped snacks, or an assortment of cookies and dry biscuits, and I'm glad to see that at least three of the stores with fresh vegetables are still open for business.

I miss hanging out in Chinatown on my days off.
Coffee shops, bakeries, chachanteng.
Feisty old men smoking.
Happy noise.

TOBACCO INDEX


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CENTRAL DISTRICT EATING: THREE CHAMPIONS — 中環區的食坊三狀元

Though very modern, Central District  (中環 'jung waan') is a pleasant place early in the morning, when the sun is just up and the first light slants in to hit the buildings. It's nearly empty compared to mid-day, when the area is abuzz with people. Down near the Admiralty (金鐘 'gam jung') there is hardly any traffic. Autumn is probably the best time.
After strolling around, you might be peckish.
Esurient, even.


The Old Bank of China Building (中國銀行大廈 'jung gwok ngan hong daai haa'), located where Queensway / Queens Road (皇后大道 'wong hau daai dou') splits off into Des Voeux (德輔道 'dak fu dou') is a rather splendid edifice. It faces Chater Gardens (遮打花園 'che-daa faa-yuen') across the street, where Falun Gong (法輪功) rioted a few years ago. It is no longer the company headquarters, but merely a satellite. Still, it's imposing, and a suitable venue for an upscale establishment serving dim sum and jook. Which will cost significantly more than the Bay Area's finest Cantonese brunch.

About eighty dollars per person.

Yes, it's worth it.


中國會 ['JUNG GWOK WUI'] THE CHINA CLUB
13 Floor, Old Bank of China Building
Des Voeux Road No. 2A, Central District.
中環，德輔道2A，中國銀行大廈 13樓。

鎮江焗肉排 Spareribs braised with red vinegar.
香茜叉燒腸粉 Cilantro charsiu sheet noodle.
豆腐花 Silken tofu with sago and syrup.
脆皮炸子雞 Crispy skin fried chicken.
紅燒牛肋骨 Red-stewed beef ribs.
小籠包 Shanghai soup dumplings.
蟹子蒸燒賣 Crab meat siu-mai.
北京片皮鴨 Peking duck.
Etcetera.

I doubt that today's students parked out in the protests on Queensway have ever eaten there, though. It's a private club. And jayzus do they expect you to be properly dressed.

But not far away, and a pleasant walk before it gets hot, are a number of fine establishments well worth visiting, and considerably more affordable.

Head west on Des Voeux Road. You'll pass some great shopping till you get to Aberdeen Street, which is where you need to turn left and go up the steps one block to the corner of Wellington Street.
There's a very nice dimsummery here.


蓮香樓 ['LIN HEUNG LAU'] LIN HEUNG TEA HOUSE
160-164 Wellington Street,
Central District.
中環，威靈頓街160-164號。

Totally worth it. Expect to spend about twenty dollars U.S. per person, be prepared to wait during busy hours (so best come early), and bring an appetite and a foodie attitude. Some patrons don't wait for the carts to wheel around, but hijack them when they've barely left the kitchen. Yes, you can also order a la carte.

All the dim sum offerings you expect, and more.
Ain't gonna bother listing them.
It's a madhouse.
Eat!

By the way: they also still have spittoons, so it's a bit old-fashioned.

College students may be inclined to live a bit more wildly.

Dim sum for breakfast can be a bit much.

And you need a crowd.


If you are eating on the go, and never-the-less want to have a fun meal, do something different.

Cross Wellington, and continue up Aberdeen to Gough, turn right, and go one more block to Mee Lun Street. You will now be in front of some of the finest snackipoos in Hong Kong. Cheap, too.
Yep. It's a food stall. No airconditioning offered, or even possible.
The electric fan might be on. Or not.
Outdoor dining.

沒錯，這是一個大排檔。


勝香園 SING HEUNG YUEN
2 Mei Lun Street, Central District.
中環，美輪街2號。


鮮茄牛肉午餐肉煎蛋通粉 Macaroni with fried egg and luncheon meat in tomato sauce.
蕃茄腸仔餐肉麵 Frank and luncheon meat tomato sauce noodles.
超級大雜匯蕃茄湯通粉 House special tomato noodle soup with darned well everything.
奶油脆脆 Hot buttered crispy buns with drizzled condensed milk.
檸蜜脆脆 Crispy lemon curd toasted buns.
豬扒脆脆 Pork cutlet toasted sandwich.
鹹檸七 Salt plum and lemon seven-up.
港式奶茶 Hong Gong style milk-tea.
And other delights.

