Restoran Foo Hing Dim Sum: 40 mins to gobble down handmade dim sum & flaky Portuguese egg tarts
How far would you go for dim sum? Would you be willing to travel to an extremely busy part of town and join an extremely long queue? Oh and not to forget, dine under 40 minutes?
So if you said yes to all of the above, welcome to Restoran Foo Hing Dim Sum. Even on a Wednesday morning, this Puchong-based restaurant was packed to the brim.
“There’s already a short queue,” I whispered to my companion as we stood waiting for our number to be called. She nodded, explaining that this was actually rather decent and that on weekends, where you’ll be in for an extremely long wait.
“Number 289!” The microphone bellowed. I cringed.
What I tried at Restoran Foo Hing Dim Sum
Ordering is pretty straightforward— survey the thick menu, fill in the order chit with the item code of your choice and pass it to the wait staff.
It was 11am (and I had skipped breakfast for this) so I was really chuffed to start on my first dim sum dish of the day: Deep Fried Crispy Yam Dumpling (RM9 for 3 pieces), otherwise known as Wu Gok.
Golden with delicious crisp bits on the surface, creamy underneath and bursting with creamy yam and sweet meat in the centre, this dim sum did not disappoint. The yam coating was incredibly smooth and balanced out the sweetness of the minced pork. Along with the crunch from the exterior, I savoured every bite with joy. This was definitely one of the better dim sums of the day. It even got the nod of approval from my companion who usually dislikes the taste of yam.
I moved on to the quintessential Fried Shrimp Dumplings (RM9 for three pieces) which came with its signature mayonnaise dip. This was pretty straightforward, crunchy on the outside, the hollow centre on the inside is filled with tender shrimp and when dipped into mayo, gives it a nice, slightly tart taste. Don’t forget to wash it down with a swig of Chinese tea.
The next steamer basket to inspect was the Steamed Siew Mai (RM8)— after all it is the first thing you grab off the trolleys when you hit any dim sum restaurant. The classic juicy pork and prawn filling hit the spot. But what I was more curious about was the Steamed Pork Dumpling Siew Mai w/Abalone (RM14).
The Abalone Siew Mai was topped with a rather small abalone, which was chewy and flavourful but it did not lend any additional flavour to the siew mai itself. Honestly, it just reminded me of the original Steamed Siew Mai but with a tiny serving of abalone at the top. Trust me, you’d be better off with the OG than forking out twice the cash for the abalone version.
This might be a bit brutal but I would advise you to steer clear of the Steamed Glutinous Rice (RM8) or better known as Loh Mai Kai. I frowned as soon as my companion coaxed it out of the metal container— one tiny slice of Chinese sausage, mushroom and a tiny morsel of chicken (my Chinese god-grandmother would be severely disappointed).
Trying my best not to be dismayed, I hoped that perhaps the taste would somehow do the dish justice. The rice was slightly on the dry side and there was a lack of sauce in it. Each bite was under marinated— even my companion attested to this.
Hoping the Steamed BBQ Bun (RM3.50/piece) would do some quick reparation, I pried it open revealing the goodness inside— tender, chunky pork coated with a sweet glaze. I took a bite and gushed with happiness. It wasn’t terribly sweet and the bun didn’t stick to the roof of my mouth. My only complaint was that I would’ve preferred the bun to be less chunky.
Let’s be honest, do you even visit a dim sum restaurant without the signature Steamed Golden Paste w/Custard Bun (RM8)? The minute we pried open the fluffy bun, golden, lava-like custard flowed out. If you love custard buns as much as I do, this one hits all the right notes— rich and flowy with a slightly grainy consistency.
“Your last dish here needs to be the Portuguese Egg tart,” smiled my companion and she bit into hers. Feeling extremely stuffed from the dim sum affair, I eyed the last piece of Portuguese Egg Tart (RM3.50/piece) curiously could it really be as good as she raved? I went in with zero expectations, closed my eyes and took a big bite.
There it was— heaven in the form of a Portuguese Egg Tart. The crowning glory, the buttery flaky pastry nestling the creamy custard centre. If it was possible, I wanted to reduce myself to the size of a little porcelain doll and make a home for myself in the custard, protected by the walls of the shatteringly crisp pastry.
“It’s amazing isn’t it?” chuckled my companion as she watched my reaction. But her voice seemed so far away as I cuddled the egg tart in my hands. I took another bite and another and it was gone. The egg custard literally melts in your mouth and it works harmoniously with the crunchiness of the pastry.
Final thoughts
As I took a swig of my Chinese tea in an attempt to feel less guilty about the amount of dim sum I just scoffed down, I wondered— was it really worth queuing up and dining within 40 minutes? After all, wasn’t a Yum Cha supposed to be a leisurely time spent amongst family and friends?
I wasn’t surprised when I read there was an uproar when Restoran Foo Hing Dim Sum first established this rule. But that didn’t stop the endless crowd from faithfully lining up every day. I would return purely for the Portuguese Egg Tarts, and possibly grab a whole box of them to share with my loved ones.
Expected damage: RM40 to RM50 per pax
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