Dim Sum Haus – Jalan Besar

Having opened for a few months, Dim Sum Haus is one of the few newest additions to the Jalan Besar neighbourhood situated not too far away from Sim Lim Tower; near both the current Rochor MRT station and the upcoming Jalan Besar MRT Station along the Downtown Line.

Being a simple eatery dishing out delectable dim sum dishes, we made our visit to Dim Sum Haus upon coming across some Instagram posts where the dishes seemed relatively promising. Furnished simply, Dim Sum Haus carries an air of modernity as compared to dim sum joints of the same price range; the fittings felt complete, while the interior is well-decorated and modest with functional furniture offering patrons an unpretentious yet welcoming setting with the use of bright colours. The menu offers a wide variety of dim sum, ranging from steamed dishes to fried dishes, HK-style pastries and desserts; it also offers an extended menu of porridge and HK style roast dishes for those who are looking for something more substantial.

(Fresh Prawn Beancurd Roll)

First to arrive the table was the Fresh Prawn Beancurd Roll; the beancurd roll all crisp and thin while fresh and plump prawns were encased within; the dish itself was not too greasy; pretty well-executed and started off the meal with a good impression.

(Steamed Shrimp Dumpling “Har Gau”)

While Har Gow is usually a dish that is pretty pedestrian in most places that is hard to go wrong, the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling “Har Gau” here also left a good impression; the skin itself was adequately thick; it did provide a springy casing to the fresh, plump shrimp wrapped without being anywhere near mushy or overly sticky. Very well done.

(Steamed Crystal Skin with Prawn Dumpling)

Very much similar to the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling, the Steamed Crystal Skin Prawn Dumpling with Spinach was equally impressive, again largely to the springy skin that was nowhere mushy or overly sticky and also due to the plump and fresh prawns encased within. It would probably be more logical to order either this or the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling however if the objective is to try a variety of what they have to offer; both are rather similar items overall though still done quite well.

(Honey BBQ Pork Bun)

Honey BBQ Pork Bun was another item that we enjoyed as well. While most Honey BBQ Pork Buns at other dim sum restaurants are sized larger than the ones found here at Dim Sum Haus, we found the buns to be reasonably-sized and fits well for those who are looking forward to trying a wider variety of items here; the smaller size simply frees up stomach space for one to order more items from the menu. The buns were adequately thick; a single bite into the bouncy bun is all it takes to get to the Char Siew fillings within; all saucy with reasonably-sized chunks of honey BBQ pork with the sauce more on the savoury side. Again, an item that was well-executed.

(Steamed Crispy Rice Roll with Shrimp)

Steamed Crispy Rice Roll with Shrimp is a twist to the usual Chee Cheong Fun, although such combinations are more common of the late. The rice roll was smooth and slurpy, while a crispy, thin, netted shrimp spring roll is encased within for a contrasting texture that compliments the rice roll perfectly. The prawns encased within were fresh and plump, while the soy sauce adds a hint of savouriness to the rice roll. While we thought that the plating could perhaps be improved to allow for the rice rolls on the top to absorb more of the soy sauce at the bottom for better integration of flavours, it might also have been done deliberately so as to avoid the rice roll from absorbing too much soy sauce, thus sogging up the otherwise crisp netted shrimp spring roll within. Nonetheless, this is one dish that we would advise not to allow it to sit on the table for too long in order to keep its intended flavour and texture.

(Pan Fried Carrot Cake)

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake carries a light, crusted layer on the top. While it might be missing of fibrous strands of the radish here, it makes up for soft radish strips that help add texture to the springy carrot cake. The bits of Chinese sausage also helps add another dimension of flavour to the carrot cake, and the carrot cake is still pretty much a delightful eat especially since it was not particularly greasy too.

(Steamed Pork Ribs with Yam)

Yet another dish that surprised us was the Steamed Pork Ribs with Yam. While most places serve this dish with rather solid chunks of yam, the yam here had been steamed till soft and mushy; it somehow also integrates into the gravy to induce a slight earthiness to the savoury gravy that was absolutely umami. The pork was also pretty tender, with the meat coming off the bone relatively easy for seasoned eaters.

(Baked Salted Egg Custard Bun)

One of the dishes we were looking forward to having was the Baked Salted Egg Custard Bun which was well-received by folks on Instagram. It certainly lived up to the hype; the bun itself was all buttery and crisp with its crusty exterior, while filled with a good amount of salted egg custard within that eagerly bursts out of the bun with every bite. The salted egg custard was a good balance of sweet and savoury flavours; the savoury part probably enhanced by the buttery bun as well. Overall, something that is worth ordering for salted egg yolk custard bun lovers here.

(Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream)

To end off the meal, we ordered two desserts; the Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream and the Sweeten Mango Sago with Pomelo. The former was decent; served chilled, the Black Glutinous Rice carried just ample flavour without being overly sweet; the Vanilla ice-cream helps to add a creamy, aromatic vanilla that made the dessert felt a little richer, though we probably would not mind more coconut milk to further enhance the richness of the dessert overall.

(Sweeten Mango Sago with Pomelo)

Sweeten Mango Sago with Pomelo was slightly more liquid in consistency; while a sweet Mango flavour was evident, there seemed to be a lack of sago in comparison with the portion of pomelo, though the pomelo does add an interesting tinge of bitterness that cuts through the sweetness of the mango sago.

Being a relatively new eatery, Dim Sum Haus serves up pretty promising dim sum despite in situated in an area with established names such as Swee Choon Dim Sum Restaurant also situated within the same neighbourhood (though located at a considerable distance away). Service was decent despite the lack of service charge here; the staff were attentive and polite, something not quite expected from staff in such eateries. The food was also pretty well-executed overall; pretty much mostly hits overall. Prices are pretty affordable as well, with the bill coming up to slightly below $50 with a pot of tea for three pax. A new place to check out for dim sum lovers to check out!

Dim Sum Haus
57 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208809

Web Page: http://www.dimsumhaus.com.sg/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dimsumhaus57jlnbesar/