Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum - Handmade Dim Sum Since 1988

Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum Restaurant traces its roots to 1988, when it began as a handmade dim sum manufacturer supplying hotels, restaurants and catered events across Singapore. That factory heritage now feeds a dine-in outlet at Marina Square, where the same recipes are prepared for the table through a self-service model: diners order at a kiosk or scan a QR code, then collect their plates when their number flashes on the board. Prices sit lower than the central location might suggest, with GST folded into every item and no service charge added.

The menu runs across steamed, fried and baked dim sum alongside noodles, congee and Hong Kong-style snacks, and it rewards starting with the handmade classics before moving to the truffle-laced variations.

Siew Mai — $4.50 for three

The siew mai comes three to a plate, each open-topped dumpling filled with seasoned minced pork wrapped in a thin yellow skin and steamed to order. As a brand that spent decades folding dim sum for hotels and caterers before opening to walk-in diners, the kitchen keeps the parcels compact and firm, with the filling holding its shape rather than loosening into a paste. It is the plainest item on the menu and a useful measure of the handmade standard the rest of the range is built on.

Prawn Dumpling — $4.90 for three

Also sold in threes, the prawn dumpling is the har gow of the range, with whole prawns gathered inside a translucent wrapper pleated to seal in the juices released during steaming. The skin is worked thin enough to show the pink filling through it, and firm enough to lift cleanly without tearing. The prawns are left in sizeable pieces rather than minced, so each dumpling keeps a distinct snap.

Fried Beancurd Skin Roll — $4.90 for three

For a change in texture, the fried beancurd skin roll wraps its filling in sheets of dried beancurd skin, which are then deep-fried until the outer layer shatters and blisters. The skin crackles against the softer filling within, and the roll is meant to be eaten soon after collection while the surface is still crisp rather than softening in the steam of its own heat.

Carrot Cake — $4.50 for three

The carrot cake is pan-fried to order, three pieces to a plate, with the outside crisped to a firm crust while the interior stays soft and yielding. The contrast between the two textures is the point of the dish, which is why it is best eaten hot: as the pieces cool the crust loses its edge, so the plate is designed to be cleared quickly rather than lingered over.

Shrimp & Mango Roll

This roll pairs prawn with mango inside a thin, crisp wrapper, then finishes the outside with a scatter of sesame seeds. The mango is kept in check so its sweetness balances the prawn rather than overwhelming it, and the sesame adds a nutty note and a further layer of texture against the delicate shell. It is one of the less common items on a Singapore dim sum menu and a reason the fried section is worth exploring beyond the standards.

Dry Wonton Noodles — $7.50

To anchor a meal, the dry wonton noodles bring springy egg noodles tossed in a light savoury sauce, topped with kai lan and served with wonton stuffed with fresh prawns. A bowl of soup comes on the side, in the Hong Kong manner, so the dish works as a complete plate rather than a snack. The noodles are the kind meant to be eaten straight away while they hold their bounce.

French Toast HK Style — $3.80

The Hong Kong French toast is a thick slice of bread coated in egg and deep-fried until the outside turns crunchy, then finished with a slab of butter and a drizzle of honey. The butter melts into the hot toast while the honey runs over the crust, giving the snack its characteristic sweet-and-salty pull. At $3.80 it is the most affordable item to round out a table and a staple of the cha chaan teng repertoire the kitchen draws from.

Sesame Creamy Custard Ball — $4.90

Moving to the sweet end, the sesame creamy custard ball arrives three to a plate, each chewy ball rolled in black sesame seeds and filled with a viscous salted egg custard. The seeds toast into an earthy, nutty coating that plays against the sweet-savoury centre, and the outer shell gives the dessert its pull-apart chew. The salted egg filling stays molten and thick rather than setting, so it flows when the ball is broken open.

Creamy Custard Bun — $5.20

To close, the creamy custard bun offers three pandan-infused buns, tinted green and packed with the same salted egg custard in molten form. The pandan lends a soft fragrance to the steamed dough, layering a floral note over the sweet-savoury yolk centre, and the buns are served warm so the filling stays liquid. It is a gentle variation on the familiar liu sha bao, and a fitting finish to a run through the menu.

With a lineage that stretches back to 1988 and a kitchen built on handmade dim sum, Hong Kong Zhai Dim Sum brings factory-honed recipes to a self-service counter in the heart of Marina Square. The range is broad, the prices are kept low for the location, and the truffle dumplings and salted egg custard items give the classics room to surprise. It is an easy stop for a group that wants variety without the formality of a traditional dim sum hall.

6 Raffles Boulevard, #02-234/235/236, Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Opening Hours: Sun–Fri 9am to 9pm, Sat 9am to 9:30pm
Tel: 6748 4893
Website: hongkongzhai.com
Facebook: facebook.com/hongkongzhaidimsum | Instagram: @hongkongzhaidimsum