You'll be eating with local folks at this place.
They're known for tomato soup and tomato sauce, which are made fresh with real tomatoes. That's why people come here.

[EXPLICATA -- 鮮 ('sin'): fresh. 茄 ('ke'): tomato, properly called 番茄 ('faan ke'). 牛肉 ('ngau yiuk'): beef. 午餐肉 ('ng chan yiuk') luncheon meat. 煎蛋 ('jin daan'): fried egg. 通粉 ('tung fan'): macaroni ("tube pasta"). 腸仔 ('cheung jai'): little sausage, hot dog. 麵 ('min'): noodles, usually meaning wheat noodles. 超級 ('chiu kap'): super, ultra, high rank; house special in this context. 大雜匯 ('daai jaap wui'): "great miscellaneous convergence"; darned well everything. 湯 ('tong'): soup. 奶油 ('naai yau'): butter. 脆脆 ('cheui-cheui'): ooh crispy crispy! 檸蜜 ('ning mat'): lemon honey. 豬扒 ('chyu baa'): pork cutlet. 鹹 ('haam'): salty. 港式奶茶 ('gong sik naai chaa'): Hong Kong style milk tea.]


Please note two things: Hong Kong natives call their toasted buns 'buttered pig' (奶油豬 'naai yau chyu'), and you can get a frankfurter (腸仔 'cheung jai') added to almost anything you want.



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DIM SUM RESTAURANTS IN SAN FRANCISCO

Pursuant the recent post which listed a huge number of dim sum items in Chinese and English it might be worthwhile to also mention some dim sum places in San Francisco that deserve your attention.


多好茶室 DOL HO
808 Pacific Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-392-2828

Just up from Stockton Street, opposite 'Great Wall Ginseng and Herbs' (長城參茸海味藥材行).

This place is one of the Chinatown standards, and is known affectionately as ‘the place with lots of old people’, referring to the customers. They are well-known for pots of black bean spareribs and rice. Their dim sum is good. Fastidious out-of-towners will probably not enter.
I’m fond of the place, probably because I thoroughly enjoy both the food and the bare bones ambiance.
Very affordable.
Go here with a friend and the newspaper. After the rush is over you can dawdle a bit.


城景 CITY VIEW RESTAURANT
662 Commercial Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-398-2838

Between Kearny and Montgomery Streets, opposite 'New Hong Kong Menu' (旺角偉記), just around the corner from East West Bank (華美銀行), which is in the old headquarters building of Bank of Canton of California (加州廣東銀行), which was subsumed into United Commercial Bank (聯合銀行).

Close enough to the financial district, yet far enough away from where the suburbanites prefer to eat that you won’t be bothered by some ignoramus acting all petulant. Most of the time. But that’s okay, what they won’t eat, you will.
Good food, good prices. Excellent siu mai and lo mai kai.


香雅茶室 (香雅甜品茶室) HANG AH TEAROOM
1 Hang Ah Alley
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-982-5686

Near the YMCA (基督教青年會) on Sacramento Street, down from Stockton.

One of the oldest dim sum places in Chinatown. Famous, but with a somewhat more limited menu than others, and no trolleys.
Many people remember eating there with their family members when they still lived in the neighborhood. It’s very hometown.
It has some classics, and decent charsiu bau.


羊城茶室 YANK SING
49 Stevenson Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-541-4949

Opposite no. 1 Ecker Place, in between Market and Mission Street.

Mention this restaurant and many Chinese will squawk up a storm. Too expensive! Hah, the nerve!
And as ‘expensive’ almost automatically means ‘no good’, some will sneer that the food is not what you want, and that they must cater primarily to white people. Which, during the workweek, is somewhat accurate.
Clean, good service, quality, and hence more expensive than most.
On weekends it is filled with Chinese families.
Except for the occasion when I ate at Yank Sing with white people, when they were on Battery Street back in the eighties, I’ve had no bad experiences here. The food is at times out-standing.
Some of the dim sum at Yank Sing you will not find elsewhere in San Francisco.
Pricewise, it's an excellent choice if your company is paying for lunch.


