I swear i’m not following you around on this forum, just happened to go to the same places. I have the same feeling about Koi Palace. It was typical dim sum, good but not outstanding. I used to go there often. The crispy tofu I keep ordering and it keeps disappointing. Soft mushy exterior, rather than crispy. The rainbow dumpling sampler was average. jellyfish salad and rice in lotus leaf were good, but they’re rarely done poorly at a decent place. I think I liked the fried rice. But it’s one of those places where you go for the surefire bets that are hard to fk up,. but not more. They do HK BBQ items, which are, again, good, but not markedly better than other places.
Too bad about Chef Tony. I hear its supposed to be really good in Vancouver. These are pandemic times though. A decline of customers often seems to result in a decline in quality.
Edit: Just realized I’ve been to Palette Tea just a few weeks ago, the one in the mall in San Mateo. The XLB sampler and wagyu bao was meh, okay. The custard dumpling was a weird concept (to me) but outrageously good. The vinegar crystal boba is creative but unnecessary. The prices seem cheaper than Koi, even though this seems more for an affluent crowd so that’s a plus.
Never been to Dragon Beaux, but just Palette Tea, Dragon, and Koi are all by the same team. I haven’t had great dim sum in the bay area. But I think I’ll try HL Peninsula next near the airport.
