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Royal China (Closed)

4

4

29 Reviews

Taste

Decor

Service

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Value

|

104

City Hall

$31 - $50

Cantonese/Hong Kong Chinese Dim Sum Seafood Hotel

25

4

0

spherepiece

Level4

422

25

Royal China at Raffles Hotel is one of the dim-sum places I've always wanted to go and saving it up for a good occasion. My family and I had Sunday brunch here for father's birthday and my advanced birthday celebration (two weeks apart) much to my delight. Other than being set in the gorgeous colonial Raffles Hotel, Royal China itself is dripped in a pretty shade of tiffany blue all around, and the playlist is filled with covers of original contemporary mandopop songs from Jay Chou and Voice of

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Royal China at Raffles Hotel is one of the dim-sum places I've always wanted to go and saving it up for a good occasion. My family and I had Sunday brunch here for father's birthday and my advanced birthday celebration (two weeks apart) much to my delight. Other than being set in the gorgeous colonial Raffles Hotel, Royal China itself is dripped in a pretty shade of tiffany blue all around, and the playlist is filled with covers of original contemporary mandopop songs from Jay Chou and Voice of China. Can I say it completely fits my taste?

Some visuals on what the place looks like.

The dimsum came one after another soon enough, with the Phoenix claws (SGD4.80) setting a very memorable start with its juicy and fat tender meat of braised chicken feet in sweet sauce. Usually this is difficult to manage and you don't get much to eat, but Royal China has got really substantial stuff to enjoy, especially the soft cartilage and and delicious skin all around. Prawn dumplings, or hargow, (SGD5.80/ 3pc), mushroom dumplings (SGD5.60/ 3pc) and Siew mai (SGD5.80/ 3pc) were up next, dim sum staples they are, but done to a standard that pales many other dimsum establishments in comparison. For one, their siew mai spares no effort in stuffing mushrooms in there, giving it an oomph and umami taste, with the freshest pork and wonton skin used.

One of the service staff of Royal China came around introducing their weekend specials - Baked buns (SGD5.60/ 3pc), delicious sweet bbq pork (char siew) buns with a crusty and flaking exterior.

Some other items we had were the XO carrot cake (SGD8.80) which was a tad too spicy for comfort, though it is true that the spiciness kick made it especially appetizing. The carrot cake was soft and fragrant to have, and so was the chee cheong fun (SGD5.80) of three flavours - scallop, prawn and char siew which I found to be a more enjoyable way of presenting it as everyone can try whichever they would like. The yam puffs (SGD5.60) were topped with a juicy scallop that nobody can resist and filled with soft sweet yam filling and a crunchy exterior like the classic fried yam rings.

Similar to phoenix claws, the spare ribs (SGD4.80) were quite impressive in that they were picked to have very little bone, so all you have to do is to pop the whole thing into your mouth and feel the juicy and chewy burst of succulent pork. I was nearly conceding by the time the salted egg buns (SGD4.80/ 3pcs) because I was so so so full, but I can't resist going for it and trying these golden treasures. Their salted egg is not overly buttery which I liked, and of a very rich consistency (I had to give up half of it sadly to my second brother-in-law because I was at my limit...)

Not only is the great majority of the dishes served wonderful, the bill for 7 pax came up to $130 ($18.60/pax). It's not cheap either but I always imagined Royal China to be exceedingly expensive than other places. Gosh, what have I been doing elsewhere? This is about the same price as most average dimsum places out there - I usually spend an average of $15/pax, but the quality here is way better, not to mention their service and ambience. Reservations are necessary to ensure you have a table.

There have been plenty of bad reviews on their service, but I don't think there's any issue with it when I went. They weren't especially warm and welcoming considering the weekend crowd, but they weren't rude either. Serving of the dishes were prompt and well-timed, and we weren't chased out even though we exceeded our allocated time slot. Tea was refilled by ourselves most of the time.
A little gripe was that for a birthday celebration, they didn't present the cake with lit candles but instead took out the candles before us. As usual, Chinese restaurants are quite poor at doing 'surprise' birthday celebrations. But at least they didn't simply plop the cake with the original bag on the table like how Asia Grand did and already placed it on a platter.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2016-04-10

Waiting Time

10 Minutes (Dine In)

Also posted on

http://www.amiehu.com/2016/04/si...

madamechewy

Level4

167

0

For pictures and full review, pls visit:http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/25/royal-china-dim-sum/To bid my cousin farewell prior to his 2-year study stint in France and Italy, I took him to lunch at the high-raved Royal China located at the prestigious Raffles Hotel. This is a popular restaurant; advance reservations must be made to secure a table.My first impression on the service was, well, not good. No greeting whatsoever upon entering, not even a nod of acknowledgement.Surprisingly enough, Roya

