It's been a while since TC Pastry's Daly City location closed its doors. A neighborhood favorite where you could walk in hungry, point at a few steaming trays, walk out carrying a pink box, and somehow spend less money than you would on a fancy coffee and pastry these days. I missed it. So naturally...A MISSION WAS BORN.
Destination: TC Pastry on Irving Street in San Francisco.
Objective: Find delicious dim sum.
Budget: Under $20.
Risk level: Extremely high probability of ordering too much food.
I headed toward Irving Street with one simple goal...prove that a satisfying meal under twenty bucks still exists in San Francisco. And I'm sure glad I did. First up...Shrimp Dumplings.
These beautiful little translucent packages arrived with that classic combination of plump shrimp, seasonings, subtle crunchy vegetables, and a thin delicate wrapper holding everything together. The shrimp was tender and slightly sweet, while the wrapper had that wonderful soft, slightly chewy texture. Simple. Delicate. Delicious.
Basically, the dumpling equivalent of saying, "I don't need to show off...I know I'm good."
Next came the BBQ Pork Bun. Now, there's something wonderfully comforting about a good BBQ Pork Bun. That soft, fluffy exterior gives way to a flavorful, tender pork filling where sweet and savory shake hands and agree to become best friends. The filling and dough worked in perfect balance. Too much bread and you're eating a pillow. Too much filling and you've got a pork explosion. This one? Just right.
Goldilocks would approve. Then I discovered my weakness...Fried Wontons. Crispy, Golden, Savory, Addictive. These little fried troublemakers had that irresistible crunchy wrapper surrounding a savory filling that makes your brain immediately send instructions to your hand...GET ANOTHER ONE. One became two. Two became three. And somewhere along the way I realized I had made a serious tactical error... I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT MORE. Every mission has mistakes. That was mine.
Then came the Siu Mai. And THIS was where TC Pastry reminded me exactly why I went looking for them. The Siu Mai was juicy, flavorful, and tender, with that wonderful combination of pork and shrimp wrapped inside a delicate wrapper and finished perfectly by steaming. Savory, Meaty, Tender, a little bouncy, a lot delicious.
This wasn't some fancy reinvented dim sum where someone adds truffle foam, edible flowers, and suddenly charges $14 for three pieces. Nope, this was good old-fashioned dim sum doing exactly what good old-fashioned dim sum is supposed to do...Make you happy. A true dim sum gem.
And finally...Dessert. Or, as I prefer to call it...the responsible conclusion to a balanced meal. Enter the Dan Tat, akaHong Kong-Style Egg Tart.
That delicate pastry cradled a custard filling that was smooth, creamy, and just set, with a gentle egginess and enough sweetness to make it dessert without turning it into a sugar bomb. One bite and you've got flaky pastry...Creamy custard...Subtle sweetness...And suddenly you're wondering whether buying only one was another strategic failure. Apparently, I learned absolutely nothing from the Fried Wontons.
What I appreciate about TC Pastry is that it doesn't need chandeliers, white tablecloths, or somebody explaining the chef's "vision." The vision is sitting right there behind the counter. Dumplings. Buns. Wontons. Siu Mai. Egg Tarts.
Pick what looks good, grab a box, find somewhere to sit, and nd begin making questionable decisions about whether you should go back inside for another round.
There's something wonderfully nostalgic about places like TC Pastry. Dim sum doesn't have to be an elaborate weekend production with carts, reservations, and twelve relatives fighting over the last dumpling. Sometimes you just want something quick, delicious, comforting, and affordable.
And somehow...my little mission to find a satisfying sub-$20 meal in San Francisco was accomplished.
Overall: 4 stars.
The Shrimp Dumplings were delicate and satisfying. The BBQ Pork Bun delivered that perfect sweet-savory balance. The Fried Wontons were dangerously addictive. The Siu Mai was juicy, tender, and easily one of the highlights of the meal.
Daly City may have lost its TC Pastry...but thankfully, Irving Street is keeping the dim sum mission alive. Wallet survived. Stomach satisfied. Fried Wonton shortage regretted. MISSION COMPLETE.
Come hungry...and Go Big!!! read more