I love Dim Sum! Does somebody hate it? π€
In my 4+ years living in Japan, I never knew that there's Tim Ho Wan here. When I went to Taiwan a few years back, I ate at this famous restaurant and since then, I really wanted to eat there again. But I can't really just hop on a bus and arrive at Taiwan anytime, of course I can't just travel to another country just like commuting daily. Hehe
And yeah, that restaurant is Tim Ho Wan.
Tim Ho Wan is known as the Dim Sum Specialist and they have been awarded a Michelin Star.
My favorite is their pork buns. It's best served hot! It looks like a mini γ‘γγ³γγ³ (read as Melon Pan). The texture is soft and outer is sweet, but the BBQ pork inside is well, barbeque! It taste like heaven (though I don't really know what heaven taste like π).
Speaking of γ‘γγ³γγ³ (Melon Pan), it doesn't really taste like melon, but it looks like the oriental melon found here in Japan, with the lines on the crust. Melon pan is so popular in anime (hello there anime lovers!). And it's one of my favorite breads!
Of course, it's a dim sum restaurant so there should be shumai (in Philippines it's called siomai)! I like the version in the Philippines especially in Cebu where there's a place where you can get the super tasty siomai (I'll use this word since I'm referring to the one in the Philippines). When I came to Japan, I started to not like shumai because it's not tasty and savory as I have expected it to be. So I really have low expectations for this shumai in Tim Ho Wan. Turns out, it's the best I had in Japan so far! It's really tasty! Oh, how I wish there are chili flakes to go with this one.
Did I mention that I've been to the restaurant 2 times already?
The first time I went there, I didn't order this food in lotus leaf, but I saw it from another table (oops, I was just checking their food so I could have an idea what to order π). Apparently, the guys from the other table was enjoying this viand. So the next time I told myself to order and try it. There's a little bit of mystery when opening the leaf, no?
Well, it's sticky, yes. If you eat it alone with no other flavor or something mixed in it, it's just sticky rice - not sweet, not salty, just normal sticky rice. So it's best to eat it with the food that was mixed inside. I think inside there's a mix of pork and sausages, not sure what I was eating but it seems like it.
The spring roll! Of course. We call it lumpia in the Philippines. And even though it says it's vegetable spring roll, I haven't really tasted the "vegetable". I even thought there's meat inside. Crispy on the outside, and savory on the inside. Just right combination!
There are different kinds of dumplings there. I think there are 3 similar dumplings but I only tried the 2. I actually like them. Well, I like shrimp and both of these have it. Best to eat when hot. The store's seasonings, not sure. I would prefer having chili flakes and chili sauce for these dumplings.
The spare rib bowl is one of the best in their menu. I regretted being full from eating a lot prior to having this. The spare ribs are so tasty, easy to eat and the rice is not Japanese rice. 10/10 for me!
I don't like eating rice rolls that are steamed. I feel like I'm just eating carbs with no flavor. So nope, I don't like this. The inside though which is shrimp and chives, they are good. But the exterior, it's a no for me. My friends like it though so it's just me.
Their wonton? Not my cup of tea. I thought it's spicy but it's not, well at least for me, it isn't. Next, I don't like coriander. There are people who like it but not me. Not a great fan of coriander. So when I tried to eat this, I had to remove the coriander. If there's no coriander, it's good. Just need to make it spicy.
They don't really have a very wide selection of their food, just enough. I think I mentioned half of it in this post already. If you would ask me if I will go back again, definitely I would. After all, I really like it there! And I really like dim sum!
If you want to visit the restaurant, it's found in Hibiya, near the Tokyo Midtown Hibiya building. They don't accept reservations so you need to line up outside. And the line could get very long so careful about that. And it's important that your group must be complete before entering the restaurant because they don't allow additional persons. We just got lucky they allowed my friend to join us late but that was just one exception because they thought it would be a pity to leave my friend alone outside waiting for us.
They also have a branch in Shinjuku, and in that branch they allow reservations but I haven't been there. Personally, I love going to Hibiya rather than Shinjuku because Shinjuku's a bit complicated and crowded.
How about you? Do you like dim sum? What are your favorites?
If there's a Tim Ho Wan in your area, why don't you go and try their food? You might fell in love with dim sum!
Til next food trip!
See you around! γΎγγοΌ
All photos in this post are taken using my phone unless otherwise stated.