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When I learnt that Luk Yu Tea House at Stanley Street is 7 years shy of being a century old, I was both intrigued and impressed. I mean, some F&B establishments in Singapore come and go like the wind, so what is their secret of operating for 93 years? I was very curious to find out.
From a distance, we spotted the huge green-and-yellow signboard bearing the Chinese characters ‘陸羽茶室‘. However, this 3-storey establishment didn’t start out here — it was originally situated at Wing Gut Street within a former bank. After the original lease ended, they relocated here in 1976 and have remained a fixture ever since.
We headed up to the second storey and were greeted by several senior gentlemen dressed in 20th-century style white long robes. It reminded me of the outfits worn by characters in the Ip Man films I’ve watched. The restaurant had a nostalgic feel to it as most of the furnishings looked like they were preserved from the 80s — Chinese portraits, calligraphy, paintings, vintage clocks, and old wooden furniture.
Even the menu looked like those old-fashioned Chinese hand-tearing calendars that my grandpa used to hang in the house. It was written entirely in Traditional Chinese, which meant that as a Singaporean, I spent a good few minutes squinting and trying to decipher exactly what each dish was.
The exchange rate is S$1 = HKD6.15 (at time of writing), and I’ve added the prices in SGD as well for your convenience. Rate fluctuations may affect what you actually spend.
What to order at Luk Yu Tea House
We started off with the Salted Egg Yolk Sesame Lotus Paste Bun 蛋黃麻蓉包 (HKD66/S$10.73) — a bun that’s around the size of a big pau, if not bigger. Upon tearing the fluffy bun in half, there was an entire salted egg yolk enveloped by a thick lotus paste with white sesame seeds. The paste had a grainy texture which tasted nutty and subtly sweet due to the abundance of sesame seeds.
The salted yolk added a savoury, creamy depth of flavour that contrasted really well with the sweetness of the sesame lotus paste. This huge bun can be shamelessly indulged solely by one person or be shared among two. But be warned — eat it while it’s still hot!
Next up, the Five-Spice Steamed Pork Ribs 柱侯蒸排骨 (HKD72/S$11.71) was a breath of fresh air compared to the conventional Singapore-style ones typically served with black beans. Being more deep brown, each piece of pork rib was not only steamed to perfection, but also succulent and savoury.
We then tried the Preserved Fish w/ Prawn Siew Mai 脯魚蝦燒賣(HKD66/S$10.73 for 3 pieces) which were topped with flying fish roe. Each piece was unctuous, juicy, and full of meaty goodness. With regards to the preserved fish element, I felt that I was just savouring an ordinary siew mai and didn’t taste any significant difference.
I have always been a bigger fan of Portugese Egg Tarts葡國雞蛋撻 (HKD66/S$10.73 for 3 pieces) over the Hong Kong-style ones with butter short crusts — I was so glad it was available.
The egg filling was luscious and not overly rich with a slightly caramelised torched surface, pairing flawlessly with the light, crispy and flaky puff pastry shell.
I wasn’t expecting much for the humble Premium Prawn Dumpling Soup 上湯蝦水餃 (HKD120/S$19.51) but it ended up getting my full attention.
Each piece of dumpling was wrapped in silky skin and stuffed with a plump prawn and minced meat filling. There were at least 6 pieces, served with green veggies in broth.
Who Luk Yu Tea House is best for
It’s great for family and friends who enjoy traditional dim sum and a hot pot of tea.
How to get there?
The nearest MTR Station is Central. Look out for exit D2 and take a 10-minute walk to Luk Yu Tea House.
Do we recommend Luk Yu Tea House?
Despite its long history and Michelin Guide status, I find the dim sum offerings at Luk Yu Tea House to be alright but definitely not the best. Come here not only for the dim sum but also to experience the whole ambience and service.
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