Supper at Tim Ho Wan (Kallang)

One thing I like about Singapore is how late the restaurants stay open. From prata to nasi lemak, there is no shortage of options for a supper. Like say, at 2am. And now we can add dim sum to the growing list, with Tim Ho Wan offering a new menu from 10pm-7am.

Miss XS's friend brought us there. I may have said it once or twice or two thousand times, but I'm in danger of losing my Singapore citizenship because I'm not at all in tune with the restaurants in Singapore. Heck, I've never been to Tim Ho Wan before this, despite being a big dim sum fan. Mostly because of the 2 hours queue, and I've never been one patient enough to wait in line.  and we decided to go there to try the food, but mostly to see how popular Tim Ho Wan will be with the midnight crowd. We already had a heavy dinner at home, so yes, we were more kaypoh (nosy) than hungry. 

We got there at 10pm, and there were a couple of people waiting in line. After we join the queue, minutes later, we were shocked to see a long queue of at least 20 people behind us. Guess now we know.


We managed to get a seat, and ordered their famous Baked Buns with BBQ Pork ($10).

It's pretty good, with a thin, firm skin. But the cha siew (BBQ pork) within the bun was not fragrant. Given all the hype over this must-try dish, I was a little disappointed. Miss XS said that the Tim Ho Wan branch at Plaza Sing was nicer. 

We also had a bowl of Fish Congee with Garlic ($6.80). The fish skin was delicious, and together with the perfectly fried you tiao, provided a great crunchy texture to the porridge. The porridge wasn't as fine as the ones at Imperial Treasure though, and lacks the refined taste of Imperial's. For the price, I expected more from Tim Ho Wan. 

The Cold Barley Water ($2) was decent and refreshing. But the cynic in me would say that it's hard to go wrong with barley drink, and any chef that can't even make barley drink is probably working in the wrong industry. 

The Verdict: It's my first time eating at Tim Ho Wan, and due to all the hype of Tim Ho Wan and the sheer number of people queuing up for a table (in spite of the generally negative reviews), I was expecting something more from the food. A sense of satisfaction, perhaps. It's not fine dim sum, contrary to its Michelin-star reputation. The service was brisk and efficient and friendly, it's a pity about the food. For the price, I'd rather eat at Imperial Treasure or Mouth Restaurant, which serves finer dim sum.