粵凱海鮮大酒樓 CANTON SEAFOOD & DIM SUM HOUSE
655 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-495-3064

Right across the street from the U. S. Passport Office.

Decent food. They pride themselves on their fish dishes, so it would be worthwhile to go there for dinner. The daytime dim sum selection sometimes leaves something to be desired, but they have all the standard items, and there is plenty of parking nearby. Which is why families pack this place on weekends.


東江飯店 TON KIANG RESTAURANT
5821 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94121.
415-752-4440

Between 22nd Avenue and 23rd Avenue; there's a big religious edifice in the next block opposite.

Dim sum till early afternoon, Hakka food after that. Some people bellyache about the prices. The prices are reasonable, so those people should probably go back to Oakland.
It gets crowded.
Yeah, often it seems like white folks central. But there are an awful lot of them living in the vicinity.


鯉魚門海鮮茶寮 KOI PALACE
365 Gellert Boulevard
Daly City, CA 94015
650-992-9000

In a shopping centre with tons of parking, at Hickey Boulevard and the Junipero Serra Freeway.

Delicious. Unfortunately, it's located in Daly City. Which isn't Chinatown.
New spins on some dishes, but many of the old classics, and super chicken feet.
You will not find me eating here often - too many Philippinos and white people.
I can get happy in C'town for far less, without putting up with any part of Daly City.



AFTER WORD

Many people will complain about the service during peak hours at dim sum places. But realistically, what do you expect?  Teahouses are jampacked from morning till around noon, then it abruptly peters off. When every seat is occupied the service necessarily isn't top notch.
Some people sneer that if there are lots of white folks eating there the food cannot be good. That is, plainly put, quite illogical.  If the place is packed with people scarfing down food, there's something going on that merits your attention.

I'll be the first to admit that a surfeit of Caucasians is suspicious - but in a San Francisco dim sum place?
Have you EVER seen anyone demanding sweet and sour pork or shrimp-fried rice at a teahouse during peak hours?   And do you really think that poor-taste people will flock to a joint where the wait staff have neither the time NOR the linguistic talent to explain the specialties?

The ambiance of a popular teahouse is frenzied - customers flock in desperate for tasty snackipoos before the good stuff runs out, "we need to sit down NOW all fifteen of us, oh look there's a cart coming out of the kitchen let us wave at it frantically", plus there are frazzled staff who are brusque and far too busy to engage in a long conversation. Likely there may also be some old geezers reading their newspaper and stubbornly taking up valuable space, as well as a few children running around uncontrolled.

Really, a good dim sum place will be a madhouse for a few hours.
That's why you're there.



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DIM SUM: KINDS, NAMES, PRONUNCIAT​ION, DESCRIPTIO​N

In the past I've described some of the snacks which may be found in Chinatown tea houses.  It seems worthwhile to present a fuller list, especially as some people might not realize the variety that can be had.
And now that someone I know is going to be in Hong Kong in another week or two, it is particularly appropriate to provide an overview.
I encourage him to gain several pounds in a city which more than any other counts as 'dim sum central'.

If any other readers also find it useful, so much the better.
Feel free to copy and print it out.

This list is organized more or less in the order that it would occur on a printed menu.  Which is usually not how you would run across these items; they're either wheeled around in carts by waitresses exploding out of the kitchen, OR presented in steam trays at small eateries.
And please note that some dishes are listed with several variant names.

