Lin Heung, synonymous with good dimsum across all ages, was a must visit for me. The morning rush with the hongkies, tables only get allocated if you're in luck..if not it's a case of who has the fastest butt. Packets of tissue to "chope" do not get you seats here. Sharing of tables is commonsight, unless you come in a group of at least 8.
Listed in Times as Top 10 things to due in 24 hours, Lin Heung's a must visit.
The prized sheet that grants you entry into the world of authentic dimsum, made from scratch, made the most traditional of ways...made to love.
Forever so packed for the hour or so that we were there. A scene at Lin Hueng: You get to see all sorts of people there, some reading papers, some chattering away in fluent cantonese, sipping tea...and there is a group like me, snapping away, bewildered by the buzzing activity that is taking place all in one tea house.
Simple fare.
The pot to disinfect and re-cleanse the cups. When you are done, place it in the middle of the table.
Here comes the dimsum lady! Complete with a cart. Take your pick and get your chop.
Tea leaves...they usually offer 茉莉, 香片..chrysanthenum is almost unheard of.
The kitchen that has the hungry diners crowding outside for.
Pricelist.
Two pots, one with tea so thick, the caffeine jolts you awake. The other with water to dilute the tea accordingly.
Beef Siew Mai
Interesting how beef siew mai is commonsight in Hongkong. Basically beef paste with chives, tastes quite a bit of getting used to.
魚翅餃
Shark's Fin was barely tasted but still a tasty dumpling.
Mushroom Caps
Bland mushroom with a meatball beneath.
Fried 麥芽糖 served with a saucer of honey. It is quite a sight with all the fried dough candies with arms flailing away, graphically it looks that way! These candies are melt in your mouth but stick so stubbornly onto your teeth, eating it can be quite a chore but as promised by the auntie "very nice".
I wanted very much to try the chestnut cake they had but it came in plates of 5 slices. I tried by luck to see if they had anything lesser, only to be rebutted rudely by the auntie who could not stop once she started talking. She went on and on and drowned everyone else out by saying I could just order the plate, take a bite and throw the rest away. Rude by Hongkong's service standards but for a teahouse like Lin Heung, it comes part of the package.
Chicken pau so huge, it fed 4 nicely. The pau dough is more substantial than those found in Singapore, not as fluffy but it fills you up considerably. Peel open the pau and food gems are discovered, a generous portion of chicken, mushrooms, salted egg, roast pork and preserved sausage! Sounds like the stuffing of a rice dumpling all in a pau.
Siew Mai stuffed with such fat prawns, the prawns are very fresh. No bicarbonate involved, the freshness is evident with such sweetness. This was a pleasant surprise by all standards.
叉烧肠粉
Disappointment. The supposedly silken rice roll I was looking forward to was replaced by a dry one. The char siew bits were yummy however.
For the record, I fought tooth and nail for the desserts, literally. The crowds were bored with the usual selections like congee, siew mai and even rice rolls, we were all clamouring for desserts and people were getting impatient. Some waited outside the kitchen only to swarm the poor angsty lady. So I paced up and down, peeped in and out and when I spotted a swarm of people, I got all excited.
Thank god for the slightly above average height, I caught sight of them! 蛋黃蓮蓉包, there was a lonely plate of custard cake too but I could only concentrate on the paus.
Caramel coloured 蓮蓉 so thick and rich, yes, there is lard in them. The balance of lard and 蓮蓉 is so delicate, it is pure decadence. Heck it seriously, lard never tasted so good and I have never welcomed it with such open
The same story repeated for 馬拉糕, so prized. Everyone's arms were like octopus' tentacles reaching out to the lady, claustrophobic if you ask me! Everyone was just shouting their orders aloud and pressing the order slips to her, when it came to the last four, my heart was almost sinking.
The lady got quite impatient and hollered "Last four! Who wants?" I only remember pushing and shoving and walked off victoriously.
Tall and fluffy, 馬拉糕 was. Not too bad but somehow paled in comparison with 蛋黃蓮蓉包.
HKD 134 for the meal, worth every drop of lard, every ounce of fat...every cent of it. If there's one dimsum place to go in Hongkong, it has to be Lin Heung. For the most authentic of experiences...Lin Heung's a must (the horrid experience with the auntie included!).
There is a bakery just down stairs and I had to get something. Should have gotten a box of mooncakes with the oohsootraditional paper box! Settled for almond biscuits at HKD15. Spy the ingredients? Pork Lard alright!
Unrivalled. Almond cookies are signature of Hongkong but the usual ones are either too dry or are too heavy on coconut flavouring. This, by Lin Heung is a planet apart. Generous scattering of crushed almonds, every bite is smooth. Probably the works of lard. Tastes quite like peanut cookies, only way way way better. Once again, I wish...I really wish I did not just get one box. How I miss them. :(
I have never embraced lard the way I did until now, not even in char kuay teow. I pick and shoo the fried lard bits away, shudder at the thought of lard in my food...but after Hongkong, it made me re-look at it. Yes, although unhealthy, lard flavours food so very differently, quite unachievable with anything else. That being said, I am back to my non-lard diet in Singapore...!
Lin Heung Tea House
126 Wellington Street
Central, Hongkong
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