Michelin-lauded Hong Kong dim sum restaurant Tim Ho Wan is marking 12 years in Singapore with a refreshed menu and value prices to thank all its loyal fans here. In addition to a variety of new dishes, the eatery has now added premium Barbecue Spanish Pork to its ingredients, and continues to prepare the meat in traditional Hong Kong style while ensuring that it is succulent with a bold robust flavour.
Photo © Fen Chia.
With all the new faces in the ever dynamic Singapore dining scene, it had been a while since I had Tim Ho Wan and we were delighted to revisit the Plaza Singapura outlet this time, recalling that it was where the restaurant launched its very first international outlet back in 2013.
Photo © Tim Ho Wan
Back then, its Signature Baked BBQ Pork Buns (S$7.50 for three) were so simple and sensational. I remember how I used to pack the buns to go many a weekday evening for supper. It remains a must-order for every meal there, crumbly and fluffy with the pork stewed in a delicious sweet-savoury sauce that made it addictive enough for me to polish off three by myself. Here I was, falling for them all over again, with a revised recipe that promises a saucier filling and a more buttery and flaky crust.
Tim Ho Wan’s Signature Baked BBQ Pork Buns – now even better than before. Photo © Fen Chia.
For mains, we had the BBQ Char Siew Rice (S$12.50) and BBQ Char Siew Noodles (S$11.80), with the Spanish pork having a superior fat distribution from their acorn-rich diet. This depth of fat and juiciness works very well for char siew, complementing the BBQ glaze and providing a full-flavoured texture, with additional bite from being slightly charred at the edges as good char siew should be. One can also order a platter of just the meat (S$16.80). Despite usually being more of a noodles person, I ended up polishing up most of the rice, as I can never give up a perfectly runny egg with its yolk melding into rice grains and sauce.
Who can resist runny yolk on char siew rice? I can’t. Photo © Fen Chia.
BBQ Char Siew Noodles. Photo © Fen Chia.
Meanwhile, to wash things down, we also got the newly available cold brew teas, the White Peach Oolong and the Rose Lychee Black Tea (S$3.00). These premium teas were very refreshing and perfect in not being sweet at all, to pair with the tasty dishes. Other available flavours include Ginseng Oolong, and Supreme Pu-erh.
Tim Ho Wan has a range of new cold brew teas. Photo © Fen Chia.
For the dim sum to share, we went for two steamed options. We had the classic Pork and Shrimp Dumplings (S$5.80 for three) with its juicy and springy meat, a standard favourite, but what I really liked were the Spinach Dumplings with Shrimp (S$4.80 for three), flavourful yet a lighter option with chopped spinach and succulent prawns in their translucent wrapper, that was a nice contrast from all the previous meat dishes. Vegetables are generally rare on the dim sum table and this item is an ideal fix (note that there is also Poached Fresh Lettuce on the sides menu).
The classic siew mai. Photo © Fen Chia.
Spinach Dumplings with Shrimp. Photo © Fen Chia.
To round up the meal in a balanced way, we tried the Sweet Plum Jelly (S$3.80 for three), a slightly tart dessert that served well as a palate cleanser. Other available sweet treats include Osmanthus Jelly with Goji Berries (S$3.80 for three), Mango Sago with Popping Boba (S$3.80 a bowl) and Red Bean Soup with Tangerine Peel and Glutinous Rice Ball (S$3.80). Currently, all outlets are also carrying limited-time only options like Dark Chocolate Molten Lava Sesame Ball, Peach Gum, Rice Mochi with Grass Jelly Dessert and Jiggly Cat Black and White Hong Kong Milk Tea Pudding, which makes for a good mix of traditional and new, hot and cold.
A simple but satisfying palate cleanser for dessert. Photo © Fen Chia.
I probably should have stopped at that point but as with most Hong Kong or dim sum places, I absolutely had to draw the curtains on the meal with my favourite Hong Kong style Milk Tea (S$3.50), crafted from the iconic Black and White milk and served in that iconic cup! It did not disappoint, and was smooth and rich without being too sweet.
A personal quirk. Photo © Fen Chia.
Eating at Tim Ho Wan feels like returning to the ever-reliable embrace of a good old friend. Amid rising operational costs today, it is astounding to get such quality yet value-for-money tasty dim sum plates, many of which are priced at a very wallet-friendly S$3.80, S$4.80 and S$5.80, from a Hong Kong household name found at so many accessible locations islandwide. As a satisfied diner, I wish Tim Ho Wan a very Happy 12 Years in Singapore, and here’s to many more to come!
More information about Tim Ho Wan outlets can be found here.
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