Many years ago, I experienced a feast in Singapore, where I was served dim sum. I had no idea what it was, but I was completely sold on it. Dim sum was pretty near the best thing I had ever tasted back then.

On a Dim Sum Hunt in Singapore

Therefore, one of my biggest “must haves” when we arrived in Singapore this year was to taste dim sum again.

I hadn’t really googled the words “dim sum”, so I didn’t know much more than the fact that I wanted it again. Therefore, I spent several days in Singapore, looking for food hawkers serving dim sum, but unfortunately to no avail.

A few days before we were going home, it occurred to me that dim sum might not necessarily be something you advertise and that many of the places I had checked actually did serve dim sum.

And then I got my dim sum, both here and there! The place that impressed me the most was the Din Tai Fung restaurant located under the Paragon shopping mall on Orchard Road.

It is at the lowest level along with all the other (very delicious, by the way) food hawkers. From the outside, you can look into the kitchen and see how they make dim sum and steam them in the rice containers and pile them up for serving.

There was always a line here, but it was worth the wait.

Din Tai Fung, Singapore
Peter At Din Tai Fung, Waiting For Dim Sum

What is Dim Sum?

Dim sum are small, light Chinese dishes served with tea. You put together the meals yourself by checking off a long list they give you. Dim sum are tiny combination dishes, often consisting of small packets of rice flour ravioli or wonton dough.

The small packets can be steamed or deep fried. Or they can be small dishes made with meat, vegetables, or even chicken feet! Yes, we ate chicken feet one of those days (and yes, there are a WHOLE lot of little bones in a chicken foot)!

You can also get dim sum in the form of small, sweet, dessert-like steamed buns with things like red bean paste (tastes like chocolate).

Among the 10 Best Restaurants in the World

Din Tai Fung is a branch of the Din Tai Fung restaurant in Taiwan, where it all started. The New York Times has ranked this particular restaurant in Taiwan as being among the 10 best restaurants in the world.

Their speciality is steamed pork dumplings and “heart-warming” steamed chicken soup.

Today, you find the restaurants in the countries of Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and the United States.

Din Tai Fung Restaurant - you can see how they make dim sum
Din Tai Fung Restaurant – you can see how they make dim sum

So, even if you might not make it to Singapore – you should still have a good chance of making it to this restaurant.

We can certainly recommend their food whole-heartedly – and we give them 4 out of 5 stars!

Where Do You Find Your Fabulous Dim Sum in Singapore?

Feel free to write your suggestions to us in the comments!

 

  Links

-> Din Tai Fung, Singapore

 

  Find your Din Tai Fung in Singapore here!