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2016-11-20 442 views
Came here for a quick lunch and only tried 4 items. Glutinous Sticky Rice with ChickenNice and tasty but the portion is a tad small for the price tag I thought. Baked BBQ Pork BunsEasily the star of the meal. Super wet and yummy fillings inside soft buns with crusty outer layer. Wasabi Salad PrawnSomehow the end product doesn't match my mental picture of dish. So it's essentially deep fried dumplings with juicy prawns stuffed inside. Outside they added a layer of wasabi Mayo sauce. The wasabi is
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Came here for a quick lunch and only tried 4 items.

Glutinous Sticky Rice with Chicken
Nice and tasty but the portion is a tad small for the price tag I thought.

Baked BBQ Pork Buns
Easily the star of the meal. Super wet and yummy fillings inside soft buns with crusty outer layer.

Wasabi Salad Prawn
Somehow the end product doesn't match my mental picture of dish. So it's essentially deep fried dumplings with juicy prawns stuffed inside. Outside they added a layer of wasabi Mayo sauce. The wasabi is not spicy at all, this dish was slightly underwhelming for me.

Spicy Prawn Paste Char Siew Noodle
I can't make out the Prawn Paste taste but the noodle is well fried with the appropriate wok-Hei. This is not to say this was bad. Not bad, a decent (small) plate of fried noodle.

Will return to try the other more dim-sum-y items the next time.
Spicy  Prawn  Paste Char Siew  Noodle
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Wasabi  Salad  Prawn 
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Baked  BBQ  Pork  Buns 
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Glutinous  Sticky Rice with  Chicken 
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Spicy  Prawn  Paste Char Siew  Noodle
Baked  BBQ  Pork  Buns 
Glutinous  Sticky Rice with  Chicken 
Level2
6
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Great
2016-03-11 184 views
Tim Ho Wan just does it right! Small and simple menu but amazing dishes I can't get sick of. There is usually a long line on the weekends so try to avoid.
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Tim Ho Wan just does it right! Small and simple menu but amazing dishes I can't get sick of. There is usually a long line on the weekends so try to avoid.
Sticky  Rice
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Sticky  Rice
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Shrimp  Dumpling
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Spareribs  in  Black  Bean  Sauce
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Baked  Bun  with  BBQ  Pork
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Spending Per Head
$25 (Lunch)
Recommended Dishes
Shrimp  Dumpling
Baked  Bun  with  BBQ  Pork
Level2
5
0
Best BBQ pork buns ever!
2014-03-11 266 views
I love Tim Ho Wan. Great tim sum at affordable prices! Like everything in life that is awesome, there's gotta be a catch and at Tim Ho Wan it's the queue. Sadly, one of the things I hate most in life is waiting. Such a waste of time when we have such fleeting lives! I think of all the unproductive hours people waste in queues and it makes me want to cry!!! I do my best to avoid them... But I really do want those Baked Bun with BBQ Pork!!! They taste like perfect little bo lo baos - a pillowy sof
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I love Tim Ho Wan. Great tim sum at affordable prices! Like everything in life that is awesome, there's gotta be a catch and at Tim Ho Wan it's the queue. Sadly, one of the things I hate most in life is waiting. Such a waste of time when we have such fleeting lives! I think of all the unproductive hours people waste in queues and it makes me want to cry!!! I do my best to avoid them... But I really do want those Baked Bun with BBQ Pork!!! They taste like perfect little bo lo baos - a pillowy soft bread with a crunchy and sugary top crust which looks like a biscuit. So I go either super early (before they open) or super late (just before they close). This means having an early lunch or late dinner (9pm) but that's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

You know it's not dim sum until there's Har Gao, Siew Mai and Chee Cheong Fun (Prawn) on the table! These are a few of my favorite items for dim sum. They do it well but I wouldn't say they are lightyears ahead of their competitors here. These are pretty standard simple dishes to make and most decent dim sum places make these well too!

