The Dim Sum Place offers halal-certified dim sum
Whether it’s dumplings or bao, Singapore has no shortage of dim sum spots. While only a handful of them are halal-certified, a few have managed to stand out—The Dim Sum Place is one of them. Since opening its OG outlet along North Bridge Road in 2016, the brand has grown into a household name, with three more branches in Changi, Orchard, and Woodlands, each boasting at least a 4.7-star rating on Google at the point of writing.
But from past experience, popularity doesn’t always guarantee good food. To see if they truly live up to the hype, we visited their OG branch for a hearty dim sum brunch.
30 Best Dim Sum Places In Singapore From $1.50, Including Halal And Buffet Options
Food at The Dim Sum Place
We started our meal with their popular Steamed Chicken & Mala Xiao Long Bao Combo ($7.90++). Each basket comes with four XLB: two filled with their house–made mala broth and the other two with chicken broth.
The Steamed Chicken XLB came with a hefty portion of minced chicken meat and chicken broth. The dumplings were enjoyable, thanks to the rich, savoury juices that oozed out, balanced by the acidity from the vinegar. That said, we thought that the broth was a tad too light and lacking in depth.
On the contrary, the broth in the Mala XLB was packed with flavour. The dumplings certainly woke us up with a tongue-numbing kick of spice, which lingered in our throats.
While the flavours were generally enjoyable, the dumpling skins were a tad thicker than what we’re used to, resulting in a chewier, doughier bite. It’s also worth noting that the vinegar was served without the usual slices of ginger, missing that warm, aromatic touch.
While chee cheong fun normally comes with a pork filling, the joint reimagines the classic dish with their Muslim-friendly Vermicelli Roll with Roasted Chicken Char Siew ($8.90++). FYI, you can also get the dish with Shrimp ($10.90++), Mushroom ($7.90++), or Vegetarian-friendly ($5.90++) filling.
Upon first glance, the plain white hue of the dish seemed quite unassuming, but boy, were we wrong. Hidden inside each vermicelli roll were flavourful chunks of chicken, slathered in a delicious sweet-savoury char siew sauce. The meat was succulent and melt-in-your-mouth tender, pairing perfectly with the soft and silky vermicelli rolls. It was so good that my colleague and I both agreed that we’d travel to the area just for this dish.
Pro tip: drizzle the soy sauce on top before taking a bite for an extra layer of umami. Don’t forget to add some fried onions too, for a crunchy contrast to the silky rolls.
The Dim Sum Place also offers steamed chicken siew mai, but if you are looking for something different, the Deep Fried Siew Mai with Shrimp ($6.90++ for three) might be more appealing.
The fried siew mai was stuffed with a generous mix of plump, juicy prawns, and minced chicken, topped with a dollop of orange-dyed flour alongside a drizzle of sweet-savoury teriyaki sauce and mayo. In terms of flavour, it wasn’t anything to shout about, as it was merely the regular dumpling with a crispier exterior. Still, we appreciated the sizeable filling and how it didn’t turn greasy despite being deep-fried.
We also ordered their Peking Duck Wrap ($16.90++ for five pieces), as recommended by the staff.
The duck is roasted in-house and chopped to order. Seeing the dish come together in the open kitchen got us excited to dig in.
Unfortunately, the dish turned out rather disappointing. Despite its glistening appearance in the kitchen, the lean duck meat was dry. It also lacked that much-loved crispy skin that you expect from a traditional Peking duck dish.
It didn’t help that the wrapper was ultra–thick, lending a dry and chewy mouthfeel that overshadowed the filling. The sweet-savoury dark soy and fragrant sesame sauce did help a bit, but the tiny puddle of sauce wasn’t enough to counter the dryness.
If you’re looking for something more filling, we recommend getting their popular Dry Beef Brisket Noodle ($14.90++). Each bowl comes with a load of egg noodles, meaty beef chunks, and bok choy.
You also get a warm, comforting bowl of soup on the side. Unlike other spots, the soup here isn’t just an afterthought. It was well-balanced with a sweet and savoury flavour, zhnged up by a depth of umami from the beef stock.
The noodles were cooked to perfection, maintaining a springy texture from start to finish, even after all the time spent snapping photos.
While a tad pricey, the huge portion of meat helped make up for it. Each chunk was ultra–soft and tender, breaking apart with just the slightest touch of our chopsticks. Our only gripe was that some pieces were too fatty, with some parts being almost 100% fat.
For dessert, we had their signature DSP Egg Tarts ($6.90++ for four pieces).
Each tart boasted a jiggly, silky-smooth filling and a crisp, crumbly crust. If you aren’t too big on sweets, then this makes a great choice. The filling was eggy with a light custardy sweetness, which paired well with the buttery crust.
Before heading down, do note that this treat is only available at their North Bridge Road and The Centrepoint outlets.
Ambience at The Dim Sum Place
The Dim Sum Place offers a spacious and comfortable space to dine at. The open kitchen allows you to watch the cooks at work, so you can crane your neck to see your order being prepared.
The restaurant has ample seating, with both cosy indoor and breezy outdoor areas accommodating around 100 diners at a time, in tables of two to nine. If you’re dining in a larger group, there are also several lazy susan-style tables available, perfect for family reunions.
The Dim Sum Place’s OG outlet is located along North Bridge Road, an eight-minute walk from Lavender MRT Station and a nine-minute walk from Bugis and Nicoll Highway MRT Stations.
The Dim Sum Place – Eatbook review
While The Dim Sum Place’s menu is unique, it was a pity that several items missed the mark. Our experience wasn’t all bad, though, as a few standout dishes left us wanting more. If you are looking for halal-certified dim sum, this is still a good option, especially since pork-free alternatives can be hard to find elsewhere. That said, we feel there are many other dim sum places that can satisfy our tummies better—and at a much cheaper price point.
In related content, check out our guide to the best cheap dim sum places in Singapore. Otherwise, read our guide to the best halal dim sum spots in Singapore for chilli crab XLB, orh nee bun and more.
Address: 791 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198759
Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 11am to 11pm, Fri-Sat 11am to 2am
Tel: 6655 8787
Website
The Dim Sum Place is a halal-certified restaurant.
15 Affordable Dim Sum Places In Singapore For $1 Bao, Truffle XLB And More
Photos taken by Nathania Tay.
This was an independent review by Eatbook.sg.
This article was originally written by Estelle Lim on 19 July 2017.
The post Does This 4.7-Star Halal Dim Sum Spot Live Up To Its Rating? appeared first on Eatbook.sg – Local Singapore Food Guide And Review Site.