點心 DIM SUM

1. 鹹蒸點 (haahm tsing dim)
Steamed savoury dishes

上海小龍飽 (seung hoi siu lung bau): Shanghai-style pork-soup dumplings.
五香糯米卷 (ng heung no mai kuen) five spice meat filled glutinous rice rolls.
四寶滑鷄紮 (sei bou gwat kai ja) four treasure chicken bundle - chicken and vegetables wrapped in beancurd skin.
小籠包 (siu lung bau): Shanghai-style pork-soup dumplings.
柱侯金錢肚 (chyu hou kam chin tou) tripe cooked with chu hou paste (soy, garlic, ginger).
柱候炆牛雜 (chyu hau man ngau jap): stewed beef tripe with turnip and chu hou paste.
棉花雞 (min fa kai): steamed chicken with fish maw.
椒絲牛柏葉 (jiu si ngau bak yip): steamed tripe with ginger and spring onion.
淮山滑雞札 (wai san gwat kai jaat): steamed chicken bundles.
滑雞絲粉卷 (gwat kai si fan kuen): chicken rice roll.
潮州粉果 (chiu chau fan gwo): Chiu Chow steamed dumplings.
潮州蒸粉果 (chiu chau tsing fan gwo): Chiu Chow steamed dumplings.
灌湯餃 (gun tong gau): soup dumplings.
煎鴨絲卷 (tsin ngaap si kuen): fried shredded duck roll.
燒賣 (siu mai): steamed shrimp and pork dumplings.
爽滑捲粉 (song gwat kuen fan) fresh moist folded rice-sheet noodle.
爽滑鮮蝦腸 (sou gwat sin haa cheung) steamed shrimp rice-sheet noodle.
珍寶糯米雞 (tsan pou no mai kai): lotus leaf wrapped glutinous rice and chicken.
珍珠雞 (tsan jyu kai): mini glutinous rice chicken in lotus leaf.
筍尖鮮蝦餃 (sun tsim sin haa gau): shrimp and bamboo tips dumplings.
糯米雞 (no mai kai): lotus leaf wrapped glutinous rice and chicken.
糯米飽 (nuo mai baau): steamed glutinous rice ball with chopped Chinese sausage and mushrooms inside.
腐皮捲 (fu pei kuen): stuffed tofu skin roll.
腐皮海鮮捲 (fu pei hoi sin kuen) beancurd skin seafood roll
腿蓉魚翅餃 (tui yong yu chi gau) minced ham "sharkfin" (ridged) dumpling.
蒜茸蒸魷魚 (suen yong tsing yau yu): steamed squid with garlic.
蒸素粉果 (tsing sou fan gwo): steamed vegetarian dumplings.
蒸蘿蔔糕 (tsing lo bok gou): steamed turnip cake.
薑蔥牛柏葉 (keung tsong ngau bak yip): beef tripe with ginger and scallion.
蘆尖鮮蝦餃 (lou tsim sin haa gau): shrimp and bamboo tips dumplings.
蝦餃 (haa gau): shrimp bonnets.
螢黄燒賣 (ying wong siu mai) pork and crab siu mai
蟹王干蒸燒賣 (hai wong gon tsing siu mai): pork and crab sui mai.
蟹皇鳳眼餃 (hai wong fung ngaan gau) crab roe "phoenix eye" dumpling (top has four vents).
蟹粉小籠包 (hai fan siu lung baau): Shanghai steamed pork and crab meat dumplings
蟹黃蒸燒賣 (hai wong tsing siu mai) pork and crab fat sui mai.
蠔油叉燒飽 (ho yau cha siu bau): steamed charsiu bun flavoured with oyster sauce.
蠔油鮮竹捲 (ho yau sin chuk kuen) oyster sauce meat-stuffed beancurd skin rolls.
豉椒蒸肉排 (si jiu tsing pai gwat): steamed spareribs with black bean sauce.
豉椒蒸鳳爪 (si jiu tsing fung jau): steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce.
豉椒金錢肚 (si chiu kam chin tou) chili and blackbean sauce honeycomb tripe.
豉汁蒸排骨 (si jap tsing pai gwat): steamed spareribs with black bean sauce.
豉汁蒸魚雲 (si jap tsing yu wun): steamed fish head with black bean sauce.
豉汁蒸鳳爪 (si jap tsing fung jau): steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce.
金錢肚  (kam chin tou) honeycomb tripe, usually marinated and steamed.
雞扎 (kai chat): steamed beancurd sheet roll with chicken meat.
雞粒魚翅餃 (kai lahp yu chi gau): chicken shark fin dumplings.
雞絲粉卷 (kai si fan kuen): steamed rice flour roll with shredded chicken.
雞飽仔 (kai bau chai): smaller steamed chicken bun.
香茜牛肉丸 (heung sai ngau yiuk yuen): steamed beef meat balls with coriander.
香茜牛肉球 (heung sai ngau yiuk kau): steamed beef meat balls with coriander.
韭菜餃 (gau choi gaau): chive pockets.
鬆化叉燒酥 (song fa cha siu sou): flaky charsiu roll.
魚卵燒賣 (yu lun siu mai) fish roe siu mai.
魚翅餃 (yu chi gau) the so-called sharkfin dumpling: a large steamed dumpling with a ruffled seam on top that looks like a shark fin rippling through the water.
鮮竹卷 (sin chuk kuen): meat-filled steamed beancurd skin roll.
鮮竹捲 (sin chuk kuen) meat-filled steamed beancurd skin roll.
鮮竹蒸石斑魚球 (sin chuk tsing sek pan yu kau): steamed fish balls.
鮮蝦帶子餃 (sin haa tai ji gau): scallop and shrimp dumplings.
鮮蝦蒸粉粿 (sin haa tsing fan gwo) fresh shrimp steamed translucent skin dumpling.
鮮蝦韮菜餃 (sin haa gau choi gau): steamed chive dumplings.
鮮蝦魚翅餃 (sin haa yu chi gau) minced shrimp "sharkfin" (ridged) dumpling.
鮮蝦鳳眼餃 (sin haa fung ngaan gau) fresh shrimp "phoenix eye" dumpling (top has four vents).
鳳爪 (fung jau): Chicken feet deep fried for texture, boiled for tenderness, sauced, and steamed.
鴨腳扎 (ngaap keuk kuen): steamed beancurd sheet roll with duck feet.
黑椒金錢肚 (hak chiu kam chin tou) black pepper marinated honeycomb tripe
鼓汁蒸肉排 (si jap tsing yiuk paai): steamed spareribs.
鼓汁蒸鳳爪 (si jap tsing fung jau): steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce.