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For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/25/royal-china-dim-sum/
To bid my cousin farewell prior to his 2-year study stint in France and Italy, I took him to lunch at the high-raved Royal China located at the prestigious Raffles Hotel. This is a popular restaurant; advance reservations must be made to secure a table.
My first impression on the service was, well, not good. No greeting whatsoever upon entering, not even a nod of acknowledgement.
Surprisingly enough, Royal China originates from London, which may explain the exquisite modern décor. Tiffany blue hues, pristine white dining furniture, tablecloths and china set the tone of sophisticated refinement.
The aunty waitress who took our order was friendly, brownie point for that. However, it was difficult to catch anyone’s attention when we needed our teapot refilled and we wanted to order more items later on.
Bite-sized Baked Egg Tart ($4.80) was very ordinary. Ever since I tried Yan Ting’s egg tart, I have never came across any that can match up to theirs.
Steamed Prawn Dumpling ($5.60). Fresh, flavorsome and crunchy prawns encased in smooth skin. Its simplicity at its finest. Mention-worthy were the size of the pawns, I had to take a few bites to finish a single dumpling.
I never pass the chance to order my favorite Liu Sa Bao/ Salted Egg Yolk Bun($4.80). Although Royal China’s rendition includes fresh mango juice (I dislike mango), it didn’t deter me from getting a basket. Molten, flowy golden liquid check! Pillowy buns check! However, this mixture of sweet and savory custard wasn’t my cup of tea.
Baked BBQ Pork Puff ($4.80) was another hit. Nibble the buttery, flaky pastry to reveal generous filling of lean pork meat. We like that the BBQ sauce was not overly sweet.
Other popular classics we had were Steamed Pork Dumpling with Wolfberry($5.60) and Pan-fried Bean curd roll stuffed with minced prawn ($5.60). Both were average.
I’d stop short of recommending the Wok-fried Cheung fun with homemade XO sauce ($8.80). It didn’t look anything like the photo in the menu which enticed us to order it, and lacked the robust flavor one would expect from XO sauce. Taste Paradise’s rendition is wayyyy better.
Century egg and lean pork congee ($6.80). Don’t you just love congee with chuck of century egg in them?
I love taro and I love scallops, so ordering Deep-fried yam puff with Scallop in Portuguese Sauce ($5.60) was a no brainer. While the morsels were a tad oily, the smooth yam, crispy crust and unique Portuguese sauce made up for it. Wished the scallops were thicker though, but then again, for the price, I consider it a good deal.

Having dined at Taste Paradise and Yan Ting, I wasn’t particular impressed with Royal China’s offerings and service. I mean, they were not bad, but they weren’t spectacular either. Worth a try but I’ll choose Taste Paradise or Yan Ting for my dim sum fix in a heartbeat.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2014-02-22

Waiting Time

5 Minutes (Dine In)

Spending Per Head

$36 (Lunch)

TheArcticStar

Level4

606

10

Today is the second time I am back at Royal China @ Raffles, and it is yet another family event. I figure that if I want to return to this lovely restaurant for good dimsum, I need to have a larger group so we can order more items to shareRoyal China @ Raffles offers a very comfortable and tranquil setting, soothing, even. Its light cyan / aqua colored walls are often likened to the "Tiffany & Co's Blue Box" hues, and this is a tone of luxury and calmness. The clean-cut furnishings makes the pla

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Today is the second time I am back at Royal China @ Raffles, and it is yet another family event. I figure that if I want to return to this lovely restaurant for good dimsum, I need to have a larger group so we can order more items to share
Royal China @ Raffles offers a very comfortable and tranquil setting, soothing, even. Its light cyan / aqua colored walls are often likened to the "Tiffany & Co's Blue Box" hues, and this is a tone of luxury and calmness. The clean-cut furnishings makes the place elegant but non-pretentious
We started with Char Siew Paus (buns with red, sweet pork meat) - soft and fluffy bun with tender pork cubes within, marinated in a sweet sauce. This is rather tasty, but I still prefer the traditional Hong Kong's Char Siew Pau that comes with the dark-colored minced pork.
The next item we ordered was the Peking Duck with Caviar - they served the skin wrapped in thin sheets of crepe / popiah skins, alongside with a small plate of Caviar, spring onions and a sweet dark sauce on the side. The skin was tasty and crispy, of course, and paired with the somewhat grainy texture and sweet hints of the crepe skins, and crackling caviar, the sensation was amazing.
Next, the Char Siew Shu (pastry with red sweet pork meat within) - the crusts was a fluffy shell of slightly-crunchy flour, made all the more fragrant by sesame seeds atop. The red meat bits within (char siew) was delicious and tasty, and there was not a hint of fatty meat - somethhing that we appreciated greatly.
Following this, we had the Scallops Dumplings - a delicious creation of thin, sticky dumpling skin encompassing scallops and shrimps within. The seafood items were fresh and added a touch of flouncy-ness to the dumpling. The leek within (leek or spring onion or some other strong-flavored vegetable within) also gave this dumpling a distinctive flavor.
For more detailed information and photos, please feel free to visit:
http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2014/03/lunch-at-royal-china-raffles.html

Scallop Dumplings

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2014-03-23

Dining Method

Dine In

Spending Per Head

$25 (Lunch)

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blingbangbong

Level4

209

5

The quality of the dim sum, the freshness of ingredients and the ambience really impressed me. The service crews also very friendly, efficient and will take the initiative to check with the kitchen when they notice that something is taking longer than usual to serve. One of the must try is their famous salted egg yolk bun as it is slightly different from others. Their salted egg yolk bun is filled with abit of mango puree which made it much more tastier. This is really a top notch restaurant tha

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The quality of the dim sum, the freshness of ingredients and the ambience really impressed me.
The service crews also very friendly, efficient and will take the initiative to check with the kitchen when they notice that something is taking longer than usual to serve.

One of the must try is their famous salted egg yolk bun as it is slightly different from others. Their salted egg yolk bun is filled with abit of mango puree which made it much more tastier.

