Tim Ho Wan

Tooting itself as Michelin-starred dim sim, Tim Ho Wan (the original Hong Kong store, at least) is the cheapest ever Michelin experience. The Sydney store which opened earlier this year has been met with overwhelming popularity, with lines going round the corner when it first opened. Since then, the hype has somewhat subsided, allowing for a dining experience which does not involve waiting and salivating over the menu for too long.

If you enjoy sitting and chatting with friends, Tim Ho Wan is not for you. The serving style, like most Chinese dim sim eateries, is no-nonsense. Order, eat, vacate your seat. The service is very quick, you can pretty much expect your food items to start arriving within 5-10 minutes, and they arrive all at the same time, which, given the small table size, can be quite a balancing act.

I BBQ PORK BUN

BBQ Pork Bun, $7.80 (for 3)

Having been to THW a couple of times before, this item is definitely my favourite. It is essentially a char siu bao (a large dumpling of pork strips marinated in a distinctive salty and sweet BBQ sauce), but THW adds its own twist to this old dim sim favourite: instead of a boring white flour bun, the outside of the THW BBQ Pork Bun is a 'pineapple bun', lending the bun a slightly sweet flavour and crispy texture. A sure-fire winner.

Inside the BBQ Pork Bun: char siu

 II CONGEE WITH PORK, CENTURY EGG & SALTED EGG

Congee with Pork, Century Egg & Salted Egg, $6.80

This item may be less familiar to the non-Chinese palette, but it's a very popular breakfast / lunch staple in China. Thick and salty, this is a comforting, warm dish.

A What is Congee? 
A thick gruel made of boiling rice in water for a long period of time, a good congee is silky, filling and piping hot. It is usually enjoyed with side dishes or additions (such as this particular congee), but a plain congee is considered a good meal for someone who is sick because it is so easy to digest. However, the prolonged cooking releases a lot of the rice's sugars and starches, making it unsuitable for those with diabetes.

B The Infamous Century Egg 
Had these eggs not been a part of my culture, I can definitely understand why people look at these strange things with suspicion and alarm. Generally, people don't like semi-transparent, tar-coloured items to end up in their mouths.

Century Egg: image courtesy of Wikipedia

The century egg has a distinctive taste, and the egg white has a jelly-like consistency while the yolk is akin to that of a medium-boiled egg. The yolk has a strong smell and taste (hydrogen sulfide and ammonia - yum yum!). Having said that, the flavour of century egg is certainly not overpowering, particular in this congee. You may not even really notice it because of the lovely flavours of the pork and salted egg, as well as the thick texture of the congee itself.

C Salted Egg
A salted egg is basically as its name suggests: an egg preserved in salt and brine. The egg white is very salty, and the yolk is less salty but quite oily and simply delicious. Salted egg is a staple accompaniment for congees, and they are highly prized - we put these salted yokes into moon cakes as well.

III PRAWN DUMPLING

Prawn Dumpling, $8.30

 Prawn dumpling is a staple of yum cha, and the THW version is good, but nothing outstanding. These little semi-transparent parcels are packed full of prawn morsels, which is very satisfying. A bad prawn dumpling would try to stint on the prawn and fill with flour instead, but THW does not do that - and so it shouldn't.

IV CHICKEN FEET WITH ABALONE SAUCE

Chicken Feet with Abalone Sauce, $6.80

 Another infamous item many non-Chinese palettes struggle with - these ones come on a bed of bean curd strips and drenched in a rich abalone sauce with spices (I can distinctly taste star anise). 

Apart from their slightly disconcerting look, I think what most people would struggle with is the texture. It is very gelatinous and soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth. In Asia, chicken feet have the reputation of keeping skin looking youthful because of its gelatinous nature. 

V MANGO POMELO SAGO

Mango Pomelo Sago, $6

This is one of my favourite Asian desserts, and THW does a particularly good version of it. The soup is thick and creamy, and like most Asian desserts this is quite refreshing and not as sweet as most Western desserts. Some people struggle with sago, but I love the silky, bouncy texture of these babies (except, of course, for the fact that if not fully cooked sago is poisonous due to its cyanide content - but don't worry, I have never heard of a sago fatality as they are quite easy to cook, and you can tell if they're not cooked - sago pearls should be translucent, not white). 

VI INFORMATION

Score: 4/5 

Although all the food were delicious, they are not so markedly better than most other reputable dim sim eateries. Special mention of the BBQ Pork Bun, however - best one I've ever had, hands down. 

Cost: on the cheap side, the entire meal costed $35.70 and fed two people easily. 

Website: http://www.timhowan.com.au/

Address: 1 Railway St, Chatswood (but also opening in CBD and Burwood)