My first Hong Kong Dim Sum experience had mixed results due to ny poor decisions. The best thing to do is to get back up on the horse. I was determined to right a wrong. I went back to Tim Ho Wan, but thus ine was in another part of town.
It was located near Fuk Wing Steeet and after 5 minutes of retracing steps and going around in circles I was pronouncing the street as if the “W” was silent. I should have known to look for the place where people were spilled out onto the street.
I’d also done my homework on what to order so I knew that once I got a seat I had the precision of a neurosurgeon. I battled my way through the ravenous throng and discovered that bookings for one person are so rare you vertially jump the queue. I raised my finger, “One”. “You wait here,” she told me as she was calling out the numbers in Cantonese of those that were waiting. It was like listening to the Hong Kong Lottery and my number was about to drop. In the meantime I had already filled out my bingo form just to make everything run smooth.
For some reason last time I didn’t order the signature dish, the BBQ pork bun. These are considered one of the best in world and I will happily vouch for that.
Every pork bun I have ever eaten was the steamed variety. These were baked and had a sweetish (coconut/sugar?) topping.
Unbelievable. The food was coming thick and fast and the steamers were growing skyward. Next thing to meet my interior was the shrimp dumplings. I was presented with four exquisite, translucent pieces of magic My second attempt at this was going exponentially better.
There is a saying from some old fat Asian man that you cannot have too many dumplings and I am on the same school of thought. Basket number 3, vegetable dumplings with whole peanuts. Chewy, sticky and most importantly tasty.
As the closer, a palate cleanser of sorts, tonic medley with petals. Otherwise known as jelly with unusual floaty bits. It tastes like a sweet green tea with cranberries. I would have it again so it wasn’t bad by any stretch.
And for those trying to do the foreign exchange in your head the total meal (including tea) came to less than $15 AUD. To put that in perspective, the two European guys down the road are charging more for a cup of espresso and a cheese and avocado toastie.
These weren’t on the menu at Tim Ho Wan but they looked impressive.
They didn’t contain real panda as they are gnawing through the scaffolding I mentioned the other day.
Just goes to show, if at first you don’t succeed, order the dumplings.
