H. L. Peninsula Restaurant — Restaurant in South San Francisco

Here for the first time, entering the restaurant was a profound experience. It reminds me of when Koi Palace first opened, and diners quickly realized what the art of the possible was for the interior design of a Chinese restaurant.

Initially, we opted for outdoor seating. But an employee was smoking on the front pavement near the parked cars. The ruinous odor forced us to relocate inside.

The menu is appended with a list of high-priced items in the $50-70+ range. We primarily came here for dim sum.

The 3001 Shrimp Dumpling was a faithful rendition of a traditional favorite. Light and enjoyable.

The 3003 Pork and Crab Row Siu Mai, another Cantonese classic, was easily the best I’ve had in a very long time. Not only was the pork flavor robust, the pork itself had a fluffy and soft texture.

The 3006 Pork Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce was delicious and not chewy as they can sometimes get. Served with taro cubes, which I am not accustomed to seeing. Perhaps this gives the dish an extra aspect of flavor. However, because it resembles pork in color, it could look like there was more pork butt service filler material. I will give benefit of doubt, as adding “with taro“ would have been a more accurate description but would have lengthened the name of the dish.

Things somewhat went downhill from there.

The 3013 Shanghai Xiao Long Baos were excellent in texture and lightness but the flavor was lacking. The interior ingredients were fresh but that quintessential flavor was absent. I would have loved these to have wowed me as much as the Siu Mai did. Lost potential here, but easily gained with some attention to flavor.

The magenta colored 3023 Sea Bass & Shrimp Dumpling looked very attractive but failed to please. The shrimp came across like a block of minced shrimp as opposed to what you see in the 3001 Shrimp Dumplings. The sea bass it was crowned with looked like a scallop. But the flavors didn’t blend and, altogether, was sadly lackluster despite its appearance. Perhaps they would consider rethinking this item and have the flavors complementary and more robust.

We also had a BBQ pork rectangular pastry (not the bun) but it had little pork on the inside. and the barbecue pork flavor wasn’t as robust as it could have been.

The service was spectacular, the staff was extremely friendly and personable. Very nice to see one of the captains speak with us as if we were long timers. That is classic treatment.

I’m always very excited to see a very modern Hong Kong style restaurant. From the restrooms to the restaurant interior, the execution is very well thought out. Glamour aside, we’re here for the food. Of the few dim sum we had, two classics were really good, while the rest has potential for improvement.

I have great confidence that this restaurant will act on feedback and continually improve and serve the community for...

First off, I have only tried this restaurant once and it was for a special party reservation so the experience I had might not be indicative of the overall dining experience as a whole. Supposedly the dim sum service is better but I won't be able to comment on that.

However I did do the dinner service and it was definitely not a welcoming experience.

Wait times: Like others have mentioned, the wait times are horrendous unless you know someone on staff. They definitely play favorites (similar to Koi Palace). Be prepared for crazy wait times of at least 120 minutes without prior reservations.

Time limit on eating: Because of the horrendous wait times, you are restricted on how long you have to eat (inclusive of ordering food time and preparation). This is usually 90-120 minutes max depending on the day. This sucks if you are not getting the set menus and want to do ala carte. Of it takes the waiter 30 minutes to get to your table to take your order and another 30 minutes for food, you are generally left with less than and hour to eat.

Food: The food is definitely sub-par for the prices you are paying here. You are likely paying 3x more for food that you can get at the quick deli from Ranch 99.

They might serve "expensive" items like abalone and "fish fin" soup but the preparation and care put into making it edible is definitely not there. [note: it is illegal to sell shark fin in the Bay Area...a point they love to make clear to you just in case someone calls them on it].

While on the topic of food, who makes soy sauce chicken with more soy sauce than chicken? Even Panda Express feels like they have standards compared to this place.

The only thing I actually like food wise was the fungi salad which wasn't really a main course and more like a side/appetizer. I definitely don't think you want to come here to just eat one appetizer.

Atmosphere: Possibly the only good thing I can say about this place is the open space and modernish decor. They do have 15+ people private party rooms that are secluded from everyone else which is great for larger parties.

Service: Look under Webster's dictionary for pretentious and you are likely to see Koi Palace on there and followed closely by there guys. However Koi Palace at least has the taste of the food to back up that snobbery. This place does not have that (good tasting food) yet the wait times are just as egregious. Even asking for the check to leave took more time...

According to the literature leaflet, this restaurant is part of a myriad of independent restaurants founded by an investment group with holdings in both Asia and North America. Despite the bland exterior architecture, however, once inside, the interior is contrastingly different. Seeing is believing...

The first-rate interior design and floorplan is sleek, modern, and slimline to accommodate a significant number of patrons in real time; yet, paradoxically, it's self-defeating because it draws too many people here and that's where the problem begins. I think kitchen personell is understaffed during peak hours. Furthermore, wait times can exceed half-an-hour unless one has a reservation for one of its large private enclaves, ie. private dining rooms. Parking can be an issue during peak hours. Moreover, I came here once only to find out that a very large wedding banquet was being hosted, so call in advance.

As an afterthought, the parent company obviously strives to be an over-the-top international restauranteur in Asian cuisine, but is it worth the effort and cost? Undoubtedly, its standards are exemplary and pervade across every conceivable facet within its industry. Such facets span across architecture, floorplan, ambiance, décor, maintenance, management, customer service, innovative menu selection, and hosting private gatherings... All of which I'm grateful, appreciate and enjoy...