On a Saturday or Sunday, this 30-year-old Richmond district Chinese restaurant has a perpetual line out the door. Ton Kiang has developed a reputation for serving some of the best dim sum in San Francisco, meaning it has some of the best dim sum in America. It’s worth a wait to eat their Hakka-style food, but it’s an even better idea to show up during the week, when the waits are shorter and the food is just as good.

You won’t find any dim sum carts at Ton Kiang, which is named for the East River in China’s Guangdong (Canton) Province. You also won’t find a checklist. Instead, Ton Kiang splits the difference. Women circulate with trays of plates and bamboo steamers. By the time they navigate the room, they usually sell out, so the food stays fresh and hot.

Our first selection was salt-and-pepper shrimp with minced red bell peppers, scallions and garlic. The shrimp were so expertly fried that head, tail, and everything in between was juicy and flavorful.

Siu Choy Gao – Napa cabbage and shrimp dumplings – featured thin skins and a tightly packed filling of naturally sweet shellfish and cabbage.

The plate of steamed baby bok choy was crisp.

Bol Choy Gao – shrimp and spinach dumplings – were similar to the cabbage version, only with spinach, and a different shape.

My exhaustive rundown of our meal continues with Dai Dze Gao, ethereal scallop and shrimp dumplings containing crunchy bits of carrot.

Cha Siu Bao – barbecued pork buns – were especially good. Lesser versions are crammed with sickly sweet red sauce and fatty pork, but these specimens were nice and fluffy, filled with big cubes of juicy hog meat.

Wah Tip – potstickers – were pretty good, but could have used thinner skins and more caramelization in the pan.

Roast duck was succulent, with crispy skin. The poultry came with a dish of with ginger-infused plum sauce.

This plate of pea shoots, sautéed with slivers of caramelized garlic, was simple but oh so satisfying.

Scallion pie is a highlight at most Shanghai-style Chinese restaurants, with flaky layers. Unfortunately, Ton Kiang’s version was more like a doughy pancake.

Fun Got – mushroom and shrimp dumplings – tasted fine, but the wrappers would have been more satisfying if they weren’t glutinous.

We found serious success with the fried shrimp, but the calamari equivalent was less dynamic. The rings and tentacles were showered with minced bell peppers, garlic and scallions, but the batter was too greasy.

My father committed to two steamers full of Siu Mai – pork dumplings. Other dim sum restaurants mold together off cuts of pork in siu mai, but not Ton Kiang.

Siu Lung Bao – juicy steamed Shanghai pork dumplings – were served with a tangy dish of red vinegar floating with ginger strands.

The frilly wonton skins on the steamed chicken dumplings were a little charred, but the ground chicken remained juicy.

Don Tah – egg custard tarts – were served warm, so the combination of yolky interior and flaky pastry practically melted in my mouth.

I last ate at Ton Kiang five years ago, when they were known for scintillating almond cookies. Sadly, the almond cookies are long gone, but their walnut cookies might be even better, browned dough balls studded with whole pecans, containing sticky walnut paste.

Related Posts

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3. Yank Sing – San Francisco, CA – July 22, 2006
4. Noodle House – Monterey Park, CA – July 16, 2008
5. San Tung – San Francisco, CA – Sunday, August 3, 2008

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3 Comments

1. jacki, December 26, 2008:

   the food great, the service terrible, they didnt know how to handle a crowed..we sat, and after we placed our order it took actually, no lying 2 hours before food was served …granted they were busy but they didnt even serve one of our dishes till i payed bill…not worth it to me

2. Joshua Lurie, December 26, 2008:

   Some of the top dim sum houses have food so good that the demand can be outrageous. When it comes to Ton Kiang and some of the other heavy-hitters, arrive early, late, or it’s probably not worth the wait.

3. Paul Andre, January 23, 2009:

   Your site is the best one!

   ==
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This entry is filed under Chinese, Dim Sum House, Northern California, San Francisco.