YH Beijing - Review - Lower Haight - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"You’re at YH - Beijing not just for the fabulous dumplings, but also for the deep selection of Chinese dishes from a range of provinces. Think tofu-covered spicy mala beijing noodles, rich braised oxtail stew, and mangosteen buns served inside a lowkey fancy space. There's an a la carte section with more Americanized Chinese classics, but sticking just to those would be a mistake. The soups, noodles, and bao are where this place shines. Stick to those you’ll have a good time. photo credit: Melissa Zink photo credit: Melissa Zink Food Rundown Ma La Xiao Long Bao Rich, flavorful broth is the star of these bright red (wrapper-less) xiao long bao that are filled with delicious pork. They will disappear from the table instantly. photo credit: Melissa Zink Spicy Mala Beijing Noodles Covered in cubed tofu and beef, these noodles are layers and layers of sichuan peppercorn and mala. They’re creamy, savory and sweet in all the perfect ways. You’ll keep shoveling this into your mouth until you’re sad that they’re gone. photo credit: Melissa Zink Dry Sauteed String Beans These string beans are initially simple, but taste more complex as you get to the bottom of the bowl. There, the bean juice and dry spices come together to help you reach bean nirvana. Braised Oxtail Stew Prepare to be blown away by slow-cooked stew. Melt in your mouth oxtail, carrots, and radishes work side by side to create a rich umami-packed broth. If only we could get our hands on the ingredient list and replicate this at home. Instead, we’ll just use our teleporter to come and inhale this any time of day. photo credit: Melissa Zink Mangosteen Bun We wish they had more of a pronounced mangosteen flavor, instead of the small LaCroix-esque hint of mangosteen. But as massive mangosteen fans, we’re just excited that these are on the menu. photo credit: Melissa Zink" - Ricky Rodriguez