Service-wise, I am thoroughly impressed with the lighting speed of their servers and chefs. It's scary how efficient Chinese people are (especially those working in Chinese restaurants). The only other place I've witness such efficiency is at Ding Tai Fung. I am convinced the bottleneck is not in the kitchen or with the service... it's simply that customers cannot chew and swallow their food fast enough! Hence, the lines. Sadly, if only humans had wider esophagus and didn't feel the need to make small talk over meals. Just kidding!
(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
2014-02-24
Spending Per Head
$20 (Lunch)
Recommended Dishes
  • BBQ pork buns
Level4
1.5K
35
A wake up call
2014-02-23 198 views
Although the restaurant is crowded, we are showed to a table after a short waiting time. This time round, we are sharing table with another group. The place is quite packed, especially it is Chinese new year holiday season.From the Chef's Recommendation section of the menu, we have Braised Chicken Feet With Abalone ($5.00++). As the seats are placed quite near to each other. The staff has a hard difficult time of negotiating the way, while serving the dish. In the end, the hot sauce from the oth
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Although the restaurant is crowded, we are showed to a table after a short waiting time. This time round, we are sharing table with another group. The place is quite packed, especially it is Chinese new year holiday season.
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 From the Chef's Recommendation section of the menu, we have Braised Chicken Feet With Abalone ($5.00++). As the seats are placed quite near to each other. The staff has a hard difficult time of negotiating the way, while serving the dish. In the end, the hot sauce from the other dishes from the staff's hand being poured on mom and the neighbouring aunty. Mom got quite a hot soak down her back. The staff is in panic, especially she is kept been scolded by the neighbouring aunty. Tissues is brought out to wipe the sauce on the clothes. It is after quite some times when one of the staffs brings the wet towels to clean up. Feel that the happy atmosphere is kind of spoils by the incident. Comparing to the previous time which I ordered this dish, the serving seems to have reduced. The feet are not as fat and juicy as previously.

From the Big 4 Heavenly Kings Section of the menu, we have
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 Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50++/3pcs)
The buns are quite soft today.
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 Pan Fried Carrot Cake ($4.50++/ 3pcs)
Similar to the Plaza Singapura outlet, it is quite soft. I prefer a firmer texture.
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 Steamed Egg Cake ($3.80++/ piece)
The serving seems to have reduced in size. Still tastes quite soft and fluffy.
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 Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver ($5.50++)
The version here is slightly better than the one at Plaza Singapure's as the pig's liver is not overcooked here.

From the Steamed Section of the Menu, we have
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 Pork Dumpling with Shrimp ($5.00+/ 4 pieces)
Tastes average, and looks quite expensive for plain looking siew mai.
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 Dumpling Teochew Style ($4.00++/3 pieces)
The skin is quite smooth and have a nutty taste with peanut in it.
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 Steam Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp ($3.80++/ 3 pieces)
Tastes quite juicy and nice.

From the Rice Section of the menu, we have
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 Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom ($6.00++)
Served in a metal bowl, I feel that it will lose the heat easily.
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 Glutinous Rice Dumpling ($5.00++)
Tastes average.

Lastly in the Desserts Section of the Menu, we have
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 Mango Pomelo Sago ($5.00++)
The dessert tastes quite thick.
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 Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake (Cold) ($3.50++/ 3 pieces)
It seems to overwhelmed by the flavouring, and tastes a bit strong and artificial in taste. The colour also looks a bit dark.

Overall it is quite a disappointing experience. Due to mom's incident, the cashier waives off the 2 glasses of barley water ($2.00/ glass) from the bill. I feel that the restaurant is quite poor in handling the incident, which leaves quite a bad taste. I would think twice before coming here to dine again.
(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
2014-02-02
Spending Per Head
$75 (Lunch)
Level4
333
3
Good Dimsum
2014-02-17 171 views
See my full photos & reviews at = http://chefquak.com/2014/02/17/good-dimsum-timhowan-toa-payoh-on-16feb2014/went with children for 4pax dim sum at timhowan toa payoh on 16.2.2014.i went to the hk sham shui po timhowan with friends 2 times, and we really enjoyed the food there, so i had wanted to try their outlets in singapore but really not one to want to queue hours to eat dim sum or any food for that matter.we went at 3.30pm on a sunday to avoid the crowd. place was still constantly crowded w
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See my full photos & reviews at = http://chefquak.com/2014/02/17/good-dimsum-timhowan-toa-payoh-on-16feb2014/

went with children for 4pax dim sum at timhowan toa payoh on 16.2.2014.

i went to the hk sham shui po timhowan with friends 2 times, and we really enjoyed the food there, so i had wanted to try their outlets in singapore but really not one to want to queue hours to eat dim sum or any food for that matter.

we went at 3.30pm on a sunday to avoid the crowd. place was still constantly crowded with good traffic & turnover. we only waited 10mins though to get our seats so it was ok.


the menu was very limited, like 1/2 that in hk. i ordered 2 of the 4 heavenly kings. crispy char siew bun was a must, and i wanted to try liver cheongfun (肠粉) again. none of us were fan of mala cake & the pan-fried carrot cake.

