MAYFLOWER ("NG YUET FA")

Geary Boulevard at 27th Avenue
This is my family's FAVE.  Excellent service.  Great place for people-watching on a Sunday morning as worshippers leave the huge Russian cathedral across the street.   My fam often receives freebies because we're regulars.  Do stop by our table next time you see us there and say "Waa-haa!  Hou noi mo geen!!  Nei hou ma?!"

YET WAH ("YUET WAH YUEN")



Clement Street at 23rd Avenue
Also a long-time family FAVE.  This is the big, purple, Barney building.

HONG KONG FLOWER LOUNGE ("HEUNG MOON LAU")



Geary Boulevard between 17th and 18th Avenues
Great dim sum, but service at this Lounge pails in comparison to the original Lounge in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui.

TONG KIANG ("DONG GONG")



Geary Boulevard between 22nd and 23rd Avenues
Dim sum here is good, but NOT at all worth the incredibly ridiculous wait every weekend, nor the higher prices.  Caters to a large non-"Tong Yun" clientele.   You're better off walking a few blocks to Mayflower or Yet Wah.

HING LUNG AT THE PARK  ("HING LUNG")
19th Avenue at Lincoln Boulevard
This is the big green eyesore-- you cant miss it!

SILICON VALLEY'S EXISTENT TEA HOUSES

MAYFLOWER ("NG YUET FAH")



Milpitas, Off Highway 237 near the Ranch 99 market
Yes, it's the same Mayflower as the one in SF and EQUALLY as good, though service here leaves much to be desired.

FOOK YUEN ("FOOK YUEN")

Millbrae, 195 El Camino Real
Weekends at this "house" are very busy, so service can vary.  I've had dim sum here a few times and, as far as I can remember, it was pletty good.  And besides, there were lots of people who looked like relatives, so this definitely scores many "Aaiyaahs".  Proximity to SFO also makes this an ideal spot for a pre-flight dinner.  Evening wait staff can be very entertaining, albeit it a little annoying, if you are not "Tong-Yun".

ROYAL PALACE



Mountain View,  El Camino Real off San Antonio Road.
Marginal dim sum, at best.  However, it's conveniently located near work and makes for a good place to have lunch with co-workers, many of whom cant tell the difference between ha-gaau and siu-maai anyway.  The place makes you feel as if you're in China--kind of, not--as you enter the building and go through the run-down lobby on your way to the restaurant upstairs.

MING'S



Palo Alto, Embarcadero off Highway 101.
This place goes highly unrecommended and is offensive to any Dim Sum fanatic.  Food is pricey and not too authentic, but it's great if you like bacon & cheese in your spring rolls with a side of sweet & sour sauce--hardly something you would find in Canton or Hong Kong (not even Lan Kwai Fong!)--except maybe in the Mulan Happy Meal specials at McDonald's.

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