Monday, 8 July 2019

Tim Ho Wan – New Management New Noodle Menu

Hong Kong Braised Beef Soup Noodle

My first experience at Tim Ho Wan (‘THW’) was in 2013 at IFC Mall in Hong Kong. This was right before Tim Ho Wan officially opened its first overseas outlet in Plaza Singapura, Singapore. From there, the expansion in South East Asia was swift and sad to be told it also led to the decline in the quality of the food.

Fried Beancurd Skin with Shrimp 

Fried Beancurd Skin with Shrimp - The Fillings

This year, I heard Tim Ho Wan franchises outside Hong Kong is taken over by new management. I also heard feedback of improvement in the quality of food and the introduction of noodle dishes, which lead me to try THW again. In the end, LD and I with a family member decided to try THW at I12 for lunch.

Baked BBQ Pork Buns 

Baked BBQ Pork Buns (3pcs, $6.80). The signature bun of THW. The crust of the bun is light and crispy, while the fillings are juicy, sweet with tender and succulent diced pork. Still one of the best Baked BBQ Pork Buns around.

Baked BBQ Pork Buns - The Fillings

Fried Beancurd Skin with Shrimp (3pcs, $6.80) and Shrimp with Chives in Filo Pastry ($5.90). Both these fried dim sum items are crispy and filled with juicy and crunchy shrimps. For the chopped chives are generous, to the point like eating vegetable spring rolls.

Shrimp with Chives in Filo Pastry

Shrimp with Chives in Filo Pastry - The Fillings

Har Gao, Shrimp Dumplings (3pcs, $5.90) and Siew Mai, Pork & Shrimp Dumplings (3pcs, $5.40) have always been good in THW. The Har Gao has a silky skin with juicy and crunchy prawn. The interesting part is the prawn looks white in colour instead of pink. The Siew Mai is moist and juicy, a delicious combination between prawn and pork. Instead of using fish roe on top of the siew mai, THW uses wolfberry to add sweetness to this dim sum.

Har Gao, Shrimp Dumplings

Siew Mai, Pork & Shrimp Dumplings

Shrimp Rice Rolls (3pcs, $7.30). The skin is thick and has a powdery taste to it, instead of the usual smooth and silky. Though the prawn is juicy, I just can’t get over the powdery feel to the skin.

Shrimp Rice Rolls

Braised Phoenix Claw in Abalone Sauce ($5.70). It was one of my favourite dishes in Hong Kong. The version here is not as good, but not shabby as well. The collagen filled chicken feet is soft, sticky and absorbs the abalone sauce nicely. It can be better if the chicken feet are cook less, allowing it to retain its crunchy texture. Plus a more generous portion of abalone stock in the braising liquid to make the taste more WOW!!.

Braised Phoenix Claw in Abalone Sauce

Beancurd Skin with Pork & Shrimp ($6.20). Soft, moist and filled with delicate thick sauce filled essence of pork and prawns.

Beancurd Skin with Pork & Shrimp

Hong Kong Wanton Soup Noodle ($8). Clean yet robust prawn broth. The noodle is thin, loaded with alkaline flavour and crunchy at the same time. The noodle has a similar texture Hong Kong Wanton Noodle. Meanwhile, the wanton is bouncy and crunchy, well infused with sesame oil. A good version on Hong Kong Wanton Noodle Soup.

Hong Kong Wanton Soup Noodle

The Noodle

Hong Kong Braised Beef Soup Noodle ($10.20). New to the menu. The broth is robust, filled with the essence of beef. The noodle has the same characteristic as Hong Kong Wanton Noodle. The braised tendon just melts in my mouth sure is the high point of this dish. However, the brisket chewy and hard brisket turning it into an unpleasant experience. It looks like the kitchen run out of the brisket, tops it up and cooked it again but not to the optimum time. Maybe I should just order then tendon noodle without the brisket.

Hong Kong Braised Beef Soup Noodle

Braised Tendon

Braised Brisket - Super Hard

Hong Kong Style Milk Tea (cold, $3.80). The Hong Kong milk tea is made before service time base on their recipe, so you cannot ask for no sugar. The tea is fragrant, smooth with a medium level of sweetness. 

Our Order Chit

The décor of the place is simple, bright and functional. The service is fast with a minimum smile, feels like any Cha Chaan Teng in Hong Kong. This sure reminds me of THW in Hong Kong, except THW in Singapore are more spacious and we are not packed like sardines as in Hong Kong.

Overall, I find there has been an improvement in the food quality of THW. It seems they are striving to bring back the best of THW. For the noodles, it is not the best however it provides a good version of Hong Kong Wanton Noodle. The beef brisket noodle still needs some improvement. Cheers!!

Food: 7/10
Value: 6.5/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 6.75/10
Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Tim Ho Wan @I12 Katong
112 East Coast Road
#01-04, I12 Katong
Singapore 428802

T: +65 6636 2000
IG: @thwsingapore
OH:
Mon – Fri: 10.00 – 22.00
Sat, Sun & PH: 09.00 – 22.00
Please refer to their website for other outlets

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