Singapore food blogger Miss Tam Chiak shares her favourite dim sum experiences in town, from the old school Red Star Restaurant to halal hot spot The Dim Sum Place.
Glamorous Singapore is famous for its spectacular skyscrapers and its even more spectacular food scene.
Maureen Ow – the stomach behind Miss Tam Chiak, one of Singapore’s OG cult food blogs – credits her hometown’s status as a food city to its cultural diversity. “We have different cultures, different races,” said Ow, whose blogging pseudonym translates to “Miss Glutton” in local Hokkien dialect. “Every different race has different types of food, which you will get to try only in this country and maybe some parts of Asia. We have lots of Michelin star restaurants which you can’t get anywhere else. And of course, all the local street foods. They are wonderful.“
Maureen Ow grew up in Singapore’s Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood and has been food-obsessed since she was a young girl helping her grandfather in his restaurant. Her food blog – and her “gluttonous” pseudonym – blossomed from a column she wrote for a local food magazine. Her team now also creates deeply insider Singapore food videos on YouTube and TikTok.
The small city-state of Singapore has historically been home to Indian, Malay and Chinese populations, the latter which accounts for 75% of its demographic and has had a colossal impact on its local cuisine, noted in the high concentration of hawker stalls and regional Chinese restaurants. Hong Kong import dim sum – small shareable plates of delicate dumplings, juicy stuffed buns and snacky bites – is a must try in Singapore, and one of Ow’s go-to casual repasts.
“[Dim sum] is a thing for us to just chill out, to enjoy a good meal with your family or your friends,” said Ow. “Dim sum is equivalent to having brunch in a café.” When asked why dim sum often comes in three-piece servings, Ow explained that it’s to avoid any associations with bad luck: “The number three is always about new beginnings and new life.” Has anything unlucky ever happened to her while eating dim sum? “No,” she said. “Only happiness!”
Here are Maureen Ow’s favourite places to enjoy a “gluttonous” meal of dim sum in Singapore.
1. Best all-around/budget friendly: Victor’s Kitchen
“So Victor’s Kitchen is one of my favourite dim sum places to go,” said Ow. “Reason being [that it’s] run by a Hong Kong native. And this guy, he handmakes his dim sum in the kitchen. You get that old school Hong Kong tea house style experience, which you cannot get in many other places.”
Victor’s Kitchen is a tiny eatery in Singapore’s Sunshine Plaza, a 12-floor commercial district. “You’re literally, like, squeezing your way through,” said Ow. “And you’ll probably be prepared to share tables.”
The menu at Victor’s Kitchen teems with Hong Kong standards, like soup-filed xiao long bao (known in English as soup dumplings) and egg tarts, but Ow’s picks are the steamed carrot cake with XO sauce and the milk tea. “People [here] usually put it in a cup and then they pour in the ice,” explained Ow. “But [at Victor’s Kitchen] they don’t. They give you a cup of milk, Hong Kong style milk tea, and they give you a bowl full of ice. So, you will put your cup into the bowl so that the milk tea would not get diluted.”
Tip
There are thousands of dim sum varieties found across Hong Kong and China, but overseas, the most popular dim sum dish is arguably xiao long bao. “I think we need to make sure that people understand how to eat xiao long bao,” said Ow, of the delicious yet slippery delicacy. “With xiao long bao we have dipping vinegar and sliced ginger, right? You take the xiao long bao and dip it into the sauce and then you put the xiao long bao in the spoon. You poke a hole to release the juices and you eat it.”
But Ow is also quick to point out: “I think generally for us Singaporeans, we are really not that particular about the way we eat. Because it’s lifestyle. We enjoy the food together.”
Ow also praises the house specialty. “They serve excellent golden egg lava buns,” she said. “[Victor’s] is my favourite. And it’s very affordable. It’s like your typical street dim sum style concept.”