we ordered a chicken, mushroom, chinese sausage rice (top photo). it was good, hk standard. we all liked it so we ordered a second helping.


the crispy char siew bun did not disappoint. it was very good – both the crispy bun & the char siew fillings.
the cheongfun (肠粉) was good too, very smooth. liver was nicely done, just right & not overcooked. the prawn cheongfun was very good.


another order was the deep-fried fupeiquin (腐皮卷). this looked a little different from usual, seemed to be very neat & clean cut. anyway it tasted great, 1 of the best i had.


the hargao skin looked thick, tasted ok, not as good as crystal jade or imperial treasure.

the chicken feet in abalone sauce was ok, but not as good as the usual steamed black beans chicken feet (usually slightly redder & more fluffy deep-fried) in most dim sum places.

the deep-fried wasabi prawn dumplings – i did not try but it was quite ok.

overall the 4pax dim sum lunch cost S$64, about 2x the price in timhowan sham shui po for less food. i guess it was not really expensive, but i would think crystal jade, imperial treasure & royal china dim sum are better. this was 2x the price c/w with kowloon at AMK (I am going to try that one soon & compare).
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(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
2014-02-16
Spending Per Head
$16 (Lunch)
Recommended Dishes
  • crispy char siew bun
  • chicken & chinese sausage rice
  • fupeiquin
Level4
260
34
Must Try Baked Bun @ Tim Ho Wan
2014-02-16 77 views
When my friend is in town, we went to Ho Tim Wan for a quick dinner. When Ho Tim Wan opened it’s first outlet at Plaza Atrium, the queue was dramatically crazy. People are queuing for hours to get a seat. This is the second outlet located at a walking distance from Toa Payoh Interchange provides heart landers to have a chance to try the Michelin-star restaurant.We were quite lucky on that day as there isn’t any queue at all when we arrive around 6pm. Order sheets were given to us to place our or
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When my friend is in town, we went to Ho Tim Wan for a quick dinner. When Ho Tim Wan opened it’s first outlet at Plaza Atrium, the queue was dramatically crazy. People are queuing for hours to get a seat. This is the second outlet located at a walking distance from Toa Payoh Interchange provides heart landers to have a chance to try the Michelin-star restaurant.
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 We were quite lucky on that day as there isn’t any queue at all when we arrive around 6pm. Order sheets were given to us to place our order. So, here goes the foods that we ordered that day:-
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 Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (3pcs) @ S$ 4.50++. This is known as the 4 Heavenly Kings and this dish is well-received by many. It is identical to Hong Kong’s and it is best to have it while it is hot. The baked bun is crumbly and combination of sweet and salty taste.
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 Steamed Beef Ball with beancurd skin @S$4.20++. This is something different for us as we never tried the combination of it. Surprisingly it tasted delicious as it flows smoothly into the throat. The taste was not overwhelming or strong beef taste for us.
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 Congee with lean pork, century egg & salted egg @S$4.20++. HK style congee suits my taste bud.I love the light taste of it. Overall. I can’t really taste the lean pork but more of the century egg and salted egg.
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 Rice with Beef & Fried Egg @S$6.00++.The beef taste alike the steamed beef ball.
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 The empty Vermicelli Roll with Sweet and Sesame Sauce @ S$4.20++ wasn’t too bad. The vermicelli roll is thin, soft and moist. I like the sesame sauce but it can get too salty if you eat it too much.
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 Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Petal Cake (Cold) (3pcs) @S$3.50++. This is my favourite dessert and best served cold. There are elements of flowers in the cake gives the refreshing taste of it.

Receipt is printed immediately upon ordering and placed on your table. When you are done with your meal, proceed to the cashier counter to make payment. The service staffs are quite efficient in processing the orders. Serving time is within 15 minutes time and they are quite attentive in customers’ attention.
(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
2013-12-22
Type of Meal
Dinner
Recommended Dishes
  • Baked Bun with BBQ Pork
Level3
38
0
Be the first if you don't want to queue
2014-02-06 56 views
During a random weekend Sunday morning, I paid my visit to this cheapest one star Michelin dim sum restaurant people highly raved about.Due to the crazy queuing all the time, so I braved myself and be there at 9.30am in the morning while the restaurant open at 11am. When I was there, there's one couple in front of me. However, they left when they heard the stuff mention the opening hour at 11am. So I was the first customer on that morning 😁The baked crispy BBQ pork bun is really a legend. The bu
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During a random weekend Sunday morning, I paid my visit to this cheapest one star Michelin dim sum restaurant people highly raved about.
Due to the crazy queuing all the time, so I braved myself and be there at 9.30am in the morning while the restaurant open at 11am. 

