Dim sum is one of those choose-your-own-adventure meals where enjoyment is heightened the more people you bring to the table. I’ve spent many a Sunday morning with my family, sipping cups of hot tea and eagerly waiting for those trolleys loaded with bamboo steamers full of dumplings and other delicacies, the lazy Susan spinning round and round as we laugh and talk over one another.
It’s as convivial a meal as you can get, and now, there’s a new player in Chinatown. Palette Tea Lounge is the third location of Palette Tea House, the San Francisco restaurant from the Ng family, Hong Kong immigrants who want to share the experience of yum cha, the Chinese tradition of a tea gathering.
Palette Tea House, as its name suggests, elevates the dim sum experience to an art form. The murals on the walls depict bucolic scenes of misty coasts, and colorful lanterns with Chinese characters hanging from the ceiling. On the table, every place setting has an artist’s palette with five wells, to be used for five sauces—soy sauce, spicy mustard, sriracha, sweet-and-sour and cilantro. There are no roving trolleys here; instead, there’s a laminated menu with a dry-erase pen so you and your tablemates can make your selections.
The front of the menu features signature and classic dim sum selections. While you don’t get the instant gratification of a dim sum cart, our selections came out promptly, each one beautifully presented. There’s such artistry in dumpling folding, and at Palette Tea Lounge, you can witness the chefs at their craft through the glass-fronted prep area.
The signature dim sum calls to us first. The lobster har gow ($13), three to a serving, comes with a clever butter ampule for injecting, while the xiao long bao ($8) is accompanied with traditional black vinegar—but in gelatinous spheres.
On the more classic side, the pork and shrimp siu mai ($8) does not disappoint. The pan-seared chicken pot stickers ($8) are a bit on the bland side, but dipped in the palette of sauces, it finds its stride. The radish cake with XO sauce ($10) is a marvel of taste and texture. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, it’s the perfect vehicle for a shot of umami, courtesy of the XO. The crispy unagi rice crepe ($12) is another table pleaser, pillowy soft sheets wrapping the salty unagi, drizzled with a sweet soy concoction.
We wrap up the dim sum tour with steamed vegetable bao ($8), which comes in a plate of three. Two of the baos appeared to have kale and the third was stuffed with mushroom. All are delicious.
Though traditionally eaten for breakfast and lunch, dim sum is served all day here. The rest of the menu offers classic regional Chinese fare, albeit with a modern twist. (See: XO Wagyu beef fried rice and black truffle crispy duck fried rice.) Seafood is also a draw at Palette Tea Lounge. Live Dungeness crab is shown to the patrons before it’s taken to the back to be stir-fried or curried. Just don’t get too attached, because the next time you see your little crustacean friend, it will be on a dish—artfully presented, of course.
PALETTE TEA LOUNGE 4601 Spring Mountain Road, 702-888-3626, palettelv.com. Wednesday-Monday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; 5-10 p.m.
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