2. 腸粉 (cheung fan)
Steamed rice-sheet noodle roll

叉燒腸粉 (cha siu cheung fan): steamed rice-sheet noodle with charsiu.
海米腸粉 (hoi mei cheung fan): dry shrimp rice sheet noodle.
滑牛腸粉 (gwat ngau cheung fan): beef rice-sheet noodle.
滑鷄絲粉捲 (gwat kai si fan kuen) shredded chicken folded rice-sheet noodle.
潮州糯米卷 (chiu chau no mai kuen) Teochow style glutinous rice rolls.
牛肉腸粉 (ngau yiuk cheung fan): beef rice-sheet noodle.
蒸帶子腸粉 (tsing daai ji cheung fan): steamed rice-sheet noodle with scallops.
蒸羅漢齋腸粉 (tsing lou hon chai cheung fan): vegetarian rice-sheet noodle
豬腸粉捲 (chu cheung fan kuen) fresh moist folded rice-sheet noodle.
香茜腸粉 (heung sai cheung fan): cilantro steamed rice-sheet noodle.
鮮蝦腸粉 (sin haa cheung fan): fresh shrimps rice-sheet noodle.


3. 飽點 (bau dim)
Steamed buns

北菇雞飽仔 (baak gu kai bau chai): chicken bun with dried mushrooms mixed into the filling.
叉燒飽 (cha siu bau): charsiu bun.
大飽 (taai bau): big steamed bun with varied filling.
奶皇飽 (nai wong bau): steamed custard bun.
糯米卷 (no mai kuen): steamed glutinous rice roll.
菜肉飽 (choi yiuk bau): steamed vegetable and meat bun.
蛋黃蓮蓉飽 (dan wong linyong bau) salted egg yolk lotus seed paste steamed bun
豆蓉飽 (dou yong bau) sweetened bean paste bun.