When I was there, there's one couple in front of me. However, they left when they heard the stuff mention the opening hour at 11am. So I was the first customer on that morning 😁

The baked crispy BBQ pork bun is really a legend. The bun is perfect. It made all the waiting and queuing worth. Not forgetting the steam egg cake aka ma lai kou, the texture is so moist and fluffy. Other dim sum were just ordinary which other's dim sum place could offer better one.
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Recommended Dishes
  • BBQ pork bun
  • Steam egg cake
Level4
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35
Great Food but Messy Queue System
2014-01-20 43 views
Tim Ho Wan添好運 is Hong Kong's most famous dim sum restaurant, having been the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant in the world. Having started out as a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Mong Kok (the outlet has since closed and moved to Olympic station), the restaurant has expanded to Singapore by Chef Mak Kwai Pui. The restaurant is known for its Big 4 Heavenly Kings which are the famed Baked Bun with BBQ pork, the Steamed Egg Cake, Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver and Pan Fried Carrot Cake. The restaura
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Tim Ho Wan添好運 is Hong Kong's most famous dim sum restaurant, having been the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant in the world. Having started out as a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Mong Kok (the outlet has since closed and moved to Olympic station), the restaurant has expanded to Singapore by Chef Mak Kwai Pui. The restaurant is known for its Big 4 Heavenly Kings which are the famed Baked Bun with BBQ pork, the Steamed Egg Cake, Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver and Pan Fried Carrot Cake. The restaurant has a strictly no reservations policy. Recently it has expanded to an outlet in Toa Payoh, follows by another in Bedok Mall, and lately another in Westgate Jurong East.
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 As I am in the Toa Payoh area, I decide to pay a visit to the Toa Payoh outlet. Rows of stools littered around the restaurant which makes Mom asks me 'if there is a hair styling salon here, that's why so many stools for customers to sit on'. But those are for the customers queueing for tables at Tim Ho Wah. I check with the people who at the stools if they are too in the queue, as there is no staff coming to check with us. It is sometimes before a staff comes out to check with us and we are showed a table immediately. It seems that those in front are still waiting for other members. In this restaurant, there is the no reservations policy. So people has the mind set to come early to chop place for others. But if you have 10 persons coming for dinner, but not all have arrived, the staff will not show you to your table even when there is one available. Thus there is quite a number of groups of people who waiting outside the restaurant, which makes the queue looks rather long. For those who dine in regularly, they just walk to the cashier to ask for table without queuing. Rather misleading isn't it. So those who plan to dine there, please take note of this. Else please come during odd hours like 2pm when there is usually not much of a queue.
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 The dining in area looks small and compact, with stools packed quite near to each other. So take note not to bring too big bag when dining in here as there is no place for it. The kitchen is quite open too, as one can see the char siew paus baking in the ovens. The place can be a bit too loud too, as it is quite crowded. Restroom is outside, next to the casual restaurant.
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 Interestingly the menu is printed on the menu. Nice concept. One just pencil your choices in the given order slip and give it to the staff.
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 There is also various sauces available for one to help yourself to on the table. The chilli is not bad but it looks more Singaporean style than Hong Kong.

The Toa Payoh outlet has 3 signature dishes which are Steamed Chicken Feet with Abalone Sauce, Steamed Beancurd Roll with Fish Paste and Crab Stick, and Lemongrass Jelly with Lemon Sorbet.
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 Steamed Chicken Feet with Abalone Sauce ($5)
Unlike the usual steamed chicken which looks old and wrinkled, the serving here looks fat and juicy. And I have never one in abalone sauce before too. Very tasty too.
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 Steamed Beancurd Roll with Fish Paste and Crab Stick ($5)
Tastes quite juicy, especially with the juicy piece of mushroom inside.
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 Lemongrass Jelly with Lemon Sorbet ($5.00)
The sorbet is not too sour and tastes quite refreshing. Quite an unusual dessert in a dim sum outlet.
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 One of the Big Four is the signature Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50++/3 pcs)
The bun looks more like Polo Pau with its crispy thin egg and sugar crust.
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 Compared to the version which I have at the Plaza Singapura outlet, the filling tastes less sweet. But the skin is a bit too soft. I would prefer it to be firm and crispy.
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 Another of the Big Four is the Steamed Egg Cake Ma Lai Gou 马来糕 ($3.80) which is soft and fluffy and tastes like gula melaka. I would personally prefer it to be sweeter. But I have checked that it is made with ordinary white sugar.
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 Century Egg with Shredded Pork Congee ($4.20++)
A sign of the Hong Kong style with its silky smooth texture for its porridge. The century egg is chopped very finely that one can barely taste it.
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 Vermicelli Roll with Shrimps ($5.50++)
The soya sauce is poured onto vermicelli roll, while serving to us. The vermicelli roll is quite smooth in texture, even when cold. Simple but tasty.

