San Francisco Off-the-Map Chinese Food Spots

San Francisco is clearly one of the reigning foodie towns in the US. It is even more so due to the gems that can be found in its streets that often don't hit the limelight. Below are a few such suggestions. I'm anxious to hear of your own favorites.

Yank Sing, the king of all dim sums. Dim sum is a Chinese cooking style that involves dumplings and other tidbits, typically served for breakfast and maybe lunch in the streets of Hong Kong and mainland China. I have had the pleasure of tasting dim sum in both countries, often hosted by locals who got Dick and me into the most authentic of dives, and I confess that my palate cannot process those local delicacies too well. For my money, there is no place like Yank Sing, right here in San Francisco.

The restaurant has two outlets, and my favorite is the one on Speer Street by the Rincon Center. Go at lunch (the place is closed at dinner time) and by all means make reservations. Yank Sing is always a zoo, and especially so on the weekend, when families such as my own flock to the place and pick dishes from the carts that roam the restaurant and the plaza inside Rincon Center. My favorites are shrimp dumplings and sticky rice (or Seven Treasure Rice), which contains seven kinds of meats inside and is wrapped in lotus leaf, which imparts a delicate yet unmistakable aroma onto the rice. Arik and the boys like the soup dumplings best, which melt in your mouth while spewing rivulets of the most delicious soup as you bite into the filling. I also love the minced squab with Hoisin sauce on lettuce leaf, and Gil loves the Peking Duck, which is crisp, non-fatty and is a perfect compliment to the pillowy pancakes on which it is served. Last, try the special of the day, which they have daily. It varies but is always fresh and often delicious.

Note that this isn't the least expensive Chinese food establishment in San Francisco, but it's worth every penny!

Another hidden treasure in town is

Brandy Ho's

, at the corner of Green and Columbus in the edge of Chinatown. The restaurant is a dive in every sense of the word except food. It is unassuming and you won't find here linen tablecloths or Jasmine tea. Instead, go for those aromatic, delicious and incredibly inexpensive smoked meat dishes. Both the smoked chicken and smoked duck are outstanding, and are served with vegetables in brown sauce and the usual rice. The meat is smoked in house and is incredibly fragrant, lean and tasty. Smoked meats are the house specialty, but other Sichuan dishes are also excellent, spicy but not so hot as to obscure the taste or burn the palate. Don't be put off by Brandy Ho's exterior. Your stomach and palate will love it!

Shanghai 1930

is an atmosphere restaurant, something that I don't usually associate with Chinese food. The décor is charming and is intended to emulate the unique aura of Shanghai in the 1930s. While you may not "buy" the message, the food speaks for itself. Seafood dishes are terrific, especially the shrimp creations. Even the mundane egg rolls are crisp and juicy here. Vegetable dishes are surprisingly unpredictable, fresh and delicious, and the fried fish (it comes out looking like a porcupine) is a perfect partner to its sweet yet not cloying sauce.