If they can maintain clients at nighttime, I think this place will do very well. Weekend brunch was packed. They're still getting the kinks out service-wise, but the owners were friendly and checked in on every table a few times. Ritual coffee and two beers on tap, including Chimay. They know their audience.
Xiao long bao typically stink at dim sum places, but the alleged Koi Palace and/or Yank Sing pedigree of the chef led me to get the "Shanghai Dumplings." These were served on aluminum tins, and though they were cooked the right amount, there was barely a drop of soup inside and the skins were way too thick, especially the bottoms.
They were out of XO sauce, so I got the wonton noodle soup instead. It was light and my favorite thing there: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/896524#8143301
Shanghai vegetarian bun could have used more filling, but was decent. It was filled with pressed tofu and green vegetables.
Shrimp and cilantro dumplings had large chunks of shrimp and a good taste, but like just about everything else, the wrappers were too thick.
They list no-MSG on the dinner menu, but my tongue tells me otherwise on the roast pork buns. I could be wrong.
One of the owners, the wife, is from Sichuan province. Not sure specifically where...
The Sichuan menus sounds pretty typical except for "Nam Yu Spareribs" which is "braised in a sauce with red fermented tofu (nom yu)." I looked at a few Sichuan menus from around town, and don't see 南乳排骨 (Nán rǔ páigǔ) anywhere. Has anyone had that before or at Mama Ji's? Red fermented tofu might be the most "challenging" ingredient in the Castro, so I await a report!
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