2. Best for a vintage Hong Kong pushcart dim sum experience: The Red Star Restaurant
In Singapore, dim sum is often served in hotels and Chinese eateries as part of a larger menu, so when Ow wants a classic, vintage dim sum experience, she heads to the Red Star Restaurant near Pearl’s Hill City Park. “Because when you enter this place, time stands still,” said Ow. “You’ve got to take a lift up to the seventh floor to visit the restaurant. And when I go in there, it feels like I’m back in the 1970s. It’s a very nostalgic Chinese restaurant, all red, old lanterns. And what’s so special about their dim sum is… they put their dim sum on pushcarts.”
Ow explained that pushcart dim sum is a disappearing tradition in Singapore. “We don’t see that very often anymore. But yeah, they are very famous for the dim sum pushcart so [the waiters are] all wearing green uniforms, and they will go around the table to table asking if you want anything from the pushcart.”
When Ow visits the Red Star Restaurant, she opts for the fried banana prawn roll and the char siew bao (barbecued pork bun). “So basically, they make their own bao,” she said. “[That’s the] steamed bun, and then you get this sweet and savoury roasted pork. It’s red in colour. And they usually shred it. So, when you eat it, it’s very juicy. You get the sweetness, and you get the savouriness from the pork itself.” She added: “I hope that makes you hungry.”
Social PlaceSocial Place on Singapore’s vibrant Orchard Road serves up creative and delicious takes on traditional dim sum
3. Best for quirky, special creations: Social Place
Singapore’s Orchard Road is one of the city’s busiest shopping streets – packed with thousands of trendy shops and eating establishments. It’s also the site of Ow’s pick for creative, modern dim sum: Social Place.
“It’s actually a dim sum chain from Hong Kong and their dim sum has quite a bit of quirky twist, which will be a modern offering,” said Ow of the cosy eatery, which serves dim sum as part of their Contemporary Chinese cuisine menu. “They have this steamed rose bun. It basically is just red bean paste but I thought the design is pretty nice. And I love my favourite there. If budget is not a concern, you can go for the deep-fried lobster glutinous puff.”
Social Place’s steamed rose floret bun is shaped like an exquisite pink swirl, stuffed with sweet red bean paste; just one of the restaurant’s eye-catching dim sum offerings, like their Yam-Filled Pig bun and Truffle Shiitake bun. “This Mahjong Jelly which they do is very fun,” said Ow. “So, you can see it’s a little bit quirky, but it’s very fun.”
Marina Bay SandsDim sum doesn’t have to be a casual affair when you head to Mott 32 in the glamorous Marina Bay Sands resort
4. Best for an elegant night out: Mott 32
Dim sum may be typically a casual repast between friends, but for a slightly more elevated experience, Ow recommends Mott 32 in Marina Bay Sands, a luxury resort crowning Singapore’s Marina Bay. But don’t be fooled by the opulence: Ow is quick to point out that “It’s still okay. It’s not that expensive”. Mott 32 dedicates itself to serving a wide range of regional Chinese cuisine, but their creative, visually appealing dim sum is a crowd favourite.
“I would say it’s gearing towards fine dining restaurants, where they give dim sum a beautiful makeover and it looks really pretty,” said Ow. “So, one of the signatures there is this black truffle shumai, with a quail egg nestled within.” She also recommends the lobster har gow, an upscale take on a savoury thin-skinned dumpling usually filled with shrimp.
The Dim Sum PlaceIn Singapore, diners will find halal-observant eateries like The Dim Sum Place, which serves delicious halal dim sum
5. Best halal dim sum: The Dim Sum Place
Islam is the third largest religion in Singapore, so it’s common to find halal eating establishments – just look for the certificate awarded by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). Or head straight to Ow’s halal dim sum pick, Dim Sum Place: “A very classic, good dim sum place.”
Traditional dim sum dishes often include pork, but Dim Sum Place’s offerings are so tasty, diners won’t notice it’s missing. Ow herself is a fan of Dim Sum Place’s signature cheese tarts. “And then they do this big bun with roasted duck filling.”
“Singaporeans, we are all foodies,” said Ow. “Our food scene is everywhere.”