Overall the food is great. But if the queue system can improve, it would be better.
(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
2014-01-19
Spending Per Head
$42 (Dinner)
Recommended Dishes
  • Baked BBQ Buns
Level4
157
0
TIM HO WAN (TYP)
2013-12-17 47 views
ONE WORD: SUPERB! This is my very first trying time trying TIM HO WAN, because I always get turned off by it very long queue. Imagine i am standing outside the store, watching those people inside eat and with my growling stomach, i think i will just faith outside the store. I don't know why i am so lucky today that i managed to drop by TYP and there was no queue at all ( weekday around 3pm) . So what i ordered: carrot cake, shui jing jiao, HK style chang fen and their most famous bbq bun (which
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ONE WORD: SUPERB! This is my very first trying time trying TIM HO WAN, because I always get turned off by it very long queue. Imagine i am standing outside the store, watching those people inside eat and with my growling stomach, i think i will just faith outside the store. I don't know why i am so lucky today that i managed to drop by TYP and there was no queue at all ( weekday around 3pm) . So what i ordered: carrot cake, shui jing jiao, HK style chang fen and their most famous bbq bun (which also my favourite)! The carrot cake was oily but you will not feel sick after eating, it is so soft and serve hot! The chang fen which taste a little different from what Singapore had, but is still nice! The only think that i don't like is the sauce, it think too much sauce was spread on it and "cover" the original taste of the chang fen. I loved the prawns in the shui jing jiao., is so big and sweet! The bbq bun was their signature dish and is a must try! I don't know how the chef did it, with 3 different texture in 1 bun, crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and a little in the inner to prevent the bbq pork from leaking. I spend a total of $22 for all 4 dishes and it is quite worth it for a Michelin star standard!
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Bringing good fortune... to my tastebuds!
2013-11-30 31 views
I was very fortunate to be invited to do a food tasting for the much-raved about Tim Ho Wan, (whose name in Chinese by the way means to 'bring good luck', which was exactly what I was having. The name precedes the restaurant itself, evidenced by the long queues outside and packed tables.The overall ambience was warm and cozy with its warm interior tones accented with hilariously, the basket containers used to steam the buns and dim sums. Retro Canto-pop music of yesteryear played overhead, coupl
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 I was very fortunate to be invited to do a food tasting for the much-raved about Tim Ho Wan, (whose name in Chinese by the way means to 'bring good luck', which was exactly what I was having. The name precedes the restaurant itself, evidenced by the long queues outside and packed tables.

The overall ambience was warm and cozy with its warm interior tones accented with hilariously, the basket containers used to steam the buns and dim sums. Retro Canto-pop music of yesteryear played overhead, coupled with the boisterous chatter of a filled dining room.

Its much anticipated second outlet opens at Toa Payoh, and diners are in for a real treat. Six never-been-published dishes are added to its current menu under monthly specials and will be changed every few months to maintain variety and novelty for patrons.

Some of these new dishes are Hong Kong bestsellers, whereas the others are specially whipped up to cater to Singaporeans’ palates. These include: Steam Chicken Feet with Abalone Sauce, Fried Noodle with BBQ Pork and Soy Sauce and Deep Fried Dumpling with Salted Meat.

We started off with one of my major weaknesses: the quintessential Prawn dumplings ($5.50) otherwise known as Har Kow. These were HUGE, almost about the size of my palm. A soft and succulent juicy prawn encased in each soft translucent shell, you get 4 in a container and its perfect for those feeling peckerish but don't want a big meal. Each bite was a warm munch of joy, waaaay value for money.

I'm a major beef lover, so the vermicelli roll with beef ($5.50) was just the thing for me. The small chunks of beef was tender, an almost soupy texture. Coupled with the soy sauce and thin vermicelli roll, this simple but tasty dish will make you ask for seconds.

Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling ($5.00) is a fusion dish that features fried dumpling skins sprinkled with tiny prawn roes and wasabi sauce; giving a zingy kick to the prawn morsels and crispy exterior that was thankfully not too oily/greasy.

