For Singaporeans, no Causeway journey to JB — jam or no jam — is full with out an thrilling hunt for scrumptious dim sum. The one drawback? A few of these spots are solely accessible by automobile or are surrounded by, nicely, nothing attention-grabbing. In the event you’ve by no means visited Cha Lao Dim Sum, it’s time you probably did!
Positioned proper subsequent to KSL Mall at Vacation Villa Johor Bahru Metropolis Centre, this 6-year-old institution serves over 35 forms of Cantonese dim sum. As you enter, you’re invited to peek into the cooks’ area by means of a spherical window, the place you’ll be able to witness the magic unfold as culinary masters handcraft every bit of dim sum.
Head to the cosy most important eating space, or discover their new part that transports you straight to a Hong Kong cha chaan teng.
Rising up, one of many easy joys of dim sum was the sight of old style pushcart trolleys — now a rarity. Guess what? Cha Lao Dim Sum brings again the nostalgia, making its rounds desk by desk, inviting clients to take their decide.
What I attempted at Cha Lao Dim Sum
To kick off my dim sum feast, I momentarily ditched the flamboyant, unique choices and went again to fundamentals to place their high quality to the check. No surprises right here — I started with the traditional Siew Mai (RM9.80) and the Steamed Prawn Crystal Dumpling (RM9.80).
The items of Siew Mai had been agency and juicy, bursting with the savoury-sweetness of the pork and prawn combination that was flawlessly seasoned.
Was the Steamed Prawn Crystal Dumpling equally spectacular? Completely. The pores and skin was chewy but smooth, encasing pleasant items of prawns. Even once I went again for it after it had cooled down, it nonetheless retained its pillowy texture. And so, we’re off to a robust begin!
I used to be fairly excited when the plate of Stir Fried Radish Cake with Beansprout (RM8.50) landed on my desk. Even earlier than it made its grand entrance, my sharp sense of odor had already caught a couple of tempting whiffs of its drool-worthy aroma.
Sautéed with egg, taugeh, and chives, every dice of golden-brown radish cake was completely fried to a crisp, enhancing its already-satisfying smoky wok hei flavour. Beneath all that, a refined kick of spice made its presence recognized solely after some time.
Do you like the skinny, crunchy candy layer of a crème brûlée? Now think about that on a Portuguese Egg Tart (RM8.80). This, my associates, has acquired to be probably the greatest variations I’ve had in a protracted, very long time!
As quickly as my tooth sank into the caramelised sugar high, I used to be greeted by an unctuous egg filling, all encased in a superbly flaky shell that was shatteringly crispy.
The Steamed Rice Roll with Char Siew (RM10.50) was neatly offered in a pool of soy-based gravy, served with sambal on the facet.
The rice sheets had been slithery easy and smooth like clouds, stuffed with bits of char siew that had been dotted with coriander slivers. The meat filling resembled my favorite char siew bao, a mix I discover totally irresistible.
The sambal was an excellent addition, bursting with umami-rich notes of dried shrimp.
The eye-to-detail on the Apple Bun (RM12.80) made it appear like it got here straight from the grocery store’s fruit part.
In case you had been questioning, it’s stuffed with tau sar (nope, not apples) that was wealthy, smoky, and wasn’t overly candy.
The Steamed Black Sesame Bun (RM12.80) bore an uncanny resemblance to massive shiitake mushrooms. Eat with warning — black sesame lava bursts forth the second you sink your tooth into the smooth bun. It’s wealthy and nutty with that signature light bitterness on the finish.
If black sesame isn’t your cup of tea, there’s additionally the Steamed Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk (RM12.80) for that surge of creamy, savoury salted egg goodness.
I went for one in all their newest creations — the Vegetable Prawn Dumpling (RM9.80). Stuffed with contemporary prawns, carrot strips, and aromatic chives, every chunk delivered a satisfying mixture of textures and tastes.
In the event you’re a fan of deep-fried or baked treats, there’s quite a lot of choices ready so that you can indulge in.
In the event you suppose the dim sum pushcarts are the one ones roaming the ground, maintain onto your spoons! Cha Lao Dim Sum additionally has tong sui trolleys providing desserts which are home made each day.
The chilly Mango Pomelo Sago (RM8.50) and sizzling Black Sesame Paste (RM6.50) had been the proper finale to stability the hearty dim sum feast. There are different choices like Lemongrass Jelly (RM6.50), too!
Remaining ideas
Authentic Cantonese dim sum that’s 100% made-by-hand, handy location, and cozy atmosphere — what extra are you able to ask for?
Although its costs could also be larger than these of different institutions, the standard undoubtedly justifies the fee.
With Cha Lao Dim Sum nestled in one in all my all-time favorite resorts in JB for a staycation, I can image myself dropping by for a number of visits in future to discover their different choices. So the subsequent time you’re planning a visit to JB, remember to add this place to your record.
Anticipated injury: RM10 – RM40 per pax
* This put up is delivered to you in partnership with Cha Lao Dim Sum.
The put up Cha Lao Dim Sum: Authentic pushcart-style Cantonese artisanal dim sum in JB with tong sui trolley appeared first on SETHLUI.com.
