Judy T.
Yelp
I often ate Tim Ho Wan back in Hong Kong, as one of the stores is right next to my home, and it's the to go comfort food for my family. I have been in NYC for over 5 months and craving for dim sum. There are a lot of options in the city that may or may not be authentic, and I can't tell for sure until I have tried them. But once I found about Tim Ho Wan's, I came for a visit as I trust them to deliver authentic dim sum, and they did not disappoint.
~ Baked BBQ Pork Buns (5/5) ~
Starting off with my favourite item. This Baked BBQ pork (char siu) bun tasted just like the ones in Hong Kong!!! The sweet, crumbly top layer, and the delightful juicy bbq pork filling, makes the perfect symphony of sweet and savoury, soft and crispy, all in one bite.
~ Steamed Rice Roll w/ Shrimp and Chives (4/5) ~
It's perfectly smooth, soft and slippery, chewy with a little bit of bounce, goes perfectly with the savoury sweet soy sauce. There were not a lot of shrimps in there, didn't really have much chives either (which is fine as chives is not essential in a shrimp steamed rice roll), but it is yum.
~ Steamed Beef Ball w/ Beancurd Skin (4/5) ~
Now that's a dim sum that got me worried if it will be authentic, but my worry went away with the first bite. It's the similar texture and flavour of a typical beef ball, very bouncy and succulent, with the right amount of water chestnut to give it a nice crunch. The coriander & cheung pi also enhanced the flavour and complemented the meat really well. The bean curd at the bottom absorbs all of the beef juices. And of course the Worcestershire sauce gave it a really nice acidity kick, I tend to ask for extra sauce because I love it. This dish has an interesting flavour profile, not even all of the HongKongers would enjoy it (not alone say a foreigner), but I say give it a try and it may surprise you!
~ Steamed Dumpling w/ Shrimp & Chives (3.5/5) ~
Contrary with the steamed rice roll, chives is the star of this dish. The chives flavour is strong, it's delicious with the shrimp. However I am slightly disappointed at the dumpling skin, it is quite soft and it broke very easily. All the dim sum were served piping hot straight out from the steamer, I did wait for it to cool down as that would normally harden up the skin for a bit. Even so, the skin tasted very soft, not really chewy and springy.
Will I be back? Yes!
Still gonna be my to go comfort food, except it's more pricy in NYC, not that it will stop me from going. The taste of home is a special feeling and I'm keeping it.