Last updated on September 20th, 2022 at 06:37 am
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Dim Sum Bar is a modern casual restaurant known for its Cantonese food.
There are two locations – one in Tsuen Wan and one in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Both Dim Sum Bar restaurants are inside a mall. For TST, it’s in Harbour City while it’s in Nina Mall for the Tsuen Wan location.
Stumbling upon this restaurant was an accident. My dad and I were walking around Tsuen Wan but then he got hungry. We picked a restaurant randomly and walked right into Dim Sum Bar to get a table.
It was then we discovered that Dim Sum Bar is worth coming back to, and we have ever since. To both locations (but this food review is focused on the TST location)!
Food at Dim Sum Bar
1) Signature Fried Rice with XO Sauce
Although this is a chain restaurant, you might have learned that certain locations make a certain dish better.
In this case, it’s totally true. I prefer the fried rice at their Tsuen Wan location.
I’ve had Dim Sum Bar’s signature fried rice at their Tsuen Wan location twice and at least three times at the Tsim Sha Tsui location.
Each time I order this, it’s still Tsuen Wan that wins.
The fried rice has ingredients that are well-loved by the public – bacon, egg, shrimp, and Chinese fried dough.
The appearance is appealing as well. The rice colour is dark which makes it look appetizing.
As you know by now, food that looks good doesn’t mean it will taste good. The fried rice at TST tastes almost a bit plastic.
The dish says XO sauce but I’m confused as to how much they put the condiment in the dish because it’s not spicy.
If you’re at the TST location, skip this.
They really need to work on the recipe over there. How can this be a signature dish if it’s not good? Tsk.
2) XO Sauce Fish Fillet with Eggplant
If you’ve read previous restaurant review blog posts, you’ll know that I’m not the biggest spicy food person.
Dim Sum Bar is a bit strange because where is the spice with the fish fillet? It’s the same with their signature fried rice.
When you think of XO sauce, you might think of a bright red sauce but both dishes are dark brown. It would have been more believable if they changed the name to soy sauce. Soy Sauce Fish Fillet with Eggplant is more fitting.
The sauce makes the dish a little saltier than the other ones on this list but it goes perfectly well with rice.
The fish fillet was soft and smooth when you bite into it.
The dish consists mostly of eggplant. There’s way more eggplant than seafood.
The owner (at least I think she was the owner) came to our table and told us if we didn’t want any eggplant, Dim Sum Bar could have substituted it with one or two more pieces of dish.
Will definitely do that next time.
3) Shrimp Spring Rolls
The first thing you see on the dim sum sheet menu is the shrimp spring rolls. There’s a reason for it because it’s one of the best things to eat on the menu.
It’s my favourite thing here and it’s just as good in both locations.
Now, this is worthy of being called a signature dish at Dim Sum Bar.
The crispy shrimp is wrapped around a rice flour roll. You can hear the crunch when you bite into the shrimp spring roll. It’s the perfect balance between soft and crunchy.
Dim Sum Bar also gives you a warm dish of soy sauce on the side.
When you add the sauce to the shrimp spring roll, there are no words. It’s absolute heaven.
The shrimp spring roll here reminds me of the dish at Above and Beyond.
Above and Beyond might be a well-known restaurant in the city but it can take weeks to book a table at this luxury dim sum restaurant.
Dim Sum Bar is a great alternative for those who enjoy this dish. You don’t have to wait a long time to eat here and it’s good! Best of both worlds.
4) Baked BBQ Pork Bun
This is something else I would always get at Dim Sum Bar.
Dim sum lovers know that steamed BBQ pork bun is one of the most classic yum cha dishes. If you want to go full on local style, you should get those (they have steamed BBQ pork bun at Dim Sum bar).
But if you know what those already taste like, it’s fun to try fusion-style BBQ pork bun like their crystalized baked BBQ pork bun.
Dim Sum Bar makes their bun soft with a lot of juicy meat and sauce inside.
This dish comes with 3 pork buns. It’s best to share this with others as this gets really filling but it’s oh so satisfying.
What’s with the BBQ pork buns not looking good but tasting delicious? It’s the same case at Yat Tung Heen. It’s hard to go back to regular steamed baked BBQ pork buns after these two restaurants.
Which Dim Sum Bar Location Should You Go To?
The main difference is that the Tsuen Wan location has the better signature fried rice. Otherwise, the other dishes I’ve gotten are high quality in both locations.
I would still suggest visiting the Tsuen Wan location though.
What’s So Great about Dim Sum Bar?
You might not need to book a table. While there are tons of delicious restaurants in HK, you often need to plan in advance to get a table at a restaurant. That or you need to wait in line for a long time.
At Dim Sum Bar, there’s a good chance you can get a table by walking in. Every time I eat here, I never booked a table.
But it does get busy during prime meal time. During those times, you should book ahead of time. It all depends on what time you go.
The other great thing about Dim Sum Bar is that you can eat dim sum at night.
Many Cantonese restaurants limit dim sum only during lunchtime. Yes, dim sum is more of a lunch thing but what if you want dim sum for dinner?
The good news is that eating dim sum at night is an option at Dim Sum Bar.
Final Thoughts – Dim Sum Bar
Dim Sum Bar is for those who want fusion dim sum that’s not too expensive. This chain is a little pricier compared to the local dim sum restaurant. However, it’s still not as expensive as restaurants like Summer Palace, One Harbour Road and SHE.
You’ll find that a lot of good restaurants tend to be in the same area. If you’re around in TST, you can also consider trying Outdark, a Korean Fried Chicken place.
After eating, you can even go buy some affordable clothes and check out some cute gift shops.
Now to You
What are your must-have dim sum dishes when you go for yum cha?
Let me know in the comment section down below!
Xoxo,
Nicole