• 06Nov
    Ping Pong Dim Sum Brunch

    Ping Pong Dim Sum introduces their new brunch menu with an eastern flare.  Dim Sum is already considered Chinese-style brunch but fusing it with the western brunch style makes it a Ping Pong brunch to remember.  Dupont Circle’s location introduced their newest East West Brunch dishes and cocktails in late October. They flew their Beverage Director, Daniele Ziaco, from London for a quick mixology lesson on how to make one of their signature cocktails, Lemon Grass and Lime,  a complicated cocktail of 5 different ingredients (vodka, lychee sake with fresh lemongrass, lime and lychee juice).

    Daniele Ziaco, Beverage Director of Ping Pong Dim Sum

    Daniele Ziaco, Beverage Director of Ping Pong Dim Sum

    Ziaco brings 15 years of experience to Ping Pong, and has developed regional bar programs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Before joining Ping Pong’s first store in London in 2006, Ziaco managed the bar programs in London for the critically acclaimed Hakkasan restaurants by Alan Yau. Born in Tuscany, much of Ziaco’s inspiration for his methodology, and appreciation for quality and freshness, comes from his childhood in Italy.​

    Ping Pong Bubble

    Ping Pong Bubble

    My favorite cocktail of the night was their Brunch Champagne with Bubbles.  Think of it as an adult beverage Bubble Tea although instead of your typical tapioca bubbles it’s filled with poppers.  And if you’re unfamiliar with poppers, I highly suggest that you go out and try them.  It’s unlike it’s tapioca counterparts because instead of being a solid ball of tapioca, the center is filled with fruit juice; the skin encasing the juice is so light that when bitten, a burst of juice fills your mouth.

    Egg & Cheese Spring Rolls

    Egg & Cheese Spring Rolls

    But now for the important part…the food!  I’m not a huge fan of western brunch foods as I’m not really a breakfast person, but these dishes really did wow me.  So here’s a take on my favorite dishes on the menu.  Let’s start with their egg and cheese spring rolls, which is a fried egg roll wrapper filled with scrambled eggs, sharp white cheddar, peppers and spring onion, and served with a five-spice tonkatsu sauce.  This dish will make you rethink your breakfast burritos.

    Chicken & Green Tea Waffles

    Chicken & Green Tea Waffles

    Next up is their chicken and waffles.  Who doesn’t like chicken and waffles, but how about green tea flavored waffles with an Asian spice kick?  It is a sweet and savory matcha made in heaven (see what I did there?)  Matcha green tea belgian waffles topped with sesame seed crusted fried chicken with lemongrass and ginger maple syrup!  Doesn’t the description alone get your mouth watering?  It has mine watering so much that it makes me want to drink the syrup.

    Black Mango Tea French Toast

    Black Mango Tea French Toast

    Do you have a sweet tooth for breakfast?  I certainly do.  In my non-executive chef mind, an eastern French toast would just be French toast with some Asian Fruit compote. but this is why I’m not an executive chef.  This French toast is no ordinary french toast; it’s a mango black tea steeped brioche French toast  topped with exotic fruit and served with a  ginger maple syrup. It’s that ginger maple syrup that brings you to tears of happiness.

    Char Sui Bun

    Char Sui Bun

    And my final top dish would be the Char Sui Buns, an ultimate favorite dim sum dish of mine made up of honey roasted pork in a mantou (fluffy white Chinese bun).  Although I don’t feel that Ping Pong’s rendition beats the original version, it is rather tasty and I’m a fan of the open face mantou.

    So with all that’s said and eaten, I highly suggest that you grab some friends and run, don’t walk to the nearest Ping Pong Dim Sum and have yourself a East West Brunch.

     

    OTHER ITEMS ON THE MENU:

    Dumpling

    Dumplings

    Sichuan Hanger Steak "Loco Moco"

    Sichuan Hanger Steak “Loco Moco”

    Shanghai Shrimp and Grits

    Shanghai Shrimp and Grits

    Pork Belly Bun

    Braised Pork Belly Bao Sliders

    Sesame Beef and Sweet Chili Meatballs

    Sesame Beef and Sweet Chili Meatballs

    Edamame Dumpling

    Edamame and Truffle Dumpling

    Wild Mushroom Puff with Sweet Potato

    Wild Mushroom Puff with Sweet Potato

    Assortment of Steamed Items

    Assortment of Steamed Items

    Chinese Chocolate Sesame Donuts

    Chinese Chocolate Sesame Donuts

    Mochi Ice Cream

    Mochi Ice Cream

    -ADT

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  • 12Apr

    …Truth be told, this slightly Southern yank is pretty much just humming halfheartedly.

    San Francisco is famous for Chinese food (with the largest urban Chinese population outside the Middle Kingdom, it’d better be), so I was already excited about trying whatever it had to offer. When I learned of James Beard-award-winning dim sum, my interest was doubly piqued, and I was of course unable to resist.

    I headed to the Rincon Center location of Yank Sing around 11 AM on a Friday, just in time to grab a prime table before the lunchtime rush. Carts of food began to pass, and a server offered me the option of requesting specific items. He also brought a ginormous glass pot of tea ($2). Unusual in my experience, they actually have a printed menu. So, you can order on demand, which I did once or twice, and see items’ prices, which may help ease the end-of-meal sticker shock a bit…or, at least, preview it.

    I began with an old favorite – steamed shrimp dumplings. They were fabulous – light and fluffy and delicious. I then moved to the house specialty Shanghai pork dumplings, which were also really good: like bags of pork soup to be eaten in a spoon full of a vinegar sauce with what seemed like ginger. The shu mai were similarly delightful, and the chicken feet were really good – crispy, batter fried…chicken-footiness…with just enough cartilage crunch.

    The pork buns were very flavorful, but I found the bun itself dry, and the ratio of filling to bun a bit low. The fried taro dumplings were also a bit dry and too flaky for my taste (I’ve made these at home, and got about 30 for the price I paid here for not remarkably better quality). The lotus buns I had for dessert suffered similarly. The sticky rice was ok, but way too salty.

    All told, I’m not sure what happened. Yank Sing was supposed to be the ultimate, best, awesomest, etc., but what I had was just the most expensive. Was Friday the wrong day to go? Did I order the wrong stuff? The dumplings were bloody good, and the chicken feet…well, I don’t actually know how to judge them (as I’ve only had the dish a few times before), but they were just yummy. But dry bao and salt-drenched rice seem like pretty rookie mistakes. Sad.

    The servers were super nice, but too pushy on the expensive cart items and dessert. The other thing, of course, is that my bill was $40 – too much for lunch, even in San Francisco, and even though I stuffed myself stupid. Oh well.

    Yank Sing
    Rincon Center
    101 Spear St.
    San Francisco
    415.957.9300

    -MAW

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