Shi Wei Xian Hong Kong Tim Sum — Weekend Handmade Dim Sum

Tucked into a coffeeshop along Aljunied Avenue 2, Shi Wei Xian Hong Kong Tim Sum has served handmade Cantonese-style dim sum in the same neighbourhood for more than a decade, currently run by a husband-and-wife team who prepare each order on site rather than sourcing from a central kitchen.

The stall keeps to a limited operating schedule, opening only on select days each week, which has not stopped it from building a following for its steamed and fried classics. Below are the dishes worth trying.

Crab Meat Siew Mai — $3.50

The siew mai here combines minced pork with crab meat in a dense, tightly packed filling, wrapped in a thin egg-noodle skin. The mixture favours meat over starch, giving the dumpling a firmer bite than versions that lean more heavily on flour fillers.

Prawn Dumpling (Har Gow) — $3.50

A whole shrimp chopped into pieces is set into each dumpling and wrapped in a wheat starch and tapioca flour skin, pleated into the dumpling’s signature crescent shape, then steamed until the wrapper turns translucent and takes on a chewy, slightly springy texture that lets the shrimp’s pink colour show through.

Yuan Yang Chee Cheong Fun — $4.00

This chee cheong fun combines two classic fillings, char siew and prawn, within a single steamed rice-noodle roll rather than serving them separately. The rice sheets are steamed to order and served warm, finished with a soy sauce mixture poured over just before serving. Diners who prefer a plain version can request the roll without filling.

Fried Yam Puff (Wu Kok) — $3.60 for 3 pieces

The yam puff is coated in a light, crisp batter encasing a char siew filling layered with mashed yam, then deep-fried to order. The pairing of a starchy yam exterior with a savoury pork filling follows the traditional wu kok preparation used in Cantonese dim sum kitchens.

Century Egg Pork Porridge — $2.00

The porridge is prepared with century egg and minced pork, cooked down to a thick, smooth consistency in the style of congee served at other Cantonese establishments.

Chicken Feet

The chicken feet are braised in a fermented bean sauce until the skin softens and takes on the sauce’s savoury, slightly sweet flavour, served on their own rather than over rice.

Carrot Cake (Radish Cake)

The stall’s carrot cake is pan-fried to a crisp brown exterior while staying soft and moist inside, with bits of lup cheong, or Chinese sausage, folded through the mixture for added aroma.

Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean — $3.50

Pork ribs are chopped into bite-sized pieces and marinated with fermented black beans, garlic, and a light coating of cornstarch before steaming, a method that keeps the meat tender while letting the fermented beans render down into a savoury, slightly salty sauce that pools at the base of the dish.

Prawn Beancurd Skin Roll

Chopped fresh prawns are wrapped in a sheet of dried beancurd skin, then deep-fried until the skin turns golden and crisp while the prawn filling stays firm and juicy inside.

Shi Wei Xian Hong Kong Tim Sum continues to draw a steady crowd for dim sum prepared fresh in-house rather than trucked in from a central kitchen, at prices that remain below typical dim sum restaurant rates. Its limited operating days make it more of a destination than a passing stop, suited to those seeking a straightforward, no-frills dim sum breakfast in the Aljunied area.

Blk 119 Aljunied Ave 2, #01-06, Singapore 380119
Opening Hours: Wednesday 7:30am – 3:30pm; Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 4:00pm; Closed Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Tel: +65 8123 7319