This is really a top notch restaurant that's still relatively friendly to the wallet. Will definitely visit this place again!

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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$20 (Breakfast)

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ashleytok

Level4

174

1

Inside Royal PlaceThe place is not exactly big, but it's comfortable. I particularly like its posh setting in its blue and white simplicity. This is definitely a contrast to the traditional dim sum Chinese restaurants which are usually in red and probably come with dragons pillars.You cant find rowdiness, as everyone dine in class here. Again, something different from traditional Chinese restaurants where waiters shout to the kitchen, or customers chatting away over the little small things, some

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Inside Royal Place

The place is not exactly big, but it's comfortable. I particularly like its posh setting in its blue and white simplicity. This is definitely a contrast to the traditional dim sum Chinese restaurants which are usually in red and probably come with dragons pillars.

You cant find rowdiness, as everyone dine in class here. Again, something different from traditional Chinese restaurants where waiters shout to the kitchen, or customers chatting away over the little small things, sometimes a tad too loud. It's totally a different ambiance, so it's all up to your own preference.

Century Egg Porridge - $5

The porridge was the typical Cantonese style, thick and rich with so much sweetness that I was suspecting that the chef had secretly threw in rock sugar! Haha

At $5, the portion was generous, probably sufficient to share with 2 or 3 pax. Well, you dun want to miss out other goodies by stuffing your stomach with porridge, rite?

Barbequed Pork Puffs - $5.60 ( 4pcs)

Before I go on, most of the dim sums come in 3 pcs. Then again, you can just tell the staff that you need more to suit your group size and you will be charge accordingly. In my case, we had 4 pax, so by doing so, we dun have to order 2 plates of 3 pcs. Thumbs up for the flexibility.

Ok, back to the food!

The puff was soft and flaky, which easily broke apart when you bite into it, revealing the sweet cha siew. Nice one!

Barbequed Pork Buns - $4.80 ( 4pcs)

I'm a sucker for Cha Siew Bao aka barbequed pork buns! I especially like the bao itself, which was really soft and came with a tad of sweetness. Totally a different story from the factory-made bao sold at the kopitiam. If it is not that filling, I probably finish one basket myself... hehe

Custard Bun - $5.60 ( 4 pcs)

This is a must-order if you adore custard bun. The custard was mixed with salty egg yolk, which helped to heighten the flavour. Different from the custard bun I tried elsewhere, and definitely a pleasant surprise. Even my bf who is not a fan of custard bun, said that it was quite good.

To read more and visit photos, please visit http://fun-hideout.blogspot.sg/2010/07/royal-china-raffles-hotel.html

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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jerjerjer

Level4

179

23

My friends asked me out for another dim sum feast and we decided to go to Royal China at Raffles Hotel. This is my second visit here and I got to try the Lor Mai Gai 糯米鸡 (Steamed Glutinous Rice $4.80) this time round. From the moment the basket was opened, a whiff of the lotus leaf filled the air and I couldn't help myself from peeling into it right away. The rice was moist and piping hot, very flavourful and satisfying. It's also filled up quite generously with meat, but I would advise you to s

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My friends asked me out for another dim sum feast and we decided to go to Royal China at Raffles Hotel. This is my second visit here and I got to try the Lor Mai Gai 糯米鸡 (Steamed Glutinous Rice $4.80) this time round. From the moment the basket was opened, a whiff of the lotus leaf filled the air and I couldn't help myself from peeling into it right away. The rice was moist and piping hot, very flavourful and satisfying. It's also filled up quite generously with meat, but I would advise you to share this portion with someone else if you intend to try out the other dim sum the restaurant has because the rice can be quite filling.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2013-11-23

Spending Per Head

$20 (Lunch)

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yummymich

Level4

118

0

Dim sum price is reasonable. It is generally slightly cheaper than Crystal Jade Palace and Crystal Jade Golden Palace... Even though, it is in raffles hotel, the price quite competitive... But in term of quality... I still prefer the dim sum from crystal jade Palace/Golden Palace.. even though it fetch a slightly higher price . Forgotten to take photo for the red bean pancake. Haha.. Sueprisingly quite a big plate..cost $10...quite expensive I think... I didnt eat it la.. cos already quite full,

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Dim sum price is reasonable. It is generally slightly cheaper than Crystal Jade Palace and Crystal Jade Golden Palace... Even though, it is in raffles hotel, the price quite competitive... But in term of quality... I still prefer the dim sum from crystal jade Palace/Golden Palace.. even though it fetch a slightly higher price .

Forgotten to take photo for the red bean pancake. Haha.. Sueprisingly quite a big plate..cost $10...quite expensive I think... I didnt eat it la.. cos already quite full, and I don't like pastry..

Btw, we also ordered liu sha bao . not bad..but actually I don't really like salted egg yolk bun... But this one I can accept..as the taste of egg yolk not too strong.. $4++... As for their BBQ Pork Bun... hmm..quite dry... not juicy la... I can't finish it...cos I think it is not tasty!

Service is not really efficient in Royal China! I am a impatient customer.. eg, they served the ice water very slowly..and when it came, they gave me warm water... But actually I want ice water... And even I raise up my hand, to ask for soya sauce, also must wait for quite some time..... Slow service..

