We’ve often walked past Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum at Marina Square but the eatery is always full of people. Even though they have an extended seating across from where their outlet is located, it never seems to be empty at meal times.
Therefore, when we walked past in the middle of the afternoon and found Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum empty, we could not but stop to sample the food at this dim sum restaurant in Singapore and find out why it was always full.
Ordering at Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum
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Differing from other dim sum restaurants in Singapore that either have a waiter come to the table to take the order or require you to order using a QR code, Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum also allows you to head to a kiosk by the service counter to place the order. For those who prefer to just sit at the table, there is a QR code available too.
This kiosk ordering system made us feel as if we were at a fast food restaurant. Upon selecting the dim sum items from the menu and paying for the order, we received a receipt with a number on it. We proceeded back to our tables to wait for our order number to be buzzed on counter display.
It is completely self-service at this casual eatery. We had to get our own dishes and cutlery, and once our number was called, we made our way to the service counter to pick up our tray of food.
Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum Taste Test
The Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum restaurant at Marina Square is just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the brand. Established all the way back in 1988, Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum has a food factory in Bedok and also does dim sum deliveries for parties and events.
The Marina Square outlet is where you can sit down to enjoy their range of dim sums along with other noodle and porridge dishes.
Our Dim Sum Order at Hong Kong Zai
We had placed an order for the usual dim sum suspects.
The bamboo baskets came stacked and even had the cover on top to keep the food inside warm.
Our first basket had a trio of siew mai. While Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum does have truffle siew mai on its menu, we opted for the regular sort. It cost $4.50 for a basket of three.
What stood out to us was that the siew mais appeared to be rather skinnier than the ones that we are more used to. However, once we had popped them into the mouth, they were tasty enough.
Next was the prawn dumplings or har gow. A basket of three is priced at $4.90. Biting into the har gow, the prawns were juicy enough and we quite enjoyed them. One thing that we found was that the folds were a bit thick. This made it a bit chewy because of all the dough.
Another dish that we had was the Prawn Rice Roll ($4.90). Presentation-wise, it looked like a bit of mess with the rolls looking a bit jumbled up. Thankfully, taste-wise it was quite alright with the rice rolls delicately wrapping up the prawns within.
Steamed Beancurd Skill Roll is one of our favourite dim sum dishes in general. At Hong Kong Zhai, it was $4.50 for a set of three rolls. It came in a shallow dish of gravy that was not too saltish or overly thick. We appreciated how there was black fungus inside to add some texture to the meat roll.
We also had the opportunity to sample two fried dim sum dishes at Hong Kong Zhai.
The Carrot Cake ($4.50 for three) was nice and delicious. The crispiness of the outside contrasted with the soft texture of the carrot cake on the inside. One tip that we have is that you should eat the carrot cake while it is still hot.
The last dish that we tried at Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum was the Shrimp & Mango Roll. And we had saved the best for the last. The outer wrapper was crisp and delicate. Inside was a combination of prawns and mango that was evenly balanced. The mango flavour was not overly sweet nor did it overwhelm the flavour of the prawn. The rolls were topped off with sesame seeds which added another dimension to the dish.
Another that we wished we had a chance to try was the banana with red bean pastry dim sum. Looks like we will have to return again soon to give it a try.
Overall Thoughts on Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum
On the whole, we found Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum at Marina Square to be an easy and casual spot to get a meal. It felt unpretentious and served up acceptable dim sum for the price point that it was going at.
We also suspect that its convenient location also plays a role in why it is always crowded at meal times. It also provides more substantial menu items, giving added options for those who wish to eat more than just dim sum.
We hear that the beef brisket noodles is very good with the noodles being the springy variety. We may give that dish a try the next time that we visit. The chicken chop noodles is also said to be good.
We also liked that the service was quite efficient and it felt like a very fuss-free experience.
They even have desserts available such as Hong Kong style french toast. This makes it an attractive place to get something sweet to end off your meal.
Another attractive point about Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum is that they do not charge GST and service charge. Of course, it is pretty much self service but, even then, it can be hard to find a restaurant in town that does not charge service charge and GST. This is another thing that makes it feel like a “dim sum fast food restaurant”. And frankly, if you are just looking for a fast and fuss free experience.
Where to Find Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum Restaurant
Where: 6 Raffles Blvd #02-234, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Website:
Hong Kong Zhai Instagram
Hong Kong Zhai Online Ordering
If you love dim sum, you may be interested to read this story about one of our favourite casual spots for dim sum and our list of where to get dim sum in Singapore.
