Tim Ho Wan @ Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong

Apart from being a shopping haven, Hong Kong also offers supreme gastronomical delights. From fine dining to hole-in-the-wall restaurants / char chan teng, Hong Kong never fails to satisfy the palette, even for the most discerning ones.

Tim Ho Wan literally means ‘add good luck’ in Chinese. Located at the quieter part of Yau Ma Tei ( Yau Ma Tei is famed for its Temple and Women Street) and nestled amidst some mid to high rise residential, it has created so much buzz among the locals and tourists alike.

Reputed to be the cheapest Michelin- starred restaurant in the world, it serves dim sum at unbelievably rock bottom prices. Tim Ho Wan was started a few years ago by chef Mak Pui Gor, previously from Four Seasons Hotel, who is determined to bring good food to the masses. Despite being awarded Michelin star rating, Tim Ho Wan still maintains the price and hence, Tim Ho Wan is easily the cheapest meal ticket around.

Tim Ho Wan is located just a short distance from Yau Ma Tei MRT station and although business hour starts from 10 am daily, crowds start to trickle in much earlier than that as the waiting time can be quite long ( in the range of a few hours!) if you are late.

We reached the restaurant at approximately 9.30 am and there were already a long queue in front of the restaurant. I queued up and in a blink of an eye, there were already people lining up behind us! The crowds which were a mixture of locals and tourists with cameras hanging down their necks were quite civilised and were exchanging thoughts while ticking away the bilingual order form cum menu, which are available at the front counter of the restaurant.

As the restaurant is really tiny ( seats maybe, 30 persons at any one time), by the time Tim Ho Wan opened at 10 am, only a handful at the front of the line managed to get in. The rest would just need to wait outside the restaurant. I was considered lucky because I was the second on the line and was asked to return by 10.40 am! The server would scribble your queue number together with the number of pax on the order form. They won’t seat you unless you all the guests have arrived. By the way, if you are alone or come in two, DO NOT leave although your queue number is still far away, they may just call you in as you are expected to share table.

The rules and regulation of the restaurant. Before you start to think that how snobbish of them to have rules and regulation, these reminders are actually good and for the convenience of the patrons.

• Business hour from 10 am onwards and 130 queue numbers will be given. These queue numbers must / will be seated by 3 pm.
• By 4 pm, they will give out another 60 queue numbers and must / will be seated by 9.30 am.
• Only allowed to enter the restaurant if all the guests are already here.
• To pay, please inform the servers. Do not walk and stand at the cashier table.

Coming back to the restaurant at 10.30 am, the main entrance were huddled with eager diners. Waited for a while among the crowd and I could see envy on their eyes when they saw my queue number! Haha…After a while, the stern-looking server called my number to take my order form so that they can start preparing our order. Ooooh, I feel so lucky and I saw piercing glance from those latecomers with queue number in mid 30-s!

Ushered into a cramped restaurant and we were allocated with a 6-seat combined table. Soon, we were joined by another young couple. It was so packed that it was impossible to move your hands without nudging your neighbours. Ordered too much that there were no space on the table that we had to topped the baskets on top of each other. At one point of time, I can’t see my parents seated opposite me!

Of course, the star of Tim Ho Wan is none other than its baked buns with BBQ pork. It is like a combination of Mexican bun and char siew pao. The outside is crispy and with savory char siew ( roasted pork) fillings. You should not miss it for the world. Initially, we ordered a basket that comes with 3 buns but decided to submit to our gluttony and ordered another basket! It was so good.

Other notables were its steamed dumplings in Teochew style. It is kinda hard to find this dim sum here in Malaysia. The skin was very thin and the filings ( yambean, chives, peanuts, minced pork and dried shrimps) were very crunchy. And boy, I do not even eat chives!

Chee Cheong fun with pork liver filings. A rarity here in Malaysia ( do we even have it here?). I abstained myself from eating too much innards due to health reasons ( have not eaten them for ages) but since I was travelling, I broke all rules. The livers were not soggy and the fact that it was wrapped with rice vermicelli kinda reduce the guilt albeit slightly. Haha….

And of course, the often-taken-for-granted – prawns dumplings. It is not easy to find those with skin so translucent that you can see the fresh prawns inside.

The total bill came up to HKD250 for 17 ( yeah, 17!) baskets and jasmine tea for 4. Unbelievably cheap for HK standard, for that matter, for Malaysia standard.

Despite its bustling business, customer service was still very commendable. Dirty plates and empty baskets were cleared away promptly. Tea were refilled before you could even finished it. My dad dropped his chopsticks and the servers quickly replaced it. Our Malaysians should learn from them. The outlet manager may look stern but she is very friendly.

The address : –

Shop 8, Tsui Yuen Mansion

2-20, Kwong Wa Street

Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

( Exit A2 at Yau Ma Tei MRT Station)