Here come the dim sum! $4.80++ succulent prawn! But the skin is slightly too thick Chive Dumpling with prawn. $4 ++ ... not bad... but I think the chive can have more la..I love chive!Siew Mai.. with prawn content more than pork... Scallop dumpling $4.80++... I like this hehe The scallop taste pretty good...

Seafood Congee Hmm..very little seafood inside..you can count, 1 prawn, 1 scallop... and 1 or 2 slice of fish (hmm got fish inside ma...I also not very sure).... Taste very average..not worth it! I LOVE their prawn chee cheong fun! Very yummy! This is one of the best rice roll I had.. The prawn is quite big and fresh..and the skin is smooth... STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!! Fresh and hot! Prawn dumpling...But taste okay only la...

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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umakemehungry

Level4

1.7K

58

Walked up the flight of colonial stairs of our majestic Raffles Hotel and it will bring you to the sign of Royal China's Signboard. Their Chinese name, 皇朝 (Huang Chao), was rather suggestive and immediately links one mind to some Atas Dining back in the era of those Emperors Dynasty.Standing guard with 2 auspicious lions in front of the country theme white doors with glass grids entrance gave us a mixed feelings of both a modern yet traditional as beliefs of a Chinese Custom were well displayed

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Walked up the flight of colonial stairs of our majestic Raffles Hotel and it will bring you to the sign of Royal China's Signboard. Their Chinese name, 皇朝 (Huang Chao), was rather suggestive and immediately links one mind to some Atas Dining back in the era of those Emperors Dynasty.

Standing guard with 2 auspicious lions in front of the country theme white doors with glass grids entrance gave us a mixed feelings of both a modern yet traditional as beliefs of a Chinese Custom were well displayed in there.

The interior had caught us in surprise as one would have never expected it's theme color as the modern Tiffany blue in a traditional Chinese / Cantonese Restuarant. Color Settings were elegant, calming and comfortable with white colors blending in. Chinese Music in the background was slow, outdated (Songs famous in the early late 70s, early 80s) but soothing to ears.

All tables were prepared with folded Napkin on the side plate with complete set of dining utensils. Frankly speaking, it was our first gathering in a restaurant besides our friend's wedding ceremony and I must praised my pal as she had made perfect choice on this location especially as the place was rather quiet and central to all of us. Moreover, everyone's voice on the round table can be heard clearly.

We had chosen the easiest way out and took up one of their Menus for 10 persons.

Our First dish was none other than the Barbecued Peking Duck with Caviar & Homemade Pancake, one of Royal China's hot item in the menu. Handled by 2 lady servers, with one skinning the blistered looking Peking Duck while the other busying preparing the Pancake by the side of our table.

Well Done! With the expert trained servers, our dish was prepared in no time.

Comes in a plate of 20 pancake cakes accompanied by their sweet black sauce, each of us get to enjoy 2 pieces of it. The pancake itself was doughy with flour particles on it and wasn't that favorable. Luckily, it packed an aromatic duck flavour under its wrap and this unique taste had superseded the "powdery" feeling of the dish.

Every pancake comes with a rectangular piece of delicious and crispy Peking duck skin. Flipped open its case and add the sweet black peking duck sauce to suit one's taste. On top of that, add the given Caviar (Black Fish Roes) and here you go! Enjoy these crispy and gritty texture on your taste buds!

Braised Shark's Fin with Fresh Crab Meat and Shredded Chicken in "Tan Jia" Style was the 2nd of our courses just like any other traditional Chinese wedding which cannot be skipped!

Pumpkin was used with a fantastic harmony generous portions of crab meat and sharks fin.

The 3rd dish, Sauteed Scallop & Asparagus in Homemade XO Chilli Sauce. This is the point when the standards gradually went downhill. No doubt that the dish packed with crunchiness from the stalks of the asparagus & red capsicums, food was more towards a salty side.

Poached "Soon Hock" in Chef's Creation with Crispy Beancurd and Black Fungus was almost tasteless. All of us on the table would prefer Soon Hock fish to be served in steamed style as this would probably brings out the freshness a fish.

If you ever wonder where did the peking duck meat went to, Stir-Fried Diced Duck Meat with Diced Vegetable Served in Iceberg Lettuce is where we can find them. Their idea of having the meat diced with capsicums, chestnuts and celery with Chinese parsley as garnishing had bought me over. This dish packs a crunch especially if you hand held them and consume with the lettuce.
The only let down I would say its that, it abit salty.

Braised Homemade Beancurd with Mushroom in Abalone Sauce was salty just like other dishes. However, the vegetables were soft and easy to chew at. The abalone sauce was a perfect marriage to the beancurd and mushroom. Love the 2 textures of the beancurd - Fragile & Wobbly in the inside and protected by the brownish firm skin on its outside.

Baked Seafood fried rice wrapped in lotus leaf was divided equally into smaller bowls by the attentive servers, each bowl of fried rice had it grains packed with smoked smell. It tasted close to any Zi Char Stall's fried rice. Nothing to shout at.

Last on the menu: Chilled fresh mango juice with sago and pomelo. I would say it's milky and refreshing with diced mango included, not the best but pretty decent to sum up the meal for the night.

Perhaps there were more misses than hits but this place serves a good location for big group gathering if you want a quiet surrounding especially nearing the weekend. Service was better than average with attentive servers who refill our cups of tea promptly even after payment were made. Hygiene and serving standards were well maintained as every side plate was exchanged for each course.

