We always pop by Tim Ho Wan when we visit Hong Kong. It's the cheapest Michelin-Starred Restaurant in the world as they proudly proclaim. That is true if you are in Hong Kong, definitely not the case for the Singapore branches.
When the branch in Singapore opened, we were wondering, to go or not to go. We decided 'No' because when it first opened, we just came back and the queue was just too long. We have no energy to queue up waiting so long for a meal.
Just the other day, the folks in office says, let's go try it! The queue should have died down, it should be a nice place to celebrate a birthday our style. (ie, we can order a variety of food to try).
So we headed off to the Plaza Singapura branch. We realised that if you are going in pairs, it's rather easy to get a place. They sit 2 people rather quickly because there are always pockets of tables for 2 persons. We were a group of 9, and wait for around 45 minutes before we got our table. We were placed in a 'room' at the end where they can fit all of us in, probably after a big group left.
We ordered so many things because after waiting for so long, all of us were famished!
Our tables had the most number of steamers being stacked.
The Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50 for 3 pieces).
One of the 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' on the menu. Almost every table has it. One of their signature dishes that it's worth trying here.
I was recently in Hong Kong again and popped by Tim Ho Wan there, yes the ones in Hong Kong are nicer and a little different, but the ones here are tasty too, probably the better ones amongst all the different places that have the similar buns in Singapore.
A nice brown bottom, nicely browned. I like the top which has a nice crumbly texture to it. It has such a nice mouth-feel as you bite into it.
The sweetish char siu filling inside. In a big group like ours, there's a range of taste buds. It's a sweetish filling, so those who have no sweet tooth says it's way too sweet for their liking. For some with sweet tooth, they liked it.
Since we like to compare, the prices in HK and Singapore:
HKD 17 (about SGD 2.70) in Hong Kong, SGD 4.50 in Singapore.
Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushroom ($6).
This was so so, everyone of us took a mouth of it and pass it along....
Beancurd Spring Roll with Shrimp (3 pcs) ($5.50)
This was nice. It was crispy and the filling had a nice consistency and tasted good too.
Glutinous Rice Dumpling ($5)
This was all right. We ate it but it did not wow us. Something that will fill you up only.
This particular one in Hong Kong was much better.
Pan Fried Carrot Cake (3 pcs) ($4.50)
Another of the 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' on the menu, so we thought we should try it. It's text book correct. No fault about it, no wow to it too.
Spring Roll with Egg White (3 pcs) ($4.50)
There so many things that we tried, I forgot how this tasted. LOL
Garlic, Mushroom and Spinach Dumpling (3 pcs) ($3.80)
This was interesting to me. Something different from the other meat based dumplings that we had. The skin consistency was good too. You can see it from the photo above.
Dumpling Teochew Style (3 pcs) ($4)
We put 2 or 3 for every single 'Steamed' item on the menu, so the items came non stop. They had really fast service, so food kept coming and we kept eating.
As the food kept coming to our table, this stood out because it tasted rather different. It had peanuts inside. You get a crunchy bite as you bite into it. It's something like the Pink Triangular shape kueh we eat locally, but these were wrapped delicately in thin dumpling skin.
Prawn Dumpling (4 pcs) ($5.50)
It's ok...
Steamed Egg Cake ($3.80)
The 'Ma Lai Ko' listed as the 'Big 4 Heavenly King' really was very good. Served steaming hot, you pick it up and it's so light and fluffy. You eat it and it gives you a nice aroma that makes you want to have more.
We only ordered 2 of this, and though we should order a few more!
Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce ($4)
Our lunch group is a 'siao kway kar' (chicken feet fanatic) group of people. Someone suggested we do the usual 8-10 steamers of it, but the gatekeeper said, no! 4 is max because we have ordered too much things here.
