Tim Ho Wan
We arrived early, real early, like 7am early. So what to do but to go find dim sum at the usually overcrowded place in town. One of which would be the Michelin Star rated restaurant Time Ho Wan. I’ve eaten at the one in Mongkok but since we were on Hong Kong, we went to the one located in the Hong Kong MTR station. Yeah, it’s kinda like eating in the mall. But you should never compare these places to the run of the mill food courts you see in the states. This place was pretty damn good and as the award states, the most inexpensive one on the list. And I will add, it’s cheaper than most of the high end dim sum places.
We arrived a few minutes after open, 9am, and were seated right away. We were seated back at a remaining long table. Later to be shared with another group. The place was pretty full and the service was quick. It’s one of those places you can eat and run. Not too many tourists at this time, just us.
Being an acclaimed restaurant, expect it to be busy most of the time. Most locals will tell you the place is just okay. If you had great dim sum, you’ll say the same. However, when you look at your bill afterwards, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t order more. It was a weird time for us to eat so we didn’t get too much. I’ll use that same excuse for the crappy photos I took. Lighting was just so bad. Anyways, the food was good and we finished within half an hour. They had plenty of servers for us to flag down which is what you’ll be doing. So service was just meh. Typical of local restaurants here.
Tim Ho Wan
Hong Kong Station
Central, Hong Kong
+852 2332 3078
Verdict: On a budget and want to have solid dim sum, then come here and order the BBQ pork buns.
These beef filled beancurd wraps were pretty juicy and tasty. Enough flavor and chewy texture in the skin to keep your taste buds happy.
$15.00HKD
By the time we finished eating, the line was long enough to fill the place. So glad we got here early.
Check out the inside of these bao’s. All the typical goodness surrounded by this dense and almost crunchy bun. Very unique and a thumbs up from me.
Here’s what everyone gets when they come here. These BBQ pork buns. They’re not your ordinary pork buns. It’s prepared slightly different and oh does that make a difference. If it weren’t for the lines here, I’d stop by here every morning to get these.
$22.00HKD
These pork and shrimp dumplings were just okay. A little on the small side and a little lacking in taste. Even the picture doesn’t look too appealing. But at this price, sure, why not add it to the meal.
$25.00HKD
Pretty solid shrimp dumplings. The skin was thick enough to endure handling while thin enough to let the shrimp taste come through.
$25.00HKD
Pork wrapped in a rice noodle. That’s always an add to dim sum. Make sure they don’t skimp out on that sweet soy sauce. Ours could have used a little more.
$20.00HKD
Turnip cake, a staple to some but a regular at our table. The ones here were good. Cooked to that nice density that holds up to your chili sauce. Could use a bit more frying to crisp up those sides.
Here’s your fixins for a great dim sum meal, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and chili sauce. And don’t forget to put them back when you use them. They’re communal.
Isn’t quite “inside” considering the front is open to all. Regardless, right when it opened there were enough people to fill all the seats. We had the last table… which we soon shared with another group.