I was recommended the Vermicelli Roll with Sweet and Sesame sauce ($4.20); which was really something that really appealed to my taste buds. Soft rolls of vermicelli were drizzled with dashes of spring onions, absorbed the sweetness of the sauces. A smooth and savory dish that goes down well.

A die die must try is the Baked Bun with BBQ Pork ($4.50): Not your usual 'Bao' fare, these piping buns are fried to a crispy golden. Upon resounding bite, the goodness of the sweet sauce oozes forth, melding well with the pork pieces and fried dough. Your Tim Ho Wan experience is not complete without this dish!

Fried noodle with BBQ Pork and Soy Sauce ($6.00): While nicely fried, I found it to be on the dry side, but you can probably rectify it with some sauce. Thinly sliced pieces of char siew, green and red chilli and sesame seeds gives a slight spicy flavor but not something I'd order as a stand-alone dish. I feel its better to have it complement with other dishes.

Last but not least. desert time! While everyone opted for the safer choice of Mango Sago, I decided to try one of their signatures: Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus cake ($3.50). Jelly cubes of flower petals and wolfberries not only it looks pretty...it tastes refreshing! Although the ingredients sound like your usual Chinese medical concoction, I assure you it isn't at all. Lightly sweet and honey-like in taste, the wolfberry adding a slight kick to balance the saccharine-ness.

Do check out my website for more: www.junedujour.com
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(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Taste
Decor
Service
Hygiene
Value
Date of Visit
2013-10-24
Spending Per Head
$18 (Lunch)
Recommended Dishes
  • Baked Bun with BBQ Pork
Level4
153
5
Beat the queue
2013-11-26 33 views
I finally got to understand the craze of Tim Ho Wan one fine Sunday. The trick to having Tim Ho Wan for dinner on a weekend is to be there early. I was there at 5-6pm and there was no queue at all and could waltz right in. I know this would not have been possible at the Plaza Singapura branch.The menu is the paper placemat that your cultery is placed on and you take your own order before you pass it to the waiter. Take note that hot tea and water is refillable while the Barley water isn't.Tim Ho
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I finally got to understand the craze of Tim Ho Wan one fine Sunday. The trick to having Tim Ho Wan for dinner on a weekend is to be there early. I was there at 5-6pm and there was no queue at all and could waltz right in. I know this would not have been possible at the Plaza Singapura branch.

The menu is the paper placemat that your cultery is placed on and you take your own order before you pass it to the waiter. Take note that hot tea and water is refillable while the Barley water isn't.

Tim Ho Wan is famous for its "4 Heavenly Kings". One of them is the Char Siu Bao and they are pretty much the recommended 'what you should eat' if you visit the place. However, I wasn't a fan of the Ma Lai Gao, and I had other dimsums that I wanted to try, instead of the 4 kings.

Phoenix Claws in Abalone Sauce
One of their speciality dishes that was available on one of those promo slips. The sauce was very prominent and the chicken feet was very chewy. I liked that they removed the claws from the feet as it disturbs me when dimsum restaurants don't do that

Shrimp Dumplings (Ha Gao)
Quite standard fare. The dumplings were served hot and the skin was still intact (not broken). The shrimps were decent and they were quite generous about the amount of shrimp inside.

Cheong Fun (with intestines)
A little disappointed in this because it wasn't what I was looking for. They had the standard orange peel inside which I'm not a fan of.

Highlight: Poh Luo Char Siu Bao
This was really a delightful surprise and I could see why other tables were ordering this dish non-stop and packing it away in their paper boxes, however, I believe everyone should have it when it's fresh out of the kitchen as it was really delicious. The bread was hot and the contents were still steaming though we had left it on the table for a bit as we were finishing up the other dishes. The sauce was just right and the char siu inside had enough fat without being stuck in your teeth and without you wanting to spit it out.
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 The total bill wasn't very cheap, but I think the experience was worth it. If I was to go back, I would definitely order the Char Siu Bao and perhaps try their Luo Mai Gai (Glutinous rce) and the Hong Kong Porridge.
(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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  • Po Luo Char Siu Bao
Level3
94
0
A revisit
2013-10-26 37 views
I dropped by during lunch time and there was a short queue outside the shop. Waited for about 15 minutes before i was ushered in. Rushing for time, i quickly ordered a glutinous rice with lotus leaf and a dumpling teochew style. The food was served rather fast as i believe they prepared the food beforehand since with the crowd, the selling rate will be no doubt high.I really like the glutinous rice! It is different from the usual ones i had elsewhere as the meat they use was chicken slices. They
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I dropped by during lunch time and there was a short queue outside the shop. Waited for about 15 minutes before i was ushered in. Rushing for time, i quickly ordered a glutinous rice with lotus leaf and a dumpling teochew style. The food was served rather fast as i believe they prepared the food beforehand since with the crowd, the selling rate will be no doubt high.
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 I really like the glutinous rice! It is different from the usual ones i had elsewhere as the meat they use was chicken slices. They were really well-marinated with flavour. They were not stingy with the ingredients with plenty of meat, mushroom and chicken sausage wrapped in the rice. The rice was not too oily and has the right saltiness to it, though i was a bit disappointed that some part of the rice was mushy, some part well cooked, while some part was a bit hard. It would have been perfect if they can cook the right more evenly.
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 Next, the teochew dumplings was also much better than those i have eaten elsewhere as the soft skin encloses a filling of crunchy diced turnip, minced meat, crunchy peanuts that are while marinated with a taste that is different from other competitors. I really like how crunchy and juicy the turnip were in the dumpling.