We were a bit disappointed with it though. It's lacking in flavour, the feet was not marinated enough. We rate it as barely pass. Hard to describe, it's the kind of 'connection' that only chicken feet lovers will know. All of us had a mouth and 'shake head'. LOL
However, as chicken feet enthusiast, we finished it all. We left no small bones unsucked!
Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp (3 pcs) ($4)
This was again OK. Nice to eat, but leaves no feeling of having wanting more of it.
Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (4 pcs) ($5)
It's all right.
If you can't 'dimsum' without ordering this, go ahead.
Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin (3 pcs) (4.20)
This just tasted so weird. It's mushy and just mushy period.
This is totally unlike the Hong Kong version which had nice hints of orange peel and the beef ball bouncy there.
Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce ($4.20)
I like pork ribs, so the following statement might be a bit bias. It was nicely done, light and yet has flavour to it. The meat I remembered was tender.
Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus Cake (3 pcs) ($3.50)
There are two desserts and we ordered both. This Osmanthus Cake was really nice. It's something sweet tooth folks will like. It's nicely chilled and it's not as sweet as the ones in Hong Kong. Something that we all liked.
The Yam Puree with Sago was ordered because there's a colleague who is a die hard Yam Puree fan. It's the warm dessert and of course he liked it because it was Yam.
Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver ($5.50)
When we placed our orders when we arrived, we were told there's no vermicelli rolls today because the rice vermicelli steamer had broken down. So we thought what a pity because there's this colleague who loves Pig's Liver.
Just as we were about to ask for the bill, we noticed there was a sudden stream of vermicelli roll being served to other customers. We asked if the machine is back in order. The service staff said yes. And so, another round of ordering begun......
Vermicelli Roll with Prawns ($5.50)
Knowing that we are big eaters, the lady asked if we also wanted the Shrimp with Chives version too. We were already way too full to remember how it tasted. I faintly recall this was something we can order.
There are certain things that we nice here, others not so. If you are heading to Hong Kong for a holiday, eat the ones there. It's cheap in Hong Kong as their promotional material says, but be reminded that only applies to Hong Kong. :-)
Tim Ho Wan
68 Orchard Road
Plaza Singapura
#01-29A
Singapore 238839
When the branch in Singapore opened, we were wondering, to go or not to go. We decided 'No' because when it first opened, we just came back and the queue was just too long. We have no energy to queue up waiting so long for a meal.
Just the other day, the folks in office says, let's go try it! The queue should have died down, it should be a nice place to celebrate a birthday our style. (ie, we can order a variety of food to try).
So we headed off to the Plaza Singapura branch. We realised that if you are going in pairs, it's rather easy to get a place. They sit 2 people rather quickly because there are always pockets of tables for 2 persons. We were a group of 9, and wait for around 45 minutes before we got our table. We were placed in a 'room' at the end where they can fit all of us in, probably after a big group left.
We ordered so many things because after waiting for so long, all of us were famished!
Our tables had the most number of steamers being stacked.
The Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50 for 3 pieces).
One of the 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' on the menu. Almost every table has it. One of their signature dishes that it's worth trying here.
I was recently in Hong Kong again and popped by Tim Ho Wan there, yes the ones in Hong Kong are nicer and a little different, but the ones here are tasty too, probably the better ones amongst all the different places that have the similar buns in Singapore.
A nice brown bottom, nicely browned. I like the top which has a nice crumbly texture to it. It has such a nice mouth-feel as you bite into it.
The sweetish char siu filling inside. In a big group like ours, there's a range of taste buds. It's a sweetish filling, so those who have no sweet tooth says it's way too sweet for their liking. For some with sweet tooth, they liked it.
Since we like to compare, the prices in HK and Singapore:
HKD 17 (about SGD 2.70) in Hong Kong, SGD 4.50 in Singapore.
Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushroom ($6).
This was so so, everyone of us took a mouth of it and pass it along....
Beancurd Spring Roll with Shrimp (3 pcs) ($5.50)
This was nice. It was crispy and the filling had a nice consistency and tasted good too.
