This Shanghainese joint is the place to go when you want to impress your friends with your knowledge of the San Francisco dining scene. Though the formica-and-fluorescent dining room is nothing much to look at, the food is astonishingly good, giving this hole-in-the-wall across from the Balboa Theater that precious “hidden gem” quality.
Begin by making sure you are given the Chinese menu, not the Americanized version (all General Tso’s chicken and moo shu). You want the real deal: Shanghainese specials such as shredded pork and bean curd, xiao long bao (those tender, soup-filled dumplings that have a cult following), vegetarian “goose” (pressed, smoked tofu) and lion’s-head meatballs. Pot stickers, so frequently disappointing, are juicy and expertly spiced, pan-fried to a golden crisp. It’s easy to over-order here, as everything is quite inexpensive; leftovers are just as good the following day.
MUST ORDER: Xiao Long Bao and Potstickers
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