4. 煎點心 (tsin dim sam)
Panfried dim sum

煎腐皮卷 (tsin fu pei kuen): pan fried bean curd sheet roll.
煎腸粉 (tsin cheung fan): pan fried rice-sheet noodle roll.
煎芋頭糕 (tsin wu tau gou): pan fried taro cake.
煎韮菜餅 (tsin gau choi beng): pan fried chive, pork, and shrimp dumplings.
煎馬蹄糕 (tsin ma tai gou): pan fried water chestnut cake.
煎蘿蔔糕 (tsin lo bok gou): pan fried turnip cake.
生炒糯米飯 (sang chau no mai fan): pan fried sticky rice cake.
生煎菜肉飽 (sang tsin choi yiuk bau): pan fried vegetable and meat bun.
生煎鍋貼 (sang tsin gwo tip): pot stickers (see 'Other items, etcetera 其他').
窩貼 (gwo tip): pot stickers (see 'Other items, etcetera 其他').
腊味蘿蔔糕 (laahp mei lo bok gou): pan fried turnip cake with chopped Chinese sausage.
芙蓉荔竽角 (fu yong lai wo gok): velvety fried taro cake.
香煎菜肉鍋貼 (heung tsin choi yiuk gwo tip): pot stickers (see 'Other items, etcetera 其他').
魚肉釀青椒 (yu yiuk yong tsing jiu): fish mince stuffed bell pepper.
鮮蝦韭菜餅 (sin haa gau choi beng): pan fried chive cake.


5. 炸點心 (ja dim sam)
Deep fried dimsum

春卷 (chun kuen): Spring roll.
春捲 (chun kuen): Spring roll.
椒鹽炸雞翼 (jiu yim ja kai yik): salt and pepper fried chicken wings.
炸芋角 (ja wu gok): deep-fried taro puff.
炸蝦多士 (ja haa to si) shrimp toasts.
炸雲吞 (ja wan tan): deep fried wonton.
炸饅頭 (ja man tou): deep fried plain bread bun.
甜酸炸雲吞 (tim suen ja wan tan): deep fried wonton with sweet and sour sauce.
紙包蝦 (ji bau haa): deep fried paper-wrapped shrimp.
素菜春卷 (so choi chun kuen): vegetarian spring roll.
脆皮炸春卷 (chui pei ja chun kuen): flaky crust spring roll.
芋角 (wu gok): deep fried taro dumplings.
蝦膠釀青椒 (haa gau yeung tsing chiu): green bell pepper pieces stuffed with fresh shrimp mince.
酥炸明蝦丸 (sou ja meng haa yuen): deep fried shrimp ball.
酥炸魷魚鬚 (sou ja yau yu sui): deep fried squid tentacles.
酥炸鯪魚球 (sou ja ling yu kau): deep fried minced carp ball.
釀矮瓜 (yeung ngai gwa): stuffed eggplant.
釀茄子(yeung ke ji): stuffed eggplant.
金錢蝦餅 (kam chin haa beng) gold coin shrimp croquettes.
魷魚鬚 (yau yu sou): battered fried squid tentacles.
鮮蝦炸粉果 (sin haa ja fan gwo): deep fried shrimp dumplings.
鹹水角 (haahm sui gok): deep fried sticky dumplings.