Total Cost: $538++ for 10 Persons (Menu A)
(+) Enjoy discount with OCBC credit card

For complete pictures, please visit http://umakemehungry.blogspot.sg/2013/09/royal-china-gathering.html

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2013-09-27

Spending Per Head

$65 (Dinner)

Recommended Dishes

jerjerjer

Level4

179

23

Decked out in Tiffany blue, Royal China at Raffles Hotel exudes an aura of grandeur and elegance. I love how the restaurant has a high ceiling with large windows from the floor up, letting lots of natural light fill up the space. It was surprisingly packed for a weekday lunch; the main dining hall was full so we were ushered to the separate dining area at the back instead.This area is probably more suitable for private dining parties and dinners, and unfortunately we were seated right at the cor

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Decked out in Tiffany blue, Royal China at Raffles Hotel exudes an aura of grandeur and elegance. I love how the restaurant has a high ceiling with large windows from the floor up, letting lots of natural light fill up the space. It was surprisingly packed for a weekday lunch; the main dining hall was full so we were ushered to the separate dining area at the back instead.

This area is probably more suitable for private dining parties and dinners, and unfortunately we were seated right at the corner where it was difficult to get the attention of the staff. Although it was a pretty nice and quiet environment to enjoy a relaxing meal. =]

First up we tried the Pan-fried Carrot Cake 香煎萝卜糕 ($4.00) which looked fantastic but tasted pretty normal. It was good that it had some turnip slices in the 'cake' to give it a varied texture.

We also ordered the Steamed BBQ Pork Bun 叉燒包 ($3.60). I thought the char siew filling wasn't as tasty as the I had at Imperial Treasure Nan Bei. It still had the rice wine taste to it, but it wasn't as prominent. Good thing that the skin of the pau was oh-so-fluffy! =D

And of course, I never miss a dim sum without ordering the usual Steamed Pork Dumpling ‘Siew Mai’ 燒賣 ($4.80) and Steamed Prawn Dumpling ‘Har Gow’ 蝦餃 ($4.80). The siew mai here comes with a wolfberry on top, instead of the usual fish roe and had a slight mushroom taste to it which was rather refreshing. The skin of the Har Gow was paper thin and jammed packed with crunchy fresh prawns.

While it's totally understandable that the restaurant is crowded and they are short on staff, it was disappointing that they got our order wrong. We actually ordered their specialty 3-in-1 Chee Cheong Fun (BBQ Pork, Prawn, Scallop) but only got the BBQ Pork Chee Cheong Fun 猪肠粉 ($4.80).

Even after we highlighted the mistake to the staff, they brought the plate of chee cheong fun back to the kitchen, only to serve us with the same thing again (*rolls eyes*). The rice roll was pretty silk and moist and the meat was good too, so it was a pity that we didn't get to try the other fillings.

They also got quite a few of our other orders wrong - starting with the Deep Fried Beancurd Skin with Prawn 鮮蝦付皮卷 ($5.60) which took a very long time to be served and we even had to remind them twice. The only saving grace was that the food is good. The deep-fried beancurd skin was extra crispy and hot, and also very tasty.

The Baked BBQ Pork Pastry 叉燒酥 ($4.00) was another item we ordered that they forgot to serve - really not a good idea to sit in such a desolated corner. One bite and the pastry was crumbling all over the place, which is a mark of a good 叉燒酥.

This Steamed Custard Bun 流沙包 ($4.00) is quite interesting. Unlike the usual rich and flowy salted egg lava, this 流沙包 had a fruity note to it and I found out later that they had actually added mango juice to it which gives it a deep orange color. It was also more liquefied that normal. But overall, still equally yummy!

To end off our very long lunch, we had some Baked Egg Tarts 蛋挞 ($4.90)! They were quite tiny and I easily finished mine in one bite. =D

Overall, although the service wasn't top-notch, I felt that the quality of food made up for it. Plus, the dim sum at Royal China was surprisingly affordable and not as expensive as I had expected. It would probably be better to make a reservation beforehand so that you don't get stuck in a corner where they will forget about you. I will definitely be back for more!

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2013-09-03

Spending Per Head

$30 (Lunch)

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midas400

Level4

375

33

After seeing positive reviews of the food at Royal China, I decided to try their dim sum with some friends on a Sunday afternoon.The restaurant is lavishly decorated in oriental chic style with sky blue columns & ceiling and pristine white wooden furniture. Many commented that it has a classy 'Tiffany blue' feel.There is a wide selection of dim sum and mains for lunch and all of them are ala carte prices (no buffet price). We ordered a whole peking duck and quite a number of dim sum dishes to sh

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After seeing positive reviews of the food at Royal China, I decided to try their dim sum with some friends on a Sunday afternoon.

The restaurant is lavishly decorated in oriental chic style with sky blue columns & ceiling and pristine white wooden furniture. Many commented that it has a classy 'Tiffany blue' feel.

There is a wide selection of dim sum and mains for lunch and all of them are ala carte prices (no buffet price). We ordered a whole peking duck and quite a number of dim sum dishes to share.

Har Gow and Siew Mai
These were heavenly, they contain chunky fresh prawns that were juicy and succulent, and both had thin skins which doesn't break when picked up with chopsticks. We ordered seconds for both dishes.

Char Siew rice rolls
Skin was slightly thick but soft and smooth with generous filling of yummy char siew. Good.

