Jalan Besar is home to many eateries and Sum Dim Sum is one of the latest additions to the neighbourhood. Dim sum is a well-loved cuisine by most Singaporeans. Be it for breakfast or supper, we are always ready for some dim sum.

We had high expectations when we entered the Tiffany blue-themed restaurant and could not wait to satisfy our grumbling tummies. But is this new place an uprising competition to the ever-famous supper spot Swee Choon that is just down the road? Or just hype?

Let’s find out.

Their rendition of the Crispy Pork Bun (S$6) came in a green outer coating, unlike what we usually get from other dim sum restaurants. The buns are pandan-flavoured and pretty fragrant. When paired with the sweet honey pork filling, it was a pleasantly sweet concoction but we prefer the regular golden buns with no additional flavouring so as to fully savour the pork within.

The bun had a good texture, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. However, we thought that the filling could have been more generous as well.

The BBQ Pork Rice Roll (S$4.90) was served in a glistening light brown sauce that came piping hot. The rice rolls itself were a bit too thick and the pork was a tad too dry, but when dosed with the sauce, it made the overall taste slightly better.

A must-order at every dim sum restaurant, the Golden Custard Bun (S$4.50) came in a basket of three. The oozing lava got us salivating.

The bun itself was really soft and fluffy which was good but the lava was very diluted. Normally, you would expect a slightly powdery texture and saltiness from the runny lava because of salted egg bits inside but this version was sweeter and a little gooier in consistency.

It could have been more flavourful and we were frankly quite disappointed.

Sum Dim Sum’s egg tarts (S$4.60 for 3) were not as crumbly as we would have liked them to be, nor was there any buttery fragrance to it.

The tarts were thicker than the egg custard itself, and we could not taste the eggy flavours as they were not prominent, neither was it silky.

A good xiao long bao is when the skin is firm enough to hold the fragrant meat and flavourful soup inside without tearing apart when you pick it up. Their Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (S$5.50) had a thicker skin but was not overbearing, the meat’s seasoning was mediocre but the soup flow was present.

161 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208876
Mon to Sun: 11:30am to 1:30am
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar

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One thing that Singaporeans can’t get enough of is dim sum. There is just something so comforting about these small bamboo baskets of steamy goodness that make our mouths water.

Dim sum also comes in all shapes, sizes and flavours. So, whether you’re a sweet tooth, someone who prefers something savoury or someone who is picky about textures and flavours, there will definitely be some kind of dim sum out there that will suit your palates.

However, a solid dim sum meal does not always come cheap. Most of the time, you can only find the good ones at restaurants, which can be a tad harsh on your wallet if you’re running on a tight budget. However, fret not because we have here, a list of 10 great dim sum places that serve quality dim sum at reasonable prices.

126 WEN DAO SHI 

Geylang is a well-known food haven, so it is no surprise that they have a place there that sells really affordable yet solid dim sum. 126 Wen Dao Shi may not be the most polished of places, but they compensate for this with their delicious, fresh dim sum. Some must-try items include their Liu Sha Bao, Har Gao and Man Tou with Chilli Crab Sauce.

126 Sims Avenue
Singapore 387449
Tel: +65 6746 4757
Daily: 24-hours
Nearest Station: Aljunied

DIM SUM HAUS 

Tucked away a few streets down from the famous Swee Choon is Dim Sum Haus, a small dim sum shop that serves up affordable yet amazing dim sum. We feel that this place is a strong rival to Swee Choon as their dim sum is really good and affordable at the same time. Our favourite is their Baked Salted Egg Custard Buns and their Charcoal Siew Mai.

57 Jalan Besar
Singapore 208809
Tel: +65 6909 0777
Tue to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 10.30pm – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10.30pm
(Closed on Mondays)
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar

Photo Credit: Hong Kong Zhai 

HONG KONG ZHAI HOUSE OF DIM SUM 

Tucked away in a corner of Ang Mo Kio is Hong Kong Zhai. Here, they sell fresh, hand-made dim sum that will not cost you more than S$10 for a substantial (and beyond satisfying) portion. One of their most popular items here is their velvety Beancurd Skin Rolls that is a must-try for anyone who loves beancurd rolls.