6. 甜點心 (tim dim sam)
Sweet dishes

伊士曼凍糕 (yi si man tung gou): sweet jelly cake
喳咋 (ja ja): mixed sweet bean pudding.
奶黃馬拉卷 (nai wong maa laai kuen): steamed custard roll.
小蛋撻 (siu dan taat): egg tart.
時果凍布甸 (si gwo tung pou deng): mango young coconut pudding.
杏仁豆腐 (hang yan dau fu) almond pudding with fruit salad.
椰汁糕 (yeh jap gou) coconut milk gelatin.
椰汁西米露 (yeh jap sai mai lou) coconut sago milk.
椰汁馬豆糕 (ye jap maa dau gou): coconut milk yellow bean pudding.
涼粉 (leung fan) agar-agar, sweetgelatin.
煎堆 (jin dui): sticky dough balls filled with sweet paste, rolled in sesame seeds, then deep fried.
爽滑涼粉 (song gwat leung fan) grass Jelly.
畔塘馬蹄糕 (pun tong maa tai gou): water chestnut cake.
白糖糕 (pak tong gau) white sugar glutinous rice wedge.
紅豆沙 (hong dau sa): sweet red bean dessert soup.
芒果布甸 (mong gwo pou deng): mango pudding.
芝麻卷 (ji ma kuen) black sesame seed paste gelatin roll.
芝麻糊 (ji ma wu) sweet black sesame seed paste soup.
菠蘿奶王飽 (po lo nai wong bau): custard po-lo bun.
蓮蓉飽 (lin yong bau): steamed bun filled with lotus seed paste.
蕃薯糖水 (faan syu tong sui): sweet potato dessert soup.
蜜瓜西米露 (mat gwa sai mai lou) honeydew melon sago milk.
西米布甸 (sai mai pou deng) sago pudding.
豆沙水晶飽 (dau sa sui tsing bau): steamed sago dumplings with red bean paste.
豆腐花 (dau fu fa): silken tofu dessert.
雪酥雞蛋塔 (suut sou kai dan taat): egg custard tart.
香滑芝麻卷 (heung gwat ji ma kuen) black sesame seed paste roll
馬拉糕 (maa laai gou): Malay cake (sponge cake).
鮮奶杏仁捲 (sin nai hang jan) almond milk gelatine roll.
黄糖糕 (wong tong gou) golden sugar glutinous rice wedge.
綠豆沙 (lok dau sa): sweet mung bean dessert soup.
蓮蓉水晶飽 (fu yong sui tsing bau): steamed sago dumplings with lotus seed paste.


7. 其他 (kei ta)
Other items, etcetera

叉燒酥 (cha siu sou): flaky char siu turnover.
咖喱角 (ka lei gok): baked curry beef turnover.
朱古力瑞士卷 (chyu gu lik sui si kuen): Chocolate Swiss roll made with chocolate in the dough and a whipped cream filling.
潮州粉果 (chiu-chau fan guo): A dumpling containing peanuts, garlic, chives, pork, black mushrooms  and dried shrimp, in a thick tang flour skin.
焗叉燒飽 (guk cha siu bau): baked charsiu bun.
牛肉飽 (ngau yiuk bau): beef bun; a popular snack bun made with ground spiced beef filling.
瑞士卷 (sui si kuen): Swiss roll; sheet cake spread with cream and jam, rolled up, and cut in circular slices.
粥 (juk): rice porridge, which is easy on the stomach.
腐皮(fu pei ): tofu skin dried, used to wrap various fillings, then fried and steamed.
腸仔飽 (lahp chai bau): sausage bun; soft dough roll baked with a hot dog inside.
芝麻雞沙律 (ji ma kai sa lut): sesame chicken salad.
菠蘿飽 (po lo bau): so-called pineapple bun. Not flavoured with pineapple, the name refers to the appearance.
豉汁排骨飯 (si jap pai gwat fan): steamed rice with spareribs and black bean sauce.
豉汁鳳爪排骨飯 (si jap fung jau pai gwat fan): steamed rice with spareribs, chicken feet, and black bean sauce.
鍋貼, (gwo tip): Northern Chinese dumpling (jiaozi), first steamed then pan fried. Not really dim sum, but often available at dimsummeries out in the American hinterland.
雞尾飽 (kai mei bau): cocktail bun; sweet dough surrounding a filling of sweetened coconut shreds.
香麻海蜇皮 (heung ma hoi jit pei): marinated jelly fish.
鹹肉粽 (haahm yiuk jung): savoury meat glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaf and steamed.
鹼水粽 (gaan sui jung): gam-sui rice dumplings; lye-water treated glutinous rice confection.
麻香拌海蜇 (ma heung pun hoi jit): marinated jelly fish.
蘿蔔絲酥餅 (lo bok si sou beng): turnip shred flaky pastry.


后感 AFTER THOUGHT

The student of Cantonese will, after reading this, no doubt be somewhat frustrated.
Why did I represent the sounds with my own idiosyncratic phoneticization, and why are there no tones?
Simple.
If you tried pronouncing each character correctly and with the right tone, you would sound ridiculously sing-song, and the chances are that no one would understand you anyhow. Thanks to 'tone sandhi' you can run words together somewhat, and more or less ignore the correct tonalism.