Zar Liong rice rolls
These are not easily found in SG, it tasted not bad but the youtiao wasn't very crispy.

Char siew sou
These were good, thin and buttery crust with ample fillings of sweet juicy char siew.

Pan fried carrot cake
The carrot cake has plenty of shredded radish and bits of chinese sausage in it, I liked that it is fragrant and soft texture.

Crispy beancurd rolls
Beancurd skin was fried till very crispy, coupled with succulent marinated fresh prawns...another well done dish.

Cantonese style porridge w/ Mud Carp balls
This was introduced by the service staff as their signature dish. The carp balls were handmade and has a springy texture, I enjoyed it very much.

Fried Udon
This is also recommended by the service staff. It was well fried with lotsa wok hei (smokey aroma), another crowd pleaser!

Whole Peking duck
The duck skin was wonderfully roasted, shiny and crispy without being too oily. The sweet sauce that comes with the dish was very good too.

Overall dining experience here was good, service was impeccable but tend to be a little slow during peak hours. They served superb food and priced them reasonably. Total bill for 10 of us after credit card discount was $408, great value for money! Do check out their credit card promo from time to time.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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mycc

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Full review at http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2012/07/sg-royal-china-at-raffles.htmlDimsum fans would have heard of Royal China and their perpetual full-house seatings that require phone bookings in advance. I called them on a Thursday to make booking for Sunday's brunch but it was all fully booked. So if you're planning to go on a weekend, do call about a week in advance to make reservations.While I was on my craze to find the best 流沙包 (flowy custard egg yolk bun), Royal China was my last

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Full review at http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2012/07/sg-royal-china-at-raffles.html

Dimsum fans would have heard of Royal China and their perpetual full-house seatings that require phone bookings in advance. I called them on a Thursday to make booking for Sunday's brunch but it was all fully booked. So if you're planning to go on a weekend, do call about a week in advance to make reservations.

While I was on my craze to find the best 流沙包 (flowy custard egg yolk bun), Royal China was my last dimsum place I've visited three days in a row. Despite how I've had the same dishes for three days by different dimsum chefs, Royal China still managed to serve up fine dishes to whet my appetite.

We'd expected a larger seating area but it was just a cosy space that could take about 100 persons or so. It had very vibrant ambience, good for family gatherings over the weekends. Service staff were dressed up just like those in Chinese restaurants and they were all very friendly. However, given the high traffic, don't expect them to respond to you very promptly and as there were large pillars lining the centre of the restaurant, we also found it rather hard to get the attention of the service staff.

A combination platter of prawn, scallop and char siew. The skin was a very unique one, with rough edges on one side, perhaps made such that the different layers do not stick together. It was very soft and didn't stick to the teeth at all. I liked the sauce too, a typical one used in most dimsum places, made with soy sauce as a base. It wasn't too salty and added a light flavour to the dish.

Of all the different ingredients, I enjoyed the scallop one best. You could taste the freshness of the scallop bursting with every bite, soft and tender. Generous with their servings of seafood, there were more than enough scallops to go around and each was a big one at that. The prawn and char siew ones were ordinary though.

With finely grated white carrot strips, this has been pan-fried to a thin crispy layer on the outside and extremely tender on the inside. As it was made with carrot strips, it didn't have the 'kueh' texture that tends to stick to your teeth.

One of the best fried dumplings I've had, the skin wrapping the prawn before drying was so thin that it only added a crisp instead of the usual kind where you can taste the wrap. The prawns were so fresh that you could taste the natural sweetness of it. A simple dish done well!

A rather disappointing dish for a 流沙包 fan. The bun was a bit too thick, though I liked how it was fluffy enough that you don't tire of it easily. The key ingredients of custard and egg yolk weren't well-blended though, with a little too much custard. It didn't manage to bring out the savory part of the dish and of course, not flowing out is a deadly sin. Also, it didn't have a tinge of mango in it at all. It was quite a pity though, as it could have added a refreshing touch to the dish, setting it apart from other 流沙包.

A dish that's always on my must-order list every time I go to a dimsum place, this is my test to how good the restaurant is. A staple in all traditional dimsum place, this is a seemingly easy dish but few can do it well. The prawns, just like those used in the fried prawn dumpling, were fresh and tender, and wasn't overly crunchy. The skin was a little too sticky for my liking and didn't manage to gel well with the insides as it was on the verge of falling out. I find the flavour a little over-mixed with other condiments that you can't solely taste the flavour of the prawns. I might be overly critical though, with my unusually high standards of har gao.

It tastes as good as it seems! Tender, juicy and succulent meat with a generous serving of prawns. The wanton skin wrapping it was also just right, not too sticky yet manages to hold the piece together. The wolfberry on top added a unique twist to it, with added herbal sweetness to complete the flavour.

More than sufficient for 3 persons, this was one that impressed my mum. Simmered in the heat of the lotus leaves, each grain of rice were infused with its fragrance that got me addicted even for someone who doesn't eat rice items for a dimsum meal. Each piece of meat was tender and juicy, with added flavour from the mushrooms. A finely done dish!

This would be one dessert that will get me going back. You might probably think it's just another mango pudding, but don't belittle this small piece of pudding. With real mango bits blended in, it isn't the coagulated hard pudding you get off the shelf in supermarkets or any other Chinese dessert store. Finely blended and mixed with a tad of milk, it was rich and yet not too sweet. Every mouthful got us wanting for more!

