om nom notes rating: 4 stars
Dim Sum on the weekends can hit the spot - but only if you're mentally prepared for the wait (easily 30-90 min) and ok service. Koi Palace at the Daly City is a good option in the Bay Area, but it is a little more pricey and there will always be a wait. They do have the traditional dim sum carts, but that's also supplemented by a menu where you can order off on for any particular dishes you may want to try - without constantly having to "check" if the next server has it in her cart.
Koi Palace has an extensive menu, and they do use quality ingredients generously (eg the har gow with a lot of plump shrimp). As long as you expect the wait and know that you're not going for the service (despite the price), you'll enjoy the food and experience. Note: in comparison to other dim sum locations, the service here is actually quite good!
Tips for Dim Sum at Koi Palace:
- Get there early - your wait will be much less the closer you arrive to their opening time for dim sum on the weekend, 10am on Saturdays and 9am on Sundays. Get your number and wait outside where it's quieter - they have a speaker outside so you can hear your number. Koi has a clever "number tracking" screen where you can see exactly how many tables are in front of you, sorted by table size. They even have an SMS update notification you can sign up for. Note: While you can *try* making a reservation, you will most likely still have to wait.
Dim Sum Hours: Sat 10-3, Sun 9-3 (or weekdays from 11-2:30) - Because you're waiting - you might as well try out the Dragon's Beard Candy, a hard to find, traditional Chinese confection. The skill to make this sweet treat is very rare so take advantage of the opportunity! I literally haven't had this in over 10+ years and am so glad Koi Palace always has it. See it made: http://on.fb.me/N9JN7A
- Order the roasted suckling pig slices - this is one of the "special" items off the menu. It's a little pricey at $18 an order but it's worth it. Get it if you love crispy pork skin and tender, juicy pork. You'll want to order this from the servers as it often does not show up in the carts.
- Baked egg custard buns take 45 min to prepare - so order these from the servers as soon as you sit down in case they have run out of a batch. These are usually my favorite, but I unfortunately did not get to try them as I wasted all my time waiting for these to appear in the carts :(
- Use the carts & order off the menu - i hate it when dim sum places only have the "order off the menu" option as it no longer feels like dim sum any longer. Koi has a nice variety of options from the carts, but because of how busy the place is - sometimes there are selections that never come by you. This is where the menu comes in handy.
You can easily flag down a server to order any specific dishes that you don't want to miss, and they'll bring it back to you. This way, you get the experience & ensure you don't miss out! - Don't forget to order tea - It's not dim sum unless you have tea. My favorites are either Puerh or Chrysanthemum to go with dim sum. Oolong (which I normally love) in my opinion gets a little overpowering.
See more pictures @ http://on.fb.me/Nrbl3S
Hand Roasted Suckling Pig Slices - $18
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| Roasted Suckling Pig Slices: the skin is so crispy but the inside stays nice and moist |
Fresh Dragon's Beard Candy - $9 for 8 pieces
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| Dragon's Beard Candy: a traditional chinese confection made from spun sugar, and filled with toasted peanut, coconut, and sesame. Koi Palace has someone to make it fresh, don't miss out - it's hard to find! |
1564 Yelp reviews as of 7/15/12
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