Fuss free and satisfying lunch.

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Spending Per Head
$10 (Lunch)
Recommended Dishes
  • Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaf
Related Review
Reviews submitted by the same member to the same restaurant within 30 days.
the branch with shorter queue
Level3
94
0
the branch with shorter queue
2013-10-26 37 views
I decide to try my luck at Tim Ho Wan in Toa Payoh as the branch at Plaza Singapura is always full, with people queuing outside for a taste of the Michelin Star dim sum. I reached there about 3pm on a weekday, and there was only 2 person in front of me. Within 5 minutes, i was ushered in, and i could see there were still many empty tables in the restaurant. Their menu was short and simple. Below are the dim sum i ordered:Signature/ Must-order Baked BBQ Pork Bun(S$4.50):The crispy crust on top of
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I decide to try my luck at Tim Ho Wan in Toa Payoh as the branch at Plaza Singapura is always full, with people queuing outside for a taste of the Michelin Star dim sum. I reached there about 3pm on a weekday, and there was only 2 person in front of me. Within 5 minutes, i was ushered in, and i could see there were still many empty tables in the restaurant.

Their menu was short and simple. Below are the dim sum i ordered:

Signature/ Must-order Baked BBQ Pork Bun(S$4.50):
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 The crispy crust on top of the soft bun is simply melt-in-your mouth! I feel that it is different from the common polo bun as this crispy crust has a good texture that just melts in the soft bun below when you bite into it. I love this crust! However, i felt that the char siew was on the plain sweet side without any charcoal taste that i like in char siew.

Deep Fried Dumpling with Salted Meat (S$3.80):
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 I like this dumpling has a chewy glutinous skin that is deep fried for a crispy coating. It is similar to those chewy peanut balls with sesame coated outside, but this skin is much thinner and has a salty meat filling in it. Even though it was somewhat hollow, i felt that this ratio of dumpling skin to meat filling they have helps you to better appreciate the unique texture of the skin which is not oily at all. The more you chew on it, the sweeter and more flavourful it gets. I like it.


Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake ($3.50):
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 This is a refreshing dessert that has a strong osmanthus taste. I was pretty amused seeing it wobble on the plate when it was served. The ingredient in it was generous as each cube can be seen packed with wolfberry and osmanthus flower. If you are a fan of this 2 ingredient, do give it a try.


A good and satisfy tea. I will be back.:bow
l:

(The above review is the personal opinion of a user which does not represent OpenRice's point of view.)
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Spending Per Head
$15 (Tea)
Recommended Dishes
  • Baked BBQ Pork Bun
Related Review
Reviews submitted by the same member to the same restaurant within 30 days.
A revisit
Level1
1
0
Try this!
2013-10-07 40 views
Tim Ho Wan is a Michelin Star Dim Sum restaurant located at a neighborhood area, Toa Payoh. Having heard some good reviews, I decided to dine there at around 5pm. At the same time, I was expecting snaking queue since it was a Sunday. To my surprise, the queue wasn't as long as what I had expected. I am guessing that it was due to their efficient service that kept their queue as short as possible. I was asked to take a seat inside almost immediately (within 5 minutes), probably because there was
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Tim Ho Wan is a Michelin Star Dim Sum restaurant located at a neighborhood area, Toa Payoh. Having heard some good reviews, I decided to dine there at around 5pm. At the same time, I was expecting snaking queue since it was a Sunday. To my surprise, the queue wasn't as long as what I had expected. I am guessing that it was due to their efficient service that kept their queue as short as possible. I was asked to take a seat inside almost immediately (within 5 minutes), probably because there was just the two of us. When I stepped in, I love the restaurant's setting and decorations.

