SAN FRANCISCO — Despite a cult following at Shanghai Dumpling King just a few blocks away, Shanghai House in the Richmond District surprises customers with amazing food and clean décor. Chef/owner Kam Yuen Lu, formerly the chef at Wu Kong in Rincon Center, successfully translates a few banquet-style dishes in this neighborhood restaurant.
In the 26-seat space, the ambiance is fit for a cozy dinner with friends. An all-glass front allows a clear view of the quiet outer Richmond.
Shanghainese cooking is a tad sweet in taste compared to regional counterparts. I started off with a few cold plate dishes. Smartly assembled, the vegetarian goose ($4.25) is a great appetizer. Tender cake made from thin layers of tofu skin, with a pan-fried crispy top, is wrapped over a meaty shitake mushroom filling. A slight drizzle of red vinegar provides a tangy enhancer. Neatly fanned across the plate, the five spice beef ($4.95) was a disappointment. The beef lacked flavor and was dry. Served in a bamboo steamer, the pork dumpling (minced pork filling wrapped in a soft, wonton-like skin made in-house) revived my taste buds with a burst of soup and tender filling.
The braised fish with white wine sauce ($9.95) features tender flounder. Crunchy wood ear fungus gives the dish character and complements the soft fish. My least favorite dish was the rice cake ($5.95). Seemingly presented without care, the chewy rice cakes are wok-tossed with shredded pork and Napa cabbage. The stew pork ($7.25) stole the show: Each thinly-sliced piece flaunts the dual textures of savory meat and a fatty cap. Hiding under the buttery pork, dried vegetables provide a slight savory note. The dark maple sauce brings the entire dish together. An order of fluffy white rice diffused the sweetness. One dish I have yet to try, but that comes highly recommended, is the pig’s knuckle, which must be ordered one day in advance.
For brunch, the savory rice roll ($2.50) warms up the stomach. Resembling a sushi roll, sticky rice wraps around dried, shredded pork and vegetables. The sweet soybean milk ($1.25) makes a great breakfast drink. The savory soybean milk, on the other hand, is an acquired taste: Dried vegetables, fried Chinese doughnut, and a drizzle of chilli oil swim in the silky milk. Cut into triangular pizza slices and fried until golden brown, onion pancakes ($3.95) highlight the aroma of fried onion. Enriched with a dark sweet sauce, chewy Shanghai-style pan-fried noodles (stir-fried with cabbage and shredded pork ($5.50), round out a meal.
While Lu is busy in the kitchen, wife Teresa Hai serves patrons in the front. “The most challenging part of owning a restaurant is finding local, fresh ingredients,” Hai says.
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SHANGHAI HOUSE
3641 Balboa Street
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 831-9288
………. Hours ……….
Mon. – Fri.: 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Sat. & Sun.: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Closed Tuesdays
Prices: $3.95 – $18.95 per dish