Whenever friends ask me for dim sum recommendations in Hong Kong, I always direct them to Lin Heung Tea House (莲香楼), my favourite yum cha joint to date!
160-164 Wellington St, Central
It’s a traditional type of dim sum restaurant with metal push-carts, grumpy looking servers, noisy war zone-like atmosphere etc.
I’ve been here thrice so far (twice with my parents, once on my own), and still very much loving it!
The place is always packed with locals and tourists alike. No one will show you to your seat so you need to hover around like an annoying pest and grab the first seat vacated. The ‘kiasu Singaporean’ spirit works brilliantly here!
Then signal one of the waiters and have him bring you a pot of tea. There’s a ritual involved here: you need to rinse the cutlery with the first few pours of hot tea first before consumption. If in doubt, observe those around you. The uncle sitting across me knew I’m a novice at this and kindly offered to help me “sterilize” all my eating equipment. And he did it like a pro! Bravo.
I’m here for a sole purpose: #21 on CNNGo’s list of can’t-live-without Hong Kong food, lotus seed paste buns! Can’t believe I somehow always managed to miss this on my previous visits, boo.
Once I got settled down, these fluffy buns were wheeled out of the kitchen! I almost can’t believe my luck, haha.
I don’t fancy the thick skin, but the lotus seed paste filling was gorgeously smooth and greaseless, the sweetness perfectly balanced by the sinful yellow blob of salted egg yolk in the centre.
Such a cholesterol-rich treat, how not to like?!
The lotus paste looks awesome!
wow! must go and try for next visit! thanks for the introduce!