What is it? A Chinese dim sum house in Ghirardelli Square, halfway between Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason.
Why we love it: Aesthetics rule the day here. The “palette” of the name refers to the plate you receive, shaped like an artist’s palette with five wells to hold differently colored sauces. One of the standout dishes, a xiaolongbao sampler, also evokes admiration with five soup dumplings arranged beautifully with their dough colored red (beets), green (spinach), yellow (turmeric), black (squid ink) and white, with various fillings. The taro puff black swan with a delicate cracker neck “floats” on an edible flower strewn plate, while the hot and sour soup is classically delicious. I indulged in an espresso martini and the Portuguese egg tart, while also stealing bites of my daughter’s mango pudding supreme with popping boba, coconut and fresh mango. Above you, large red lanterns glow with Chinese characters for the names of the food, including BBQ pork bao and pork soup dumpling. General manager and part owner Dennis Leung has created a beautiful space, where large red lanterns above you glow with Chinese characters that correspond to the names of the dishes. Make sure to make a pit stop at the bathroom, too, so you don’t miss the beautiful mosaic tiles in the hallway.
Time Out tip: It’s housed in the same square as the iconic Gold Rush chocolatier Ghirardelli, and we’d also recommend a pre- or post-meal walk down the hill to the free, ship-shaped Maritime National Historic Park; its partnering visitor center on Jefferson Street offers fantastic exhibits in a 1907 warehouse.
Address: 900 North Point St, San Francisco, 94109
Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–7:30pm; Fri, Sat 11:30am–8pm
Expect to pay: Dumplings and bao plates are $9 to $16, entrees and soups are $18 to $32, desserts are $7 to $9, and signature cocktails are $16.