Block 107 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4, #01-138
Singapore 560107
Tel: +65 6748 4893
Daily: 7am – 4pm
Nearest Station: Yio Chu Kang

JOHOR BAHRU PAU/TIM SUM 

No, Johor Bahru Pau/Tim Sum is not in Johor. In fact, it isn’t anywhere near Johor at all. Instead, this small dim sum place is hidden away in a crevice of Changi Village. They have a wide range of handmade paus and dim sum classics such as har gao, siew mai, char siew baos and chee cheong fan.

4 Changi Village Road, #01-2082
Singapore 500001
Daily: 9am – 9pm
Tel: +65 6542 2311
Nearest Station: Pasir Ris

KUAI SAN DIAN XIN 

Kuai San Dian XIn is one of the rare places that sell all their dim sum for the same price, which is a shockingly affordable S$1.30! Imagine the amount of food that you can get for S$20 when everything is priced so low. Definitely a great place to pig out on dim sum to your heart’s content.

Blk 346A Kang Ching Road, #01-01
Singapore 611346
Daily: 6am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Lakeside

LAI KEE DIM SUM 

Lai Kee is another great place that serves affordable and delicious dim sum that is great for when the dim sum cravings hit you hard. Besides the usual array of classics such as har gao and siew mai, they also sell unusual creations such as Century Egg Dumplings, Ji Guo Pau and Emerald Prawn Dumplings.

190 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh Central, #01-528
Singapore 310190
Tel: +65 8128 9970
Daily: 7.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Toa Payoh

Photo Credit: v99tz

SHI WEI XIAN HONG KONG DIM SUM 

Shi Wei Xian sells a spread of the usual dim sum classics such as har gao and siew mai. Besides that, they have some menu items that are not on the list such as their popular Prawn Paste Fish Maw in Egg White, Scallop Dumplings and Prawn Paste Beancurd Rolls.

Blk 119 Aljunied Crescent, #01-06
Singapore 380119
Fri to Sun: 7am – 5pm
(Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays)
Nearest Station: Aljunied

SWEE CHOON TIM SUM RESTAURANT

If you haven’t heard of Swee Choon, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Swee Choon is a well-loved supper spot that people head to whenever the dim sum cravings strike. This place is open till the wee hours of the morning which is great for satisfying those late-night hunger pangs. However, the downside of this Swee Choon is the never-ending, snaking queues.

Jalan Besar, 183-191
Singapore 208882
Tel: +65 6225 7788
Mon to Sat: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 6am
Sun: 10am – 3pm, 6pm – 6am
Nearest Station: Jalan Besar, Farrer Park & Bendemeer

WONG CHIEW EATING HOUSE

At the mere mention of dim sum for supper, most, if not all minds, would naturally gravitate towards popular Swee Choon if not its more rustic counterpart, 126 Dim Sum Wen Dao Shi over in Geylang. If you’d rather do without the queues and the crowd, consider Wong Chiew Eating House located along Upper Thomson Road.

Despite being around for over a decade now, this humble corner coffee shop hasn’t gotten much limelight, but trust us when we say that these folks are worth a visit. Opened 24-hours a day, they dish out anything from roast meat, various rice and noodle dishes, dim sum as well as their signature Kampung Chicken.

19 Sembawang Road
Singapore 779075
Tel: +65  6456 6838
Nearest Station: Khatib/ Yio Chu Kang

YI DIAN XIN 

This hidden gem tucked away in Kovan serves darn good dim sum that we feel is on par with many restaurants. Despite that, the prices here are cheap and affordable, so you can eat as much of you want without feeling a hole in your pocket. Try their famous Steamed Carrot Cake, it’s worth the calories!

1012 Upper Serangoon Road
Singapore 534750
Tel: +65 9168 5587
Wed to Mon: 7am – 3pm
Nearest Station: Kovan

ZI YEAN BISTRO 

If you’re looking for a dim sum place that sells something more exciting than your usual dim sum, then Zi Yean Bistro is the place you should be at. Here, you can get your hands on interesting creations such as their Cream Of Yam In Watermelon Bun as well as their Steamed Black Truffle Mushroom Bun.

56 Lengkok Bahru, #01-443
Singapore 150056
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Redhill