Hi!! Guess what? It’s officially fall! While I hate the colder weather and rain, hairy crabs, yellow croaker and pomelo make everything better. Also, Mid Autumn Festival is tomorrow and I get the day off! I’d been waiting to have a nice brunch since summer. What a perfect opportunity?!

So, let’s get going!

Tang Palace

Tang Palace is a classic dim sum and seafood house that serves up all the Cantonese classics. It’s open for events from a casual brunch to wedding receptions and does a good job with all. I’d been to the Puxi location for a New Year’s Brunch last year and absolutely LOVED it. Also, it has my cousin’s full seal of approval- all the more reason to get excited. While I’d have been more than willing to take a trip to Puxi, there’s one right at Himalaya plaza I just HAD to try. Time to eat!

Food

Steamed Spare Ribs- These are a dim sum classic and a delicious one at that. The ribs were perfectly tender and amazingly flavorful. More impressively, the ribs were fatty, but not the oilslick I was expecting based on previous tries

Spicy Pepper Intestine- My dad LOVES his intestine, especially when “spicy pepper” are involved. When the dish arrived, I must say I was pretty skeptical, but my dad loved it. I took a piece, and I must say, I wasn’t impressed. It wasn’t as greasy as expected, but there was a strangely sweet taste underlaying the salty spice

Signature Crispy Skin Pigeon- This is their signature dish and also the most disappointing one. The pigeon was very flavorful but definitely not fresh roasted. The skin was actually borderline soggy. Nevertheless, it was pretty delicious- I’ll definitely remember to make sure my pigeon is fresh next time

Char siu- I love char siu- the slightly sweet and succulent pieces of perfectly roasted pork. Tang Palace’s hit all the right notes. It was perfectly tender, flavorful and smoky without being too sweet or fatty. I only wish there was more char. By the way, I cleaned off the plate.

Shrimp Sui mai- I usually avoid siu mai, but I was feeling adventurous. I must say, I was impressed. While most sui mai are soggy and greasy, these were light, umami and extremely fresh. I wish there was more shrimp flavor, but other than that, it was amazing

Roast Goose- The pigeon was a disappointment, but the goose really shined. In fact, it was much better than the version at Madame Goose! First, the meat was flavored through and through, not to mention tender. Each bite got more flavorful!  More impressively, the skin was incredibly crisp and not fatty at all! By the way, I cleaned off this dish… after the char siu

Spicy Chicken Cartilage- This dish proves that the Cantonese can and will put anything in a steamer.  I love chicken cartilage but I’d never had it steamed. Turns out, it’s a lot like their steamed soy sauce chicken feet- fried then sauced and steamed. I must say, I was impressed. The cartilage was tender but retained a slight crunch. It also didn’t have that strange sweet taste the intestine had. Just beautiful spice.

Didn’t Order but Recommended

• Crystal Shrimp Dumpling
• Durian Pastry
• Char Sui Pastry
• Custard Bun

Service and Atmosphere

The service and atmosphere were good, but nothing special. It definitely has a “grand hall” vibe, but also has plenty of smaller tables for more intimate gatherings like our brunch. The weather was nice so we opted for a seat outside. Normally, it’s quite loud and crowded like a typical teahouse, but they were preparing the hall for a banquet. I enjoyed the quiet, not to mention the lack of lines.

Service was also good and a lot faster than expected. The wait staff were also very courteous and accommodating. However, we could see them eating… awkward… Otherwise, I was pretty impressed

Overall Impression

Overall, Tang Palace at Himalaya Plaza is a pretty solid dim sum spot. I’ll definitely be coming back, but would prefer to go to the original at PuXi

Well, that’s it for this food adventure. I hope everyone has a great Mid Autumn festival with plenty of delicious mooncakes! Until next time, Bye!

 

 

 

• Dining