Hong Kong local reviews the best dim sum in Singapore

One of the implicit duties as a Hong Konger is to have deep knowledge of the best dim sum places. I truly believe those who have grown up in Hong Kong have the best palettes to discern between good, average and bad dim sum. Is the har gao skin too thick or clammy? Is the soy sauce too salty or sweet? Is the oil not drained properly from the spring rolls? These are all questions that go through my head when enjoying a dim sum meal. I’m no arbiter of the tradition, but I do want to call out dim sum restaurants that excel in its trade. The good thing is that Singapore is filled with good dim sum places, so let’s deep dive into what’s on my good list and what’s on my blacklist.

My taste test at all dim sum places

I prefer savoury to sweet food options. Hence, excuse my lack of consumption of sweeter dim sums.

1. Tea A must-have to cleanse the palette from oilier foods. Good tea should have clean flavours and strong aromas
2. Shiu mai / Siu mai / Siew mai (燒賣, steamed pork and shrimp dumpling) A Cantonese classic. Size of shrimp and correct ratio between pork and shrimp matters
3. Har gao (蝦餃, shrimp dumpling) Another Cantonese classic. Lots of factors come into play for this one, including the size of shrimp, thickness of skin, seasoning of the filling
4. Beef balls (牛肉球) One of my favourite dim sums. Assessment criteria include the amount of flour in the minced beef, addition of dried mandarin orange and retention of meat juices
5. Steamed pork ribs (蒸排骨) Best with garlic and black beans. Too much flour when marinating will make the pork ribs lose its meatiness and too small of a pork rib will leave the diner wanting for more
6. Barbeque pork buns (叉燒包) A worthy test given its complexities. Fluffiness of the bun and seasoning of the cha siu mix matter.

On to the list you all are waiting for -

$$ range - Solid options that are worthy for weekly weekend visits

Tim Ho Wan - the OG from Hong Kong

Location: Store list

Tim Ho Wan is a cult classic in Hong Kong. Its founding chefs worked in Lung King Heen (3 Michelin star cantonese restaurant at the Four Seasons) before starting their own dim sum establishment. Within a year of opening, the original THW store in Mong Kok was awarded with a Michelin star. THW has since expanded across Singapore, with over 12 stores across the island (most likely franchised). Whilst the menu in Singapore is slightly different than that of Hong Kong’s, quality remains consistent.

Must try: Baked BBQ Pork Buns (酥皮焗叉烧包): A rendition of Hong Kong’s classic barbeque pork buns, but with a pastry crust (akin to that of a pineapple bun)

Canton paradise - Local and reliable chain

Location: Store list

Cantonese arm of the local chain Paradise Group. Scattered across the island, the restaurant serves quality Hong Kong dishes, with dim sum and roast meats being some of its highlights. Whilst ambiance may be a mixed bag, the quality of food rarely disappoints. P.S., if you are an employee of the Paradise Group for over 10 years, you get a free rolex. Pog.

Must try: Stir-fried Carrot Cake in XO sauce (XO酱炒萝卜糕). A different carrot cake to those you find in a hawker store. I’m a sucker for XO sauce so this one is addictive.

Snapshot of the menu

Treasures yi dian xin - Sunday staple

Location: Store list

Don’t mix this up with the One dim sum restaurant (一點心) in Hong Kong, or the Yi Dian Xin in a hawker center (see my last post). The restaurant is part of the Imperial Treasures group and similar to Canton Paradise, it serves authentic and reliable dim sum. If I’m in the Orchard area on a Sunday, this would be my go-to.

Must try: Steamed pork ribs (豉汁蒸排骨). Simple, well-marinated and juicy.

Legendary HK - Cha chaan teng x dim sum

Location: Store list but would recommend the OG store in Boon Lay

My favorite everyday cantonese diner in Singapore by a mile. Whilst my go-to at Legendary HK is always rice / noodle dishes, their dim sum is unassumingly good. In fact, you can watch them make the dim sums through a glass paned window near the entrance of the restaurant. If I ever want a taste of home, Legendary is my default.

Must try: Any of the congees (粥). Their congees are large in portion, extremely fluffy (棉) and filled with flavour

Snippets of dim sum

$$$ range - Above and beyond locations that never disappoint with an upscale experience

Wah Lok - Affordable luxury

Location: Carlton hotel

Nestled in the Carlton hotel, Wah Lok is an old time establishment that has stood the test of times and comparably, is not that much more expensive than the usual dim sum chains. Its baos and dumplings are plump and succulent. It’s fried rice not oily with each granule of rice clearly separated. For its reputation and quality, I consider Wah Lok’s dim sum menu an absolute value steal.

Must try: Shrimp dumpling (蝦餃) - the best in Singapore given the enormous shrimp size and thin outer Salted fish chicken fried rice (鹹魚雞粒炒飯) - may be specific to only Chinese New Year but order it if you have a chance. It’s wok hei is unparalleled.

Jiang Nan Chun - High end luxury

Location: Four Seasons hotel

On one random Sunday, I decided to visit this restaurant and ordered every single dim sum on the menu alongside a few starters. Jiang Nan Chun had one michelin star back then and it sure did not disappoint. Its service was best-in-class, with high quality tea and delicate candied vegetables served on the outset. Whilst all of its dim sums were solid, I thought the steamed items were more memorable than the fried ones.

Must try: Barbeque pork (叉燒) - it’s not a dim sum item but I think JNC has the best barbeque pork in Singapore. Slightly burnt, juicy, not overly soft, thick. I hate it when Singapore hawkers slice their barbeque pork thinly. JNC does just the opposite and provides you with a slab of heaven. Steamed lobster and scallop dumpling (龍蝦帶子餃) - quality ingredients wrapped around a delicate rice skin. What’s not to like?

Jade - My go-to dim sum ‘buffet’

Location: The Fullerton hotel

$58 per pax for a 15 item dim sum fiesta. It’s not really a buffet as you can’t order the same dish twice and you’re capped to 15 dishes. However, Jade serves authentic Cantonese food with a modern twist. Most hit the mark, including the Deep-fried taro with cod and chinese peppercorns

Must try: Braised bird’s nest and truffled egg white in superior broth (红烧菘露蛋白蟹肉燕窝羹) - thick, rich and full of umami. Lobster meat porridge (深海龙虾粥) - chunky, flavourful and fluffy.

What to avoid: Barbeque pork, crispy lobster dumpling and seasonal veggies

Dim sum at Jade

My blacklist

There are a few places that I feel are overhyped, overpriced or too gimmicky. To glaze over the reasons:

• Swee Choon - Overhyped, very mediocre, average ingredients
• MASA by black society - Style over substance, too fusion
• Madame fan - Overpriced, catered for foreigners

I’d preface I have not tried dim sums at the hawker centers before. What other dim sum recommendations do you guys have? Let me know your favourite dim sum in Singapore so I can try it out. Those on my list are Red Star dim sum, Sum dim sum and Dim Sum Haus. Subscribe now so you won’t miss out on the next post.