We ordered their steamed spinach (Rating of 3.5/5) dumpling with shrimp. Wrapped with a transparent and thin skin, the spinach filling was generous with a small shrimp inside. I would prefer it to be a little juicer. The vermicelli roll with sweet & sesame sauce (Rating of 3/5) was fairly nice. Upon serving of the dish, the waitress poured the sauce in front of us and I think this is one of the reasons why you paid for the service charge. You must try their famous baked BBQ bun (Rating of 4/5)! It's my first time trying and I love it! It is one of the more outstanding dish to me. It is baked on the outside with a little crisp, with the sweet BBQ filling. I would like it more if there was more filling instead of just a thin layer. It can a little too sweet for those without sweet tooth. If you feel thirsty from all the food, you can get a cup of ice barley at $2! The food are now served in about 3 pieces per dish, so I would encourage you to patronize in twos or threes. If I am not wrong, they used to serve in 4 pieces per dish.

I do appreciate their efficient service, where by they will clear your plate almost immediately when you are done after every dish. Overall, I would recommend this place for at least a one time dining to try their well known baked BBQ buns!
(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
2013-10-06
Spending Per Head
$9 (Tea)
Recommended Dishes
  • Baked BBQ Bun
Level4
153
5
BEST char siew bao ever :))
2013-10-02 75 views
for photos and more reviws, visit http://thelittlemomentsofmylife.blogspot.sg/ (:i am so happy that i finally had the chance to try tim ho wan! even if only for the yummilicious barbecue pork buns ($4.50 for 3 pcs) ^^ ahhh, just thinking about it makes me feel like eating it already.we would have ordered more char siew baos, if only the other people were as enthusiastic as me!! i ordered one whole plate for myself which is three pieces. and i do think that it is quite affordable, considering th
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for photos and more reviws, visit http://thelittlemomentsofmylife.blogspot.sg/ (:

i am so happy that i finally had the chance to try tim ho wan! even if only for the yummilicious barbecue pork buns ($4.50 for 3 pcs) ^^ ahhh, just thinking about it makes me feel like eating it already.

we would have ordered more char siew baos, if only the other people were as enthusiastic as me!! i ordered one whole plate for myself
which is three pieces. and i do think that it is quite affordable, considering the size of the bun!! normally char siew sou also costs around that price, but it's usually smaller? anyway, this bun is simply unbeatable. if you haven't tried it yet (i don't know whether there is anyone even slower than me...the whole world seems to have tried it!), please do!!!! oh gosh, even if you aren't a fan of char siew, you will love this bun so much :') it kinda has the bo lo bao kind of texture, but EVEN BETTER than that. a perfectly flaky crust, lightly crumbly, slightly sweet, and one bite gives way to deliciously tasty char siew within it. i want more!!!!


the rest of the dishes at Tim Ho Wan are pretty standard, and the quality is alright as well! (: they have four signature dishes called the Big 4 Heavenly Kings. we tried three of them, because the last was a chee cheong fun with pigs liver which we don't really fancy. the pan fried carrot cake ($4.50 for 3 pcs) was quite yummy! (: fried to a crisp, and with little bits of (i think) chinese sausage within it. it was super fragrant!

the last of the 4 signature dishes was the steamed egg cake $3.80, which is kinda like a huat kueh? spongy, light and fluffy, but i'm not a big fan of it
it's just a personal thing. haha.

there were dishes like har gow ($5.50 for 4 pcs), chee cheong fun with shrimp ($5.50) and bbq pork ($5.50), chicken feet with black bean sauce ($4) which were quite alright as well.we liked the congee with lean pork, century egg and salted egg ($4.20) for its subtle flavour, while not being too salty (: i couldn't really taste any of the salted egg though


and i really enjoyed our dessert which was yam puree with sago ($3.50)! ^^ give me anything with yam and i'll devour it hehe
it was a lovely smooth puree that was relatively light (good, especially since we were already so full from the dim sum) and i loved the added texture of the sago inside it! (:

overall, i would say that Tim Ho Wan is quite un-impressionable other than the BARBECUED PORK BUNS and yam puree (: but i would come back, just for these two items. the good thing is that the dim sum here is still priced reasonably, so there is no reason not to come back ^^
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Recommended Dishes
  • barbecued pork buns
  • yam puree