Name: Ton Kiang
Type: Chinese, Dim Sum
Good for: Dim Sum
Location: [Google it!]
PPP: $26-30 for individual ordering, $35 for 2ppl if ordering from Menu 1, $46 for 3ppl if ordering from Menu 2.
Overall vibe: Very good dim sum
Anything bogus: Wait times (supposedly)
The Location
Just west of 22nd Ave on the south side of Geary, there are a few metered spots to park but usually available parking on side streets. The restaurant is a double-decker, though the upper seating area was closed when I arrived for a late lunch. The neighborhood is typical Inner Richmond; lots of shops and restaurants along Geary, surrounded by residential neighborhoods beyond where parking can usually be found.
The Atmosphere
I've heard stories about how insanely crowded this place gets, but arriving around 3pm on a Wednesday, there are only a few customers and I'm seated immediately by the window. The walls are painted a rose white, with Chinese watercolor paintings and museum lighting. Track lighting along the dining area reveal a plan ceiling. I didn't get a chance to go upstairs to their other dining room but I would be interested in checking it out next time. The booths have interesting glass barriers on top but no padding on the wooden seats. Larger round tables seat eight and feature lazy susans, while the smaller tables seat two, though some are paired to seat four. The tables are draped with linen tablecloths, and the chairs are padded and comfortable. The napkins are industrial-strength paper simulating cloth, and a good thing too; when you're trying in vain to maneuver a slippery steamed dumpling with slippery plastic chopsticks, hovering over sauces that seem to be designed to be flung onto your clothes, a paper napkin is a welcome barrier against those pesky juices and oils.
The Food
On each table there is a small plastic standees feature a beer and wine list on one side, and a dim sum menu on the other. I paroused the list and made a few selections, though I should have just waited. Rather than carts being pushed around the various tables, small trays are hand-carried from table to table with a brief description of each. Since I had already ordered several items upon being seated, I wasn't able to see everything before I ordered it.
Ha Gao (shrimp dumplings) : Four in a steamer, soft on the outside and crunchy shrimp inside. Very tasty; I wanted to order more!
Cha Siu Bao (BBQ pork dumplings) : Three in a steamer. The pork was salty but cooked well, but was hidden behind far too much dough. While this is the correct method of preperation, I found the dough to be a bit dry and far too much of it to get at the pork inside. It wasn't bad but I probably wouldn't order it again.
Ha Yeung (shrimp balls) : Three on a plate. Deep fried with strips of dough sticking out from the shrimp, giving an overall appearance of a hairy ball. I burned my mouth eating one immediately. Even after several minutes, they were still almost too hot to eat. Very tasty and not very greasy.
Gao Choy Got (green chives and shrimp dumplings) : Four to a plate. Steamed then fried on one side. The chives were very flavorful but almost overpowering the shrimp, which were crunchy. I liked these alot.
Wah Tip (potstickers) : Three to a plate. Steamed then fried on one side. I ordered ones with pork and vegetables (though there is a vegetable-only version as well). These were made fairly standard but almost too familiar, like they came from a frozen bag like I used to get at Costco. Don't get me wrong; they were very good, but made in the exact same way as ones I'd had at home.
Jin Doy (sesame balls) : Three to a plate. Very hot, like other fried items. This was an excellent end dish, with the red bean paste tasty and the dough nice and sticky.
The Service
When I first sat down, my waitress asked me what I'd like to order, and I could tell her which items of Dim Sum I wanted. However, since I had not been there before, I was unaware that trays of food would be brought out to me in due time or I wouldn't have ordered anything up front. I asked for hot tea and it was brought out swiftly and refilled when asked, and the staff was friendly, even when dealing with a difficult table across the way from me.
Anything Bogus?
As mentioned earlier, wait times are said to be insane, but I arrived at just the right time and filled up on great food before continuing on.
Summary
I would be interested to see the contrast between the time I was there, and their rush times. I definitely will go back and try some of their other dishes, making sure to be nice and hungry first. I will also not order anything up front and just wait for the trays to be brought around. There are other dim sum places to try in the city, and I'll be sure to write about those as well.
References
Dim Sum on wikipedia
