Tim Ho Wan opened for business last month and ever since then, there’s been a never-ending queue outside their doors every day, any time of day. It’s just a matter of whether the queue is long or short and it can be short provided you get there by 11am in which case you will be ushered to your table in less than 10 minutes.
While waiting, you are given a list of all their dim sum and you tick what you want accordingly. Prices are generally below RM10 to RM12.80. There’s not a whole lot of choice but I like that they keep it simple otherwise the food won’t get to your table that quickly and speed is everything at Tim Ho Wan. Tables are close to each other, this isn’t the kind of restaurant to linger at. You eat and if you want a decent conversation, go somewhere more quiet for coffee because at Tim Ho Wan, you really have to raise your voice to be heard by your dining companion and the table for 2 is barely big enough for your order. You will find yourself stacking the baskets of dim sum.
All the sauces are at the tables, there’s soy sauce, chilli sauce and vinegar but no “hoi sin” sauce which I love. Overall, I think that the dim sum is average. They’re not something I would yearn for in a hurry and if I wanted really good dim sum in a nice ambiance, I might pay a bit more and indulge at The Han Room a stone’s throw away.
Since they know there is a Q outside, they set it up in such a way so that after your finish eating, you can’t linger around there for long, this is a well known tactic of popular / busy restaurants / fast food outlets, sometimes they even lower the air-cond thermostat so that you feel “warm” and want to leave soon after eating ! Even McDs does it in their busy outlets!!
OHH, looking normal but well wonder why it is so popular?
Tim Ho Wan is the only Michelin Star dim sim shop in HK. It started as a hole in the wall tiny little joint in Mong Kok with a never ending queue of customers. They have since spread their wings and have a second restaurant in Central HK. Again, queue was long when we were there last September. They have a restaurant in Singapore, in Sydney and in Melbourne. Consistent quality and good dim sim is the secret to their continuous success. Also, keep the restaurant small to ensure that there is a queue to generate interest.
Wow from the queue which was constant I would expect the dim sum to be out of this world…..but seems not?
Not for me but I am in the minority.