Tim Ho Wan

So there's this new Hong Kong restaurant in town. 1 Michelin star restaurant Tim Ho Wan made its way to Singapore and it's making waves. Queues form everyday without fail even before its opening time at 10 a.m. 

I have never dined in a Michelin star restaurant before, and as a dim-sum lover, I decided to join the craze one Saturday morning to see what the craze was about. However, I would recommend everyone to NEVER EVER go on weekends (unless you feel REALLY free). 

I thought the average wait was going to be around 2 hours. But to my surprise, I queue for almost 4.5 hours just to get a seat. Fortunately the food came fast, so here's my review:

Chilli Free-flow

Comments: So-So. Does not really taste special. Not spicy enough, not sweet enough.

"4 Heavenly Kings"

 Char Siew Bao $4.50 

 Char Siew Bao $4.50

Comments: The downside of going on a packed weekend, the filling was not done well. Read how nice the fillings of the char siew bao was going to be, but unfortunately it did not really meet my expectations.

Carrot Cake $4.50

Comments: This dish is passable. Soft and tender. However, there's not much ingredients in it and not as tasty as I expected it to be.

Steamed Egg Cake $3.80

Comments: Nothing special about this dish though. Taste fluffy but I'm just not use to the taste, but it's not that tasty to begin with.

Chee Cheong Fun with Pork Liver $5.50

Comments: This dish is something different from the usual chee cheong fun, but definitely not for people who don't like pork liver as the taste is quite strong. Sauce not tasty enough though but worth a try, that is if you like pork liver.

Steamed Dishes

Steamed Beef Ball $4.20 

Comments: It was suppose to be a beef ball, but as you can see, due to the chefs being too busy, the balls turned out to be just a lump. But this beef ball is commendable. The meat is soft and it somehow feels like it will melt in your mouth. It's tasty too.

"Har Gao" Steamed Prawn Dumplings $5.50

Comments: The prawn was big but it was quite salty. Not the most delicious har gao I've eaten.

Steamed Pork Ribs $4.20

Comments: Not bad. However the meat was quite tough and not the tender melt-in-your-mouth type of dish.

Siew Mai  $5

Comments: The siew mai was really nice. On first bite, the sweetness of the pork filling could be tasted straight away. I believe the red date added a touch of sweetness to the overall dish. A must order.

Steamed Chicken Feet $4

Comments: I've tasted better chicken feet. The chicken feet from Tim Ho Wan lacked marination and therefore lacked that special taste to keep going back for more.

Steamed Beancurd Skin $4 

Comments: I quite like this dish. Just tasty and delicious, especially when it comes out piping hot.

Steamed Teochew Dumpling $4

Comments: Something like a crystal bun. The skin texture was nice. But the mixture of the filling is so-so. Very vegetarian type of dish.

Chee Cheong Fun with Beef  $5.50

Comments: I could not taste the beef in it. Either they put a measly amount of beef or the beef just has no taste. 

Chee Cheong Fun with Char Siew $5.50

Comments: The char siew cheong fun fared better than the other 2 cheong fun but it's also not very fantastic actually.

Rice Dishes

 "Lor Mai Kai" Glutinous Rice $5

"Lor Mai Kai" Glutinous Rice $5

Comments: To be honest, I really like this dish. I normally do not order Glutinous Rice at all as it is very filling. BUT THIS IS A MUST TRY! The filling is very generous, with the well-marinated pork and mushroom bursting with taste once you sink your teeth into a mouthful of its sticky and delicious rice.

Steamed Rice with Pork Ribs and Chicken Feet $6.00

Comments: Basically it's the pork ribs and chicken feet on top of a bowl of rice. The sauce in the rice somehow made the rice the main star actually. I found myself eating more rice than I was suppose to.

Fried Items

Spring Roll $4.20

Comments: Nice crisp but the filling is not awesome. Try if you want, but it's not a must order.

Fried Beancurd $5.50

Comments: The fried version of the beancurd skin. It's nice but slightly salty. Need not dip into the worcestershire sauce provided actually.