This was very disappointing. I find it a little diluted and it simply paled in comparison to the heavenly mango pudding that came before this. An overpriced glass of mango sago, you can get a decent 杨枝甘露 anywhere along Liang Seah Street's dessert stores.

Decent dimsum at affordable prices given its location and ambience. I'd expected the bill to come up to alot more in fact. Not all were spectacular, I've got to give them credits for some of the fine details they paid attention to the dishes though.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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drunkene

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I have visited Royal China several times and this place is by far my favourite place for dim sum. I wouldn't say that ALL dishes were fantastic, but, many of the dishes are above average.For more photos of other dishes do visit: Roasted Pork (烧肉) a.k.a Shio BakThe roasted pork is fantastic. Crispy skin, yet not overly salty. On top of that, the pork has a thinner layer of fat, makes it less jelat and you can just enjoy the pork at ease The peanuts were gently fried (or roasted?) and the fragranc

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I have visited Royal China several times and this place is by far my favourite place for dim sum. I wouldn't say that ALL dishes were fantastic, but, many of the dishes are above average.

For more photos of other dishes do visit:

Roasted Pork (烧肉) a.k.a Shio Bak
The roasted pork is fantastic. Crispy skin, yet not overly salty. On top of that, the pork has a thinner layer of fat, makes it less jelat and you can just enjoy the pork at ease

The peanuts were gently fried (or roasted?) and the fragrance is at its optimum.

Scallop Dumpling
I was wondering why did I not order this dish the previous few times I visited this place. It probably did not stand out as a dish to order. But, as a scallop lover, I like this dish for the freshness of the scallop as well as the bits of caviar on it.

Egg Tart
These dainty egg tarts are so mini and so cute! The crust is light and flaky, but I would prefer the filling to be softer and smoother.

Steamed Pork Ribs
Most meh-ish dish =.= Don't waste the money

Sliced Fish Congee
My friend wanted a staple dish, if not I would give this a miss. The porridge is no doubt smooth and creamy, but at the same time, it was pretty grainy. It tasted quite plain and there were only a few slices of fish. The biscuits (similar to those found on Yu Sheng) did not do a favour for the porridge as well.

The Liu Sha Bao was a disappointment the previous time I went. The buns were not very fluffy and the taste wasn't very distinct. Maybe because it was infused with mango flavour? But I couldn't taste it despite it being mentioned in the menu ):
This time round, it was much better and the filling is has more of a liquid consistency!!

The chee cheong fun is smooth, velvety and glides down your throat. I ordered the 3 flavoured ones - Scallop, Char Siew and Prawn. I love anything that has scallop so it was my favourite!

Love the Siew Mai! I really dislike low quality siew mai that contains minced meat/lots of fats.
This is really good. Addition of a wolfberry and a stalk of parsley made it stand out (:

Though the food was good, I am really turned off by their service. And it has been like that since the first time I went. Even after reservation, we had to wait for like 15-20 mins to get seated (when there were some big empty tables around). I guess they just did not want to utilize the big table for only 2 people. In addition, my friend had a stroller. The staff gave us such a squeezy table. Difficult to get staff's attention.
Placed order at 2pm.... At 2.20, the food is not here..and guess what, a waitress came to us an said "Our last order is at 2.30, is there anything you wish to add on?" (in Mandarin) I looked at her and said "None of our dishes are served yet and now you asked me for last order?!"

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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thedessertprince

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Feel free to visit my site: http://thedessertprince.com/royal-china-raffles-hotel-dim-sum-on-a-sunday-brunch/A few scoops here. Some quick nips there. Then wash everything down with a couple of sips and start the process of scooping and nipping all over again. That’s what having dim sum with family or friends is all about! Some people like their affair plain and simple while others enjoy something a little more elaborate. It’s just a matter of choice isn’t it?A quick walk up the colonial stairs

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Feel free to visit my site: http://thedessertprince.com/royal-china-raffles-hotel-dim-sum-on-a-sunday-brunch/

A few scoops here. Some quick nips there. Then wash everything down with a couple of sips and start the process of scooping and nipping all over again. That’s what having dim sum with family or friends is all about! Some people like their affair plain and simple while others enjoy something a little more elaborate. It’s just a matter of choice isn’t it?

A quick walk up the colonial stairs of Raffles Hotel and you will find the unmistakeable sky-blue signboard of Royal China from across. Honestly speaking, this ain’t my first time visiting such a posh place for weekend dim sum considering that it used to be my family past time when I was young.

But I have to say out of so many places I’ve been so far, I daresay Royal China is one of those better dim sum restaurants in Singapore.

It was a tough decision to decide what to order especially when you read each and every one of those descriptions. My brunch partner and I were close to ordering everything on the menu but we reckon that would be doing dishes after that just to pay up our tab.

If you’re thinking that dining at hotels equates to paying exorbitant prices, well I’m telling you, it’s much lesser than what you think. That is you don’t order as if you’re in a buffet of course…

To kick start my tasting buds, I always like to start my dim sum on a lighter note. It’s just a personal preference. How about a bowl of Century Egg Porridge ($6.80)? Honestly speaking, ever since I went to China and had really good and smooth congee, I just can’t find another place that could rival that taste. I’m guessing the best Chinese dishes can only be found back in the mainland?

