11/10/08

Very good dim sum

by gastronomicon

I was brought here by a local resident (I'm from New York City and travel extensively to San Francisco) and the dim sum was comparable to what I'd find in New York City's and San Francisco's better dim sum restaurants. The quality was very good and the variety was quite extensive although some dishes (Dau Foo Far, Pai Kwuht) sold out around the time we were there. Their Har Cheong Fun, Foo Pey Guin, Ngau Pai Yip, Siu Mai and Har Gow were first rate as well as their Shark Fin Dumplings (we Chinese have been eating sharks fin for millenia so that treehugger with a rant about sharks can go shove his views where the sun doesn't shine and just resort to intravenous feeding instead). The cost was also comparable with New York's and San Francisco's Chinatowns (i.e., it was very reasonable). I didn't see any of the health issues that other diners reported although the vermin and insect infestations and mould would be valid concerns. However, inspection reports for 2008 found at the mentioned website in another reviewer's post show passes and conditional passes with no failures so I don't know what that other reviewer was harping about. I cannot give a higher rating than 4 stars or "Recommended" because I have not tasted their dinner menu yet so I cannot evaluate their entire menu.

• Pros: Good dim sum, easy parking across the street
• Cons: The wait for dim sum lunches

10/21/08

I Would not eat there

by Neverfast

Looking for a place in sac to have dim sum and came across this place after reading reviews about health inspections I looked for myself...please go look in 2008 alone they have had to have ALL of the inspections re-done....both were yellow cards and the inspector did a good job at detailing how gross this place really is ...lets just say mold in the ice bins and employee ear wax is not my cup of tea..thank you to those who saved me from eating at this place..here is the link to go look for yourself, this is the actual inspection reports...food inspect . sac county . net

• Pros: I have never been there and will never
• Cons: go look at the inspection reports

05/17/08

No shark fin soup, please

by stevech

* Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.

* Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers have only the fins to transport. Shark meat is considered low value and therefore not worth the cost of transporting the bulky shark bodies to market.

* Any shark is taken-regardless of age, size, or species.

* Longlines, used in shark finning operations, are the most significant cause of losses in shark populations worldwide.

* Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored.

* Shark finning has increased over the past decade due to the increasing demand for shark fins (for shark fin soup and traditional cures), improved fishing technology, and improved market economics.

* Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are destroyed for their fins, annually.

* One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It's a multi-billion dollar industry.

* Loss and devastation of shark populations around the world. Experts estimate that within a decade, most species of sharks will be lost because of longlining.

* Unsustainable fishery. The massive quantity of sharks harvested and lack of selection deplete shark populations faster than their reproductive abilities can replenish populations.

* Threatens the stability of marine ecosystems.

* Loss of sharks as a food staple for many developing countries.

* Local waters are invaded by large industrial, foreign fishing vessels that threaten traditional sustainable fisheries.

* Wasteful of protein and other shark-based products. Up to 99 per cent of the shark is thrown away.

• Cons: Serving shark fin soup, bad for sharks