Journey to Hong Kong - INDULGING IN HONG KONG: DIM SUM

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without having dim sum (one meal at least). I have heard of people who traveled there and back without eating dim sum, which, to me is some sort of blasphemy. No judgment though, I am sure there are people who traveled to Japan and back without eating sushi. It’s fine. No big deal. The very first meal in Hong Kong I had was dim sum!

Here I present to you the two dim sum places we ate at in Hong Kong.


MAXIM’S JADE GARDEN @ HKIA (美心翠园)

The first thing my friend and I did after landing in Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), besides keeping an eye out for the impossibly difficult to find Skypier Counter, was to eat. We were so hungry after a foodless budget flight that we decided to eat, dim sum. Not just any dim sum, but to splurge a little bit more at Maxim’s Jade Garden in HKIA.

The dim sum there is mid-priced and the restaurant is decorated accordingly to the price range, with a water feature and some fake bamboo plants flanking the entrance. The variety of dim sum here is quite wide-ranging, with a few choices that we have never seen before. I really liked the chicken feet, which was braised with radish (what the Chinese termed ‘white carrot’, 白萝卜) and mandarin peel (陳皮). The mandarin peel is a lovely addition, giving a slight citrusy bitter taste. The other dishes are good as well, but nothing special stands out. I also liked that they served the Chinese tea in individual teapots so you get a good amount of tea before asking for a refill.

I apologize for this crappy photo of the 'cheong fun'. I forgot to take a picture in it's pristine condition. This was after we dug in. 

Chinese tea, the best beverage to go with dim sum.

Braised chicken feet.

Liu Sa Bao (bun with custard and duck's egg yolk filling).

Siew Mai (steamed pork dumplings)- oops, one already down the gullet.

Beautifully shaped Har Gow (shrimp dumpling).

If you are stuck at HKIA for whatever reasons, do try out Maxim’s Jade Garden if you are in the mood for dim sum.

For more info visit: HKIA Website


TIM HO WAN (添好运)

Tim Ho Wan was the hottest thing in Singapore last year. On opening day, queues snaked around Plaza Singapura and customers have to wait hours before gaining entrance. Believe it or not, Tim Ho Wan is as popular in Hong Kong too! Not that we have to queue for hours, but it is fairly packed with a continuous flow of customers. Customers even have to share tables (a norm in Hong Kong I discovered). Since I have never tried Tim Ho Wan in Singapore, I have no reference for comparisons. I just know that a meal taken in Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong is cheaper by a mile than one taken in Tim Ho Wan Singapore.

Everything that we ordered is delicious. Again, I found the braised chicken feet a winner! They are so gooey, so thick, so much to enjoy. Delish! Without further ado, I present a photo spread of the feast at Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong.

The afternoon lunch crowd.

Century egg congee.

Har Gow (shrimp dumpling).

Cheong fun.

Look at the cheong fun in all its delicious glory.

Glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves.

The thick and gooey braised chicken feet. Satisfying! 

Their signature dish, Polo bun with barbecued pork filling.

Siew mai (steamed pork dumplings).

Pork ribs. This is one of my favourite dim sum dish and the one at Tim Ho Wan is awesome!

According to the menu, this is the Tonic Medlar & Petal Cake. It is actually a dessert dish; cubes of jelly with osmanthus flower and wolfberry in it. 

For more info: Hong Kong Yam Cha & Tim Ho Wan Official Website