YESTERDAY, June 17, 2014, I finally got to unveil the phenomenon that is Tim Ho Wan on the Ground Floor of the new Mega Fashion Hall of SM Megamall and got to understand why people have been queuing up every day since it soft-opened just to have a taste of its famous dim sums.
The world’s most famous and most affordable Michelin-star restaurant, Tim Ho Wan started as a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Hong Kong in 2009. Chef Mak Kwai Pui, its owner, has mastered the art of dim sum for four decades, having debuted as an apprentice for his uncle’s small restaurant in Hong Kong and then working for renowned hotels such as Le Meridian, Four Seasons. He took traditional Cantonese dim sum to heart and eventually went on to set up his own restaurant, Tim Ho Wan (which literally means ‘Add good luck’), in Mong Kok in 2009. On its first year of operation, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star for its dim sum, and its success led to three more outlets at North Point, IFC Mall and Sham Shui Po. The original restaurant in Mong Kok has also since been relocated to the Olympian City.
What started as a hole-in-the-wall eatery has transformed into a dim sum phenomenon that reached Singapore in 2013 and is now taking the Philippines by storm with its first store at SM Megamall. And, now, I understand why Filipino food lovers are going great lengths just to be able to dine at Tim Ho Wan.
The invite to the media event yesterday (June 17, 2014) said 10:00 a.m., with a note that “Program proper starts promptly at 10:15 a.m. and will be finished by 11:30 a.m.” Understanding how the owner, veteran restaurateur Rikki Dee, is taking into consideration the long queues of diners at the store every day and appreciating his desire and effort to still be able to squeeze in a little treat for his media friends and get them to taste what the phenomenon was all about, my husband Raff and I arrived early. We were in the area by 9:15 a.m. (that’s a record “early!” for me), had to wait in line for the parking area to open at 9:30 a.m. (but which opened at 9:45 a.m. instead because the cashier arrived late at her booth), finally got to park and then had to wait again for the guards to open the doors for mall-goers at 10:00 a.m., and then walked over to Tim Ho Wan.
We were among the first media people to arrive, but, despite that, I was awed by the presence of some diners who had already gathered outside the store as soon as the mall opened. It was just their tough luck that the media event had been scheduled yesterday, and they were informed that they could only be accommodated at 12:00 noon. Despite that, they stayed on, waiting on chairs that lined the stanchions already set in place for the daily queues. Dining inside, I felt kind of guilty whenever I looked outside the store and saw the line getting longer and longer but I also felt privileged at the opportunity to get to finally taste what people were raving about in their Facebook posts.
First dish served at the tables was Tim Ho Wan’s famous Baked Buns with BBQ Pork. At Php145 for three buns, it was a bargain, really. It’s pork, alright, and Raff and I don’t usually eat pork. But just for the day, I had resolved to eat it, because it wouldn’t be fair for me to review a restaurant without actually tasting its specialty. So I did, and so did Raff, and we both liked it. The bun itself was flaky and crumbly with a lovely texture, and the sweet savory pork filling was just the right blend of meat and sauce, spices and seasonings. If only Tim Ho Wan could come up with a chicken version, I could eat it every day.
Then came the best Prawn Dumplings (Php160 for four pieces) I’ve ever tasted. Lovely shrimp filling wrapped around a piece of perfectly made dumpling wrapper imported from Hong Kong. It was also properly steamed because the dumpling stayed in one piece, not breaking apart with a pair of chopsticks pressed against it, until it was time to take a heavenly bite and pop the rest into one’s mouth.
Another must-try dim sum followed. This time it was Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (Php150 for four pieces), which was all meat and firm yet tender and very subtly flavorful.
I loved the next dish that was served, Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf (Php190), which was gourmet equivalent of the ‘lowly’ Ma-chang (glutinous rice cooked with chicken, pork and mushrooms, wrapped into a pyramid shape with lotus leaf, tied and steamed until done) that I and most Chinoys (Chinese Pinoys) grew up with. Tim Ho Wan’s version took on a packet shape but had all the elements of the Ma-chang, including pork, chicken and mushrooms, with the savory glutinous rice. Of course I dug out the mushroom and a small part of chicken and enjoyed it with a portion of the rice. Childhood memories of me enjoying a Ma-chang with my late dad (I super miss him!) started rushing in.
But before I started crying, the Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling (Php140 for three pieces) was laid out on the table and got my mind off my dad. It was a fried dumpling, so it had a crunch to it, and the wasabi mayo drizzled on top blended well with the tobiko (fish roe). It gave me an idea on what to do with the next fried dumpling I’d make at home. I’d drizzle wasabi mayo on it and top it with tobiko. You’d see it here in my blog in the future.
As if that wasn’t enough, the servers brought out Pan-fried Carrot Cake (Php145 for three pieces), Dumpling Teochew Style (Php120 for three pieces) and ended up the meal with Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver (Php150 for three rolls). Pan-fried Carrot Cake and Vermicelli Roll with Pig’s Liver are two of Tim Ho Wan’s Big 4 Heavenly Kings, the other two being the Baked Bun with BBQ Pork and Steamed Egg Cake (Php85).
I looked forward to trying the Pan-fried Carrot Cake, since it’s one of my favorite ‘Chinese’ dishes, both here and in Singapore. In Manila, it’s simply referred to as Radish Cake, and you can buy it from Chinese deli stores, slice it and just fry it to enjoy at home. In Singapore, they call it Carrot Cake, but it’s really radish, since radish is white carrot to Singaporeans. While most Radish Cakes (or Carrot Cakes, as they are sometimes called) have a mashed character with almost no texture to them, Tim Ho Wan’s version has more texture. It has bits and strips of radish in it, so you get them when you bite into a Pan-fried Carrot Cake.
At a little before 12:00 noon, restaurateur par excellence Rikki Dee thanked everyone who had attended the media sampling. I heaved a sigh of relief not because I wanted the food to stop coming but because I secretly wished that they’d start letting the crowd into the restaurant. The queue outside had become super long, and those who waited in line deserved to finally be rewarded with the good food that they looked forward to. I was confident that they would — find the food rewarding, that is.
Tim Ho Wan deserves the accolade that it’s been getting, and its food is really worth a Michelin star. And its prices… You wonder how they manage to keep the prices down despite the quality of the food and a team of Hong Kong and Singaporean dim sum chefs manning the kitchen. No prices go beyond Php200, and the food stays incredibly simple and delicious as it is. Dee, Chef Mak and the Singapore team promise more dishes to come after every two months, but as the menu is right now, there is no craving that remains unsatisfied.
And, oh, if you’re planning to visit Tim Ho Wan, it pays to plan your visit so you don’t have to queue up too long. Dee says it’s best to come from 2:30 p.m. onwards to avoid the lunch crowd. Late lunch or early dinner? It’s worth it.
Tim Ho Wan at Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, formally opens today.