Glutinous Rice Dumpling ($5)
This was all right. We ate it but it did not wow us. Something that will fill you up only.
This particular one in Hong Kong was much better.
Pan Fried Carrot Cake (3 pcs) ($4.50)
Another of the 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' on the menu, so we thought we should try it. It's text book correct. No fault about it, no wow to it too.
Spring Roll with Egg White (3 pcs) ($4.50)
There so many things that we tried, I forgot how this tasted. LOL
Garlic, Mushroom and Spinach Dumpling (3 pcs) ($3.80)
This was interesting to me. Something different from the other meat based dumplings that we had. The skin consistency was good too. You can see it from the photo above.
Dumpling Teochew Style (3 pcs) ($4)
We put 2 or 3 for every single 'Steamed' item on the menu, so the items came non stop. They had really fast service, so food kept coming and we kept eating.
As the food kept coming to our table, this stood out because it tasted rather different. It had peanuts inside. You get a crunchy bite as you bite into it. It's something like the Pink Triangular shape kueh we eat locally, but these were wrapped delicately in thin dumpling skin.
Prawn Dumpling (4 pcs) ($5.50)
It's ok...
Steamed Egg Cake ($3.80)
The 'Ma Lai Ko' listed as the 'Big 4 Heavenly King' really was very good. Served steaming hot, you pick it up and it's so light and fluffy. You eat it and it gives you a nice aroma that makes you want to have more.
We only ordered 2 of this, and though we should order a few more!
Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce ($4)
Our lunch group is a 'siao kway kar' (chicken feet fanatic) group of people. Someone suggested we do the usual 8-10 steamers of it, but the gatekeeper said, no! 4 is max because we have ordered too much things here.
We were a bit disappointed with it though. It's lacking in flavour, the feet was not marinated enough. We rate it as barely pass. Hard to describe, it's the kind of 'connection' that only chicken feet lovers will know. All of us had a mouth and 'shake head'. LOL
However, as chicken feet enthusiast, we finished it all. We left no small bones unsucked!
Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp (3 pcs) ($4)
This was again OK. Nice to eat, but leaves no feeling of having wanting more of it.
Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (4 pcs) ($5)
It's all right.
If you can't 'dimsum' without ordering this, go ahead.
Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin (3 pcs) (4.20)
This just tasted so weird. It's mushy and just mushy period.
This is totally unlike the Hong Kong version which had nice hints of orange peel and the beef ball bouncy there.
Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce ($4.20)
I like pork ribs, so the following statement might be a bit bias. It was nicely done, light and yet has flavour to it. The meat I remembered was tender.
Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus Cake (3 pcs) ($3.50)
There are two desserts and we ordered both. This Osmanthus Cake was really nice. It's something sweet tooth folks will like. It's nicely chilled and it's not as sweet as the ones in Hong Kong. Something that we all liked.
The Yam Puree with Sago was ordered because there's a colleague who is a die hard Yam Puree fan. It's the warm dessert and of course he liked it because it was Yam.
Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver ($5.50)
When we placed our orders when we arrived, we were told there's no vermicelli rolls today because the rice vermicelli steamer had broken down. So we thought what a pity because there's this colleague who loves Pig's Liver.
Just as we were about to ask for the bill, we noticed there was a sudden stream of vermicelli roll being served to other customers. We asked if the machine is back in order. The service staff said yes. And so, another round of ordering begun......
Vermicelli Roll with Prawns ($5.50)
Knowing that we are big eaters, the lady asked if we also wanted the Shrimp with Chives version too. We were already way too full to remember how it tasted. I faintly recall this was something we can order.
There are certain things that we nice here, others not so. If you are heading to Hong Kong for a holiday, eat the ones there. It's cheap in Hong Kong as their promotional material says, but be reminded that only applies to Hong Kong. :-)
Tim Ho Wan
68 Orchard Road
Plaza Singapura
#01-29A
Singapore 238839
