You mentioned Restaurant Peony last night--let's do it soon!

388 Ninth Street (between Webster/Franklin) Suite 288, Pacific Renaissance Plaza, Oakland (Phone: 510-286-8866)
Weekend Lunch is from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

This posting is awhile after your original, but Legendary Palace in Oakland has a pretty good following, and, the digs are pretty palatial being that it is a renovated old chinatown building.

Dinner is pretty good as well.

If you are looking for take-out, I like Tao Yuen, the Sui Mai and Har Gow are really large, Today we spent $11.04 and had enough left over from two to have another meal.

Tin's in Oakland has opened a place out here in Walnut Creek - called Tin's Tea House. It's excellent.

Almost as good as Ton Kiang (not quite in the league as YankSing) - but it's prices are incredibly cheap! Worth driving out here to WC. Right on Mt. Diablo as you come off of 24.

For quick, grab-it-and-go dim sum I like Best Dim Sum & Pastry at 723 East 12th Street. Best to hit it in the morning, as that's when they do most of their business. The $1.50 big chicken bao, filled with chicken, Chinese sausage and egg can be a decent breakfast all by itself.

For sit down places, I like King of King on the weekends (again, go early) which is at 1139 East 12th Street.

www.222.to/kingofking

If you're non-Asian it helps to know a little Cantonese or, better yet, go with a friend who does, as they sometimes automatically do the "Oh, white person, you want the battered shrimp with sweet and sour sauce..." thing and you may miss out on the best items on offer.

Off the top of my head, I'd reccommend the har gao, the clams in black bean sauce, stewed chicken feet, anything with cha shu (BBQ pork) in it, gai lan in oyster sauce, congealed pork blood (if that's your cup of tea) and although I'm often wary of the egg custard tarts, (had too many really awful ones) theirs were very tasty and not at all greasy.

But do avoid the battered shrimp.

Hong Kong East Village in Emeryville (Marina). Kind of pricey though. Closest one to Berkeley, and my new favorite in the East Bay. I also like Legendary Palace.

pics from my first visit.

www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp

Hi Amykins,

I like this one dim sum place in Alameda. I thought the variety and the quality was pretty good. It's called East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Alameda.

Here's a link:
www.alamedainfo.com/east_ocean_menu.htm

We just tried Old Place on Grand. It was so good we went back the next day just to double check. It was as good the second day in a row. Stuffed three people for $18.50.

Super good and cheap - Yoho on 8th at Webster. It is really excellent. Peony is also good but pricey, worth it for out-pf-town friends though. Yoho has many locals, great dishes and is extremely cheap.