New Dim Sum Restaurant Serving Colorful Dumplings in FiDi

Dumplings for lunch?

Bright red xiao long bao and other vividly colored dumplings are now available in the Financial District thanks to Golden Saba Seafood. It’s now open at 646 Washington Street, the former Oolong Noodles Restaurant space. Golden Saba takes a nontraditional approach to dim sum, with a compact menu focusing on xiao long bao (filled with pork or tom yum soup), siu mai and har gow (available with classic fillings or lobster), potstickers, bao, and noodles. Dessert buns can be filled with taro, green tea, or custard. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Menu revamp

Cole Valley’s 30-year-old Kezar Bar & Restaurant has reopened after a quick one-day closure with a new chef and menu. Lacie Smith is now the executive chef — she’s cooked on the line at Boulevard and Villa Taverna — and will introduce about 10 new dishes, including a spin on ratatouille and sea bass with crispy rice, bok choy, and pineapple. Several Kezar staples — like the burgers — remain on offer.

More Lao food in Oakland

Oakland is spoiled when it comes to Lao restaurants, and another just opened in Montclair Village: Lao Tae (6516 Moraga Avenue). All the classics are here: papaya salad with crab paste, laab, nam khao (crispy rice salad), khao poon (coconut curry noodle soup), amd even Lao-style beef jerky. As with many Bay Area Lao restaurants, Lao Tae also serves a slew of Thai dishes.

Another dumpling spot in the Inner Richmond

Alley House is now open at 3751 Geary Boulevard, serving Shanghainese dishes like boiled chicken, xiao long bao, and shen jian bao. But there are also some Shaanxi-style dishes, like saozi noodles, a sour and spicy pork noodle soup.

The khao mun gai trend just won’t quit

San Jose has a new fast-casual spot specializing in khao mun gai: Oros Thai Chicken & Rice (5663 Snell Avenue). In addition to the classic poached chicken with chicken-y rice, the restaurant serves a deep-fried version, tofu alternative, and popcorn chicken, in addition to bubble tea drinks.

A new Silicon Valley watering hole

Water Tower Kitchen, a spacious sports bar and restaurant, is now open at 201 Orchard City Drive in Campbell. The menu emphasizes burgers, mac ‘n’ cheese, and salads, plus bar snacks like chicken strips and carne asada fries. Cocktails feature fun ingredients like jalapeño syrup, hibiscus shrub, and sparkling cascara.

Curry Up Now heads to the capital

Local fast-casual Indian chain Curry Up Now is opening its first Sacramento location this summer. It’ll land at 1610 R Street in the Ice Blocks, home to Mendocino Farms and the high-end Beast & Bounty. The franchisee plans to open four more locations in Sacramento County.