Just speak as if you're reciting regulated verse (律詩), alternating oblique and level tones (or level and oblique, as may seem appropriate).
Also, bracket key terms with context, as that will often make perfectly clear what you are saying.
And above all learn how to point - the waitress wheeling around a selection will comprehend that in a flash. She's a trained professional.

Anyway, no one expects a foreigner to speak properly, but they'll be pleased as punch that you enjoy eating the same things.

Oh, and try stuff you've never tasted before.
Always discover something new.
背脊向天，都可以食!


NOTE: updated at 6:45 PM on April 1st, 2012. More stuff, minor edits.

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DIM SUM! OR, NOTHING SAYS CHRISTMAS LIKE CHINESE FOOD!

In a previous life I must have done something very wrong. Why else would I be so surrounded by unimaginative eaters?
I realize this today because the departmental holiday lunch is coming up.

Naturally I suggested dim sum.

There have been sub-audible howls.

Several years back there were slightly more Asians in finance, and consequently my scheme would have stood a very good chance of succeeding. At present, excluding the person who had a meltdown a few months ago (now out on disability), there are five times more NON-ASIANS than Asians.


So we're probably NOT going here:

城景 CITY VIEW RESTAURANT
662 Commercial Street
(between Montgomery and Kearny).
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-398-2838
They've got some pretty darn good dim sum at City View. It's close to the office. Clean, fast, comfy, and cheerfully noisy..... Quite the best place to go. And really, nothing says Christmas spirit better than Chinese food - just ask any Jew you know!

[Nope, none of them in accounting either. Jesus, I must have been a right son-of-a-bitch in that previous life! What the hell did I do?!?]
But of course, there are some things that today's sensitive suburbanite will not touch with a ten foot pole. Let alone chopsticks.

Ha gau (蝦餃) for instance. It just looks too pretty to eat. Minced shrimp, or shrimp and pork, in a delicate pale slightly translucent bonnet, steamed........ this is the Hello Kitty of dumplings.
It is very beautiful
Suburban food does NOT look beautiful. Ever.

Siu mai (燒賣) are another example. That wrapper looks suspiciously wrinkly, and it's open on top! Good lord, you can see what 'they' filled it with! We don't care that it's high quality pork! Juicy and oh so good within the little wheat-dough pocket!

Fung jau (鳳爪) are definitely off the list. Who wants to eat chicken feet? Even if they are yummy and delicious? Those poor feetless birds!
Got any tempeh or wheat germ instead? Anybody want to make a run to Mickey D's?

Ngau yiuk kau (牛肉球) are just meat balls, you can't fool us. We've been to Italian restaurants. We're not morons!

Chu cheung fan (猪腸粉) ....? NO! Especially not after the snarky Dutchman explains what the name means ('pig intestine noodle'), because of its appealing slick pearlescent appearance! To us, no recognizable part of an animal looks good. Yes, we can tell it's actually a steamed soft rice noodle sheet around delicious fresh shrimp or beef, but we can't get that image out of our heads. We have no imagination.

Dau chup pai gwat (豆汁排骨) don't appeal to us either. They should use a sweet sticky sauce instead of a savoury, garlicky, fragrant, scrumptious black-bean sauce. And can't they debone the spareribs as is common in fast-food lunch places? We don't like bones - they remind us of Bambi. And Thumper.

Do they serve anything else?


DOT -- DOT -- DOT

The problem with woo gou (芋角 taro cake), lobak gou (蘿蔔糕 daikon cake), and ma tai gou (馬蹄糕 water chestnut cake) is that there is no meat in them. Well, not more than a smidge in the middle one..... Yes, I know we objected to everything that did have meat already. But we've been conditioned to crave meat. And that stuff looks like goo.
Surely they can wrap a steak or a hamburger in a dumpling skin?


Etcetera.


All in all it's probably a darn good thing that we'll probably choose a random Mexican place instead. Red and green salsa is ever so festive, and we can have cheese on everything!
I won't have to translate anything either. That would've put a serious crimp in my eating.
And it's dining as a group that's important. The shared experience and all that.
All of us together, we've made it through another year, huzzah and hooray.
I might lose sight of that if I enjoyed myself too much.


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All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
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