Sassy Foods - San Francisco

Love, love, love this place! As a young vegetarian turned vegan, going out to eat with my mom and friends often meant limited choices, usually just Buddha's delight, gai lan, steamed veggies, and plain rice. Sassy Foods has brought back childhood delights I haven't had in years. My omni friends and family agree that the food still tastes great and captures the spirit of authentic dim sum. We even had pear-shaped dumplings that my mom said are rarely seen outside of Hong Kong. Upon tasting: * Lo mai gai/sticky rice: The gold flake makes this feel so fancy and elevated. This was my absolute favorite dim sum morsel hands down as a kid, pre-veg. This vegan version is cooked just right, and steaming it in the lotus leaf creates a very aromatic and unique flavor. I just wish it had some vegan yolk of sorts, as that's the best part, but it's very hard to replicate. * Har gow/shrimp dumplings: The yellow wrapper has a nice chewy quality, a little thicker than I remember, but it balances well with the vegan shrimp. There's a gentle flavor here that's captured very well, though I admit this one tastes the most obviously vegan. I like that as a vegan, but if you're hesitant on mock meats, this might not be for you. * Chiu chow dumplings/peanut chive: The purple wrapper is super cute! These were the most beautiful, cute things ever and didn't survive for a picture. Taste-wise, they are very fresh yet savory, with an interesting texture that's both crunchy and soft. * Siu mai/pork dumplings: I love these, but my mom thinks they're salty. * Cheung fun/rice noodle roll: These are a must-have! There are different filling options to suit preferences. We got the Chinese donut one this time, but other fillings we've tried before have been great too. * Xiao long bao/soup dumplings: It's not the restaurant's fault I burnt my tongue; they were too delicious not to eat immediately. Worth every second of flavor. They have a nice thin wrapper, a good amount of soup, and the filling wasn't mushy. * Taro cake: I LOVE when taro cake is prepared this way! This is not a sweet dish; enjoy it with chili oil and soy sauce, or use extra rice noodle roll sauce. Everything I've tried here is delicious, and the level of "dim sum theatre" is just right. No frills, but you'll get what you want hot and fresh if you know how to order. I really wish they had the egg tarts more available, as they've been sold out or unavailable every time I've visited. No free red bean soup either, but it's okay because we never have room after all the delicious food!

My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! The food was truly amazing, feeling very authentic and just as flavorful as non-plant-based dim sum. I'd confidently say this is one of the best vegan places in SF. The value for the price was also pretty good, with very large portion sizes for the plated dishes. Furthermore, the staff were very friendly and the service was great!

My experience at this restaurant was largely positive, with the food being the absolute star of the show. Everything we ordered was delicious, and I was particularly impressed with the xiao long bao. I'm really excited to come back and try more! The staff were incredibly sweet, although the service itself was a bit slow. Despite the wait time, the overall quality of the food made it a worthwhile visit.

My experience at this restaurant was marked by a big vegan menu, which was a definite plus. They were accommodating with substitutions, and the portions were large. The restaurant itself is big, and I found parking easy with plenty of parking available. The Chinese pop music added a fitting and fun atmosphere. However, despite these positives, the taste wasn’t great; it was just alright.

My experience at this restaurant involved a server who had to translate everything into Chinese on the menu as she took our order. We were with people who understood Chinese food better than we do, so they ordered for us. The food was relatively tasty. The atmosphere and service were rated a 4 out of 5, and the food also received a 4 out of 5. It was quite kid-friendly, and parking was paid street parking. The price per person was between $10–20.