Desserts

Osmanthus Cake $3.50 for a set of 3

Comments: A dessert commonly seen only eaten by emperors and dowagers. This dessert is really delicious. Sweetness is just nice. Texture is smooth. A refreshing dish to end a heavy dim sum meal.

Yam Paste with Sago $3.50

Comments: Tasted more like bobur chacha. Not bad as it's not your typical yam paste dessert.

Overall Review: I really don't know what the craze about Tim Ho Wan is all about. Probably because it received a Michelin Star. It's quite reasonable but the standard is just not there probably the place is too busy and they prepare in a rush. I've tasted better dim sum elsewhere. Would go back some time later just for their har gao and glutinous rice but the queue would turn me off. And they took take reservations

Facebook: Like them here

Details of the place: Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road #01-29A, Singapore, Singapore 238839

10 am - 10 pm. However queue may range from 1 hr to 4 hrs.

Club Street Social

Finally a post on Club Street Social, a small bistro located at club street. This place is always packed with expats since the day of its opening and business has been going really well. Not many places sells such delicious paninis in the business district and not forgetting their all day breakfast menu. They also have special cocktails if you're in the mood. Brought my girlfriend to eat here, although I've eaten here a few times and I ordered what I feel are the best 2 dishes in this place.

Lemongrass Iced Tea $7

Comments: A refreshing drink on a hot day

Lobster Bisque $12

Comments: Actually the lobster bisque does not come in this size. As I knew the chefs, they gave me a small cup as a sample. The lobster bisque is full of flavor. But do remember to mix it up before drinking it because the oil (should be truffle oil) makes it slightly salty. It's nice that there are a few pieces of lobster in it too.

Scrambled Eggs, Fontina and Chives $12 Portobello Mushroom $4

Comments: Many food blogs have claimed this dish to be the best scrambled eggs in Singapore and I'm jumping on the bandwagon to exclaim this too. THIS GOT TO BE THE BEST SCRAMBLED EGGS IN SINGAPORE! Just eating it with the bread is just comfort food, whether you're eating it in the morning, afternoon or night. That's why they offer it in the all day breakfast. I even added a portobello mushroom to go with it as I love mushrooms.

Grilled Ribeye, Caramelized Garlic, Fontina $28

Comments: No one would expect a "sandwich" to taste this fabulous. The big piece of tender ribeye in between 2 toasted pieces of bread, every bite of it taste like heaven. For someone who loves steak, this is a real delight. Not forgetting the melted cheese, which makes it a perfect combination. The best way to eat this would be to eat it like a hamburger.

Nutella Bread Pudding with Ice Cream $12

Comments: To be honest, I'm not a fan of desserts neither am I a fan of chocolate nor is my girlfriend. But this Bread Pudding is super delicious. The bread is served warm, coupled with the vanilla ice cream and the chocolate sauce. Absolutely delicious which makes it a reason to make space for dessert.

Overall review: A few downsides of this place: it is quite small, which makes it difficult to find a seat if it's on a busy day, you might have to take a seat at the cocktail bar or stand around at their tall tables. They do not take phone reservations too. The food is also quite expensive for a normal day lunch. But this is a place that serves GREAT food. More westernized as they serve bread as their main staple food, what most expats love. 

Website: Club Street Social

Facebook: Like Their Page Here

Details of the place: 5 Gemmill Lane, s(069261)

Awesome Porridge at Pipit Road Market

This is a secret find, but my favorite place after a night of clubbing. It has probably the cheapest porridge in Singapore and the plate of "Yu Sheng" (raw fish) is super worth it. 

 皮蛋瘦肉粥Century Egg and Minced Pork Porridge $2.50 + $0.50 egg

Plate of raw fish: $2.50

Comments: The porridge is very smooth and tasty. Nothing beats that for breakfast. At $2.50 a plate of Yu Sheng, you may go, "So cheap!" but the fact is, it's not only cheap, it's a plate full of fish and not mix with vegetables.

Overall review: Cheap and Good Food, friends that have been brought there have never once said they don't like the food. Even people who normally don't eat raw fish end up getting a plate too.

Must try: 10/10

Details of the place:

It's at the market along Pipit Road, at the back row. Opens at 4.30 a.m till noon or 1p.m