Upscale Dim Sum Is Now on Kapiolani and It’s Excellent

Yung Yee Kee opens with Hong Kong flavors near Ala Moana Center.

Yung Yee Kee Dim Sum opened with no ostentation this past weekend, appearing apparently out of nowhere on Kapiolani Boulevard in the former Thank Q Pocha distance. But those in the know showed up in droves. While the name is alike to that of a celebrated Hong Kong restaurant, Yung Yee Kee ’ second kitchen is helmed by Yu Kit Rong, a 30-year veteran of Chinatown ’ s Legend Seafood Restaurant. It ’ s a family affair : His wife besides cooks and expedites and the restaurant is owned by Aaron Lam and Molly Siu, their son and daughter-in-law. But this is no Legends menu : It ’ randomness all about elegant dimmed kernel .

I decide to pay a visit for lunch on Monday with my wife, feeling rather clever that we ’ re avoiding the weekend crowd. Boy, am I mistaken. There is already a trace when we arrive at 11 ante meridiem and we end up waiting 40 minutes to get seated amid throngs of largely Cantonese-speaking diners who besides thought they were smarter than the weekend crowd. A 40-minute expect for lunch. On a Monday. But the menu posted outdoor and olfactory property wafting out promise a gastronomic reward .

See also: Chinee Like Me: Dinner at Tim Ho Wan Waikīkī

Dim sum dishes range between $4 and $11. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

We orderliness our usual favorites along with a couple of peculiarity items recommended by Siu .

Pork hash with shrimp, $4.95. Photo: Gregg Hoshida
Chicken and chives dumplings, $5.50. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

The black sum looks delectable and buttery, every dumpling holding generous fillings in dilute wrappers and arriving in minutes .

Chicken feet in black bean sauce, $4.95. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Chicken feet is my go-to dish at any dim union restaurant and I find these to be plump, savory and fall-off-the-bone attendant with the discrete taste of star anise .

Pan-fried turnip cake, $4.50. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

I ’ m impressed with the turnip cakes, which have a downy texture and are gently held together with just enough flour. They melt in your mouth with a delicate sweet and salty stopping point .

Salted egg custard bun, $5.25. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

The headliner of the show is the salt egg custard bun. I have rarely seen liu sha bao in Hawai ‘ i. These are salty and sweetly with a velvet molten finish, and I find myself eating them like a kid having his first Twinkie. If you dine here, this is the one thing you should not miss. And make sure you rate it early in case they sell out .

So gooey and velvety. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

overall, my wife and I are pretty happy with the experience. The atmosphere is comfortable, there ’ sulfur ample elbow room between tables and workers are attentive and benignant. While the average price of $ 4 to $ 11 per plate is a bite higher than what you find in Chinatown, the quality of the food will keep me coming back for more .

SEE ALSO: A Dim Sum Crawl of Chinatown

If you are going, be warned that park is a challenge—there ’ s a small distribute Yung Yee Kee shares with Burger King and Taste Tea. It ’ s worth it, though, to find parking nearby and amble over.

1411 Kapiolani Blvd., Ala Moana, ( 808 ) 955-7478, @yungyeekeedimsum