On the contrary, their basket of siew mai or Pork Dumplings ($5.60) as it was called left me wishing I ordered more baskets and come alone instead of sharing with my partner.

I am always seeking for the best har gaus in Singapore. It’s almost like an obsessive-compulsive disorder if you really want to know. Four big juicy Prawn Dumplings ($5.60) might just do the trick but otherwise, I would continue my search for better lookings one.

It’s been quite a while since I had a plate of Char Siu Sous ($4.30) and with Royal China’s rendition being so flaky, buttery, sweet and savoury all in one pastry. What more could you expect?

Maybe a plate of Egg Tarts ($4.90) perhaps?

Behold! The glorious Liu Sha Bao ($4.80) with molten gold liquid. Easily the ideal salted egg yolk buns you can ever have in Singapore! As a rule of thumb, NEVER EVER put the whole bun in your mouth. Trust me, you will bound to regret it when the hot scalding custard touches the walls of your mouth.

A little tear into the bun to keep the liquid oozing and dip the contents with the pillow-like buns. That’s how you eat custard buns safely.

After talking about their custard buns, the rest seemed to be like history. I’m not saying they aren’t that fantastic. Let’s just say I expected more than what it suppose to be.

Our bill worked out to $66.50 (Including GST & Service Charge). I thought it was a steal considering we ordered almost 10 baskets worth of food which is more than enough for four person but in actual fact is just two person eating everything. I’m guessing you must be shocked to imagine a table full of food with only two person wolfing everything right?

Royal China is one of those posh restaurants that I personally recommend to my friends when they’re seeking somewhere nice for dim sum. Come on a weekday if you want to avoid the weekends family crowd. It does get a bit irritating when the babies start crying.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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disaster

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Am allergic to beans thus i hardly eat dou sha bao, cant sacrifice myself for food that is not good. Until i came across the dou sha bao at Royal China, it is so good that i ate more than 15 baos in a seating. And i neglected the rest of the dim sum. The texture is flowy and it explodes in your mouth, unlike the usual dou sha bao where the filling stays in the bun. It is neither sweet nor grainy. Didnt have a chance to try their liu sha bao at all, since the dou sha bao took away the glory!Oh on

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Am allergic to beans thus i hardly eat dou sha bao, cant sacrifice myself for food that is not good. Until i came across the dou sha bao at Royal China, it is so good that i ate more than 15 baos in a seating. And i neglected the rest of the dim sum.

The texture is flowy and it explodes in your mouth, unlike the usual dou sha bao where the filling stays in the bun. It is neither sweet nor grainy. Didnt have a chance to try their liu sha bao at all, since the dou sha bao took away the glory!

Oh one annoying thing in Royal China, the dress code... no slippers and shorts i think. Its a dressed up meal.

And i have no idea how much it cost... as i didnt pay for my meal again.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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bsmint

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Getting home at 5am was not funny when I had a dim sum appointment at 130 the next day.They have three seatings for their dim sum menu.1130h -1230h1230h - 1330h1330h - 1500hIf you didn't want to rush, it'd be best to take the last slot.But do not that last order is at 1445h.And book in advance.Walk-ins are entertained but be prepared to wait if you're lucky and disappointed if you aren't.Prawn wrapped in beancurd skin.This would not be something I'd order.But he wanted it.It was well, fried.Scal

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Getting home at 5am was not funny when I had a dim sum appointment at 130 the next day.

They have three seatings for their dim sum menu.
1130h -1230h
1230h - 1330h
1330h - 1500h
If you didn't want to rush, it'd be best to take the last slot.
But do not that last order is at 1445h.
And book in advance.
Walk-ins are entertained but be prepared to wait if you're lucky and disappointed if you aren't.

Prawn wrapped in beancurd skin.
This would not be something I'd order.
But he wanted it.
It was well, fried.

Scallop porridge.
I like the crispy biscuits atop but I'd rather have it on the side to add when I want it.

Prawn dumplings.
Siew mai.
One of the quintessential orders on a dim sum menu.
Full on flavour.
A shrimp on top and deliciously satisfying minced pork filling.
The wolfberries had by now lost their color and there was no added value to this.
Definitely not aesthetics.

Now this, I really love.
The pastry.
Brings out the worse in me.
Greed.
And selfishly wanting the entire portion to myself.
The barbecued pork within was lean slices of meat coated in a sticky red honey sauce.
I really should not be doing a post at 1am.
How am I going to fall asleep in peace later?

And if you love prawns.
This crystal shrimp dumpling would be the other habitual order in a dim sum dining experience.
Thin yet packs a bite.

We had add-ons of a prawn cheong fun that had 3 rolls filled with juicy fresh crystal prawns.
The rice flour rolls were just thick enough to hold the filling together and their blandness was enriched by the salty gravy.
That's value for money indeed.
The other item was a fried yam and minced pork dumpling.
Wu kok.

This came as a surprise.
It's usually a closed dumpling.
Nonetheless, this was deliciously delicate.
The yam held the fat fillings of minced pork and diced mixed vegetables topped with chopped scallops.

And no it wasn't costly.
Between the two of us and 7 items,
the bill came up to $56 ish.
This might actually be cheaper than dining at Peach Garden.

So dine in with the royalties.
You don't have to use your royal treasures to pay here.
But you do have to make reservations in advance.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)

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Date of Visit

2013-01-06

Spending Per Head

$28 (Tea)

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