Palette Tea Garden & Dim Sum

Palette Tea Garden is a contemporary twist on traditional Cantonese cuisine, blending classic flavors with modern artistic presentations. This place shines for its innovative dim sum offerings and elegant ambiance, but if you were to eat with your eyes closed, I'm not sure it surpasses that rundown mom and pop Chinatown hole-in-the-wall. We came here to try out the signature Palette Xiao Long Bao Sampler, which presents a vibrant array of soup dumplings, each infused with distinct flavors and hues. My favorite is a tie between the Squid Ink with Black Truffle and Pork and the Beets with Beef. High raise for this platter's aesthetic appeal.We also got a full Peking duck, wish we were told is a hallmark of Palette Tea Garden. For sure, it is really well done-- crispy skin, moist meat, traditional accompaniments plus some modern twists with the julienned radishes. And once again, the presentation is top-notch. For sure you are here for the experience.However, I was disappointed that they would not let us bring home the duck carcass, something that's considered customary, if this place is going for cultural authenticity.The wagyu chowfun is it a very elevated version of the classic with the higher quality premium beef. It was really tender and the flat noodles were really perfectly and delicately prepared. That said, there are probably more optimal ways to be getting good mileage out of wagyu than chowfun, because again, at the end of the day, eyes closed I cannot tell the difference between this chowfun and the hole-in-the-wall that tenderizes the beef via velveting. Overall, Palette Tea Garden offers a sophisticated dining experience, artfully combining traditional Chinese culinary techniques with contemporary and creative flair. This establishment promises a memorable gastronomic journey.

Our review for @paletteteagarden in San Mateo:- Price point: $$ (~$50 pp)- Cuisine: Cantonese (Chinese)- Ambience: Located inside the Hillsdale mall, the interior is cute, can get busy during holidays and weekends. Parking is generally easy- Food review:This is our go to dimsum spot, we love most of the dimsums we have tried here. 1. Xiao long bao (8/10): This gets more points because of how beautiful it was presented. The colors of the baos along with the complimentary matching dipping sauce is super adorable.2. Siu mai (9.5/10): These were perfect! Soft and moist and just delicious!3. Lobster hargow (9.5/10): Another dimsum which just always hit the spot!4. Crab butter dumpling (9.5/10): This was super unique, first time tried this dumpling and just loved it!Give them a try, if you are local! They have branches in other places as well!OF COURSE, WE WILL BE BACK !Recommended for: Dimsum lovers

I took my family back for a party on CNY day . I made the reservation online a week ago. Showed up exactly at 1pm, The hostess lady in red was so rude , even though there were still 3 tables left, she still told me to wait 20 -30 mins! When I asked her why, she just ignored me. So I asked another staff who was passing by, explained the situation, she immediately seat us to the table I pointed at the hostess in the first place. When I asked if the lady in red was a manager, she said no. I never got her name. Anyways, other than that little episode, everything else was fine. So I give it 3 stars.

20% gratuity already applied. Service was fast and friendly. Food was good and pricey. Love the xiao long baos :) Overall can't complain.

One bite, instant favorite!Palette is tucked away in the Hillsdale mall. Inside is beautiful, elegance, and relaxing.The staff was great, made us feel like we were valued customers and they were happy that we chose them.Every single thing we got was delicious, the best Chow fun I have ever had in my life.I could go on and on, but just go see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.We love this place so much that we made reservations for Valentine's Day on our way out because this is where we wanted to be that special night.

Pricey and good dim sum here. The Rainbow Prawn Rice was very tasty.Har Gow, can't go wrong.Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai always good.Steamed Pork & Chinese Bacon, my favorite.Chinese Kale, generous but $16?XO Sauce & Wagyu Fried Rice, $25, but nothing to write home about.They automatically add a service charge of 18% which totaled up to $100 for 2 people.Busy and bustling place. Less crowded at Ghirardelli Square in SF.Had to flag down a waiter to take our order. Ok, it was the weekend of CNY after all.

Excellent Peking Duck and XLB sampler. Peking Duck did not include the carcass when we inquired unlike the places I go to in Seattle area. Delicious with assortment of sliced veggies to go along with the duck inside thin wrappers. The XLB sampler is good but I wasn't particularly drawn to any of the flavors. Wish they included a foie gras version like the Asian Paradise chain. Also ordered a tofu dish and the wagyu chow fun. The latter was also delicious. The salt and pepper tofu didn't do much for me. Located in shopping mall near free garage parking. Definitely would return.

I really like this place! it's one of the few dim sum spots in town, and its both delicious and affordable. They offer a great selection and the portions are perfect for sharing. I usually go for lunch and it gets busy around noon. A great spot if you work nearby! :)Must-try: baked pineapple bao, shrimp chive dumplings, and the wagyu with roasted garlic- so good!

First visit, and so glad to have a dim sum spot in t he neighborhood!The food here was delicious and while they have a basic selection of dim sum, I do which there were more variety. The service was attentive, and the wait for a table on a sunday afternoon was about 10 mintues - not bad at all!Must try: Shrimp dumplings, crab dumplings, and pork soup dumplings. Definitely coming back!

Amazing food and staff outstanding! We loved it so much that we ate here twice during our visit. If you get the chance, dont miss it! Some of the best dim sum Ive ever had. Be sure to try their signature soup dumplings and baked pineapple bao. Absolutely delicious!