Do you regularly swing by Jalan Besar to get your dim sum cravings fixed? Throughout my time in Sethlui.com (nearly 2.5 years), I haven’t had the chance to return to the following 2 establishments: Dim Sum Haus and Sum Dim Sum.
Between the two, I came to know about the former first. It was actually recommended by a former chef colleague of mine. Back then, the dim sum was pretty reasonable and delicious. But, as usual, inflation, the GST hike, and the rising cost of ingredients have contributed to the price increase.
As for the former, I was initially drawn to its aqua-coloured signage (yes, I have a strong appreciation for aesthetics). Sum Dim Sum is located directly opposite a popular dim sum joint, which I used to be a fan of. The variety here is decent and from what I remember, everything there was above average.
Having not visited both these places for over 3 years, it made me wonder if their standards have dropped. What’s their price point now? Let’s go makan and find out, shall we?
Xiao long bao
- Dim Sum Haus— S$5
- Sum Dim Sum— S$5.70
Before we even tucked in, we noticed that the skin of the Xiao Long Bao from Dim Sum Haus (pictured on the left) seemed thicker than usual.
And we were right— the skin required a bit of chewing before a rush of golden liquid was unleashed inside my mouth. That being said, I really enjoyed the flavour of both the meat and broth— it was yummy and well balanced.
The version at Sum Dim Sum had a thin, delicate skin, so fine that I could see the liquid inside when I lifted a piece with my chopsticks. Without much effort, the liquid gushed out in all directions. Taste-wise, it was just as scrumptious as the former.
Pan-fried carrot cake
- Dim Sum Haus— S$4.70
- Sum Dim Sum— S$5.20
Both establishments serve this dish in portions of 3 pieces. The Pan Fried Carrot Cake with Chinese Sausage from Dim Sum Haus was served without any fluff, with visibly noticeable bits of lup cheong.
On the other hand, Sum Dim Sum’s Fried Carrot Cake was fanciful. It was topped with ikan bilis, fried shallots, sesame seeds and slices of bird’s eye chilli. Visually stunning for photos? Absolutely. But was it necessary? Maybe not.
The Pan Fried Carrot Cake with Chinese Sausage had nicely charred golden-brown surfaces that added a paper-thin layer of crisp. The insides flaked apart effortlessly in my mouth, serving as the perfect vessel for that teeth-sinking tender filling.
As I took further bites, the umami-ness of the dried shrimp and the sweet-salty hints of lup cheong came into full play. Every mouthful had a full-bodied yet delicate punch of flavour that didn’t overwhelm my palate.
The Fried Carrot Cake at Sum Dim Sum took me on a completely different journey. Even before my taste buds had time to react, my tongue was already tingling from the chilli padi‘s heat.
Then, the fried shallots, spring onions and crispy anchovies began competing for attention, each trying to outshine the other. Though there was a lot happening, I could hardly notice the presence of the carrot cake. Yes, it had a soft texture, but it still paled in comparison with Dim Sum Haus’s.
Congee
- Dim Sum Haus— S$6.60
- Sum Dim Sum— S$5.40
Topped with fried youtiao and spring onions, the Century Egg and Lean Meat Congee at Dim Sum Haus unveiled pieces of pi dan when I mixed everything up. However, I was trying my best to search for traces of lean meat. In the end, all I had were sparse bits of shredded chicken as well as a few bits of minced pork. Disappointing!
The congee was delectable and perfectly seasoned. In terms of consistency, some parts were thick, while others felt slightly diluted. Even though the youtiao pieces were submerged in the congee for some time, they remained crunchy.
Sum Dim Sum’s congee had a colour similar to latte. Besides a small pile of ikan bilis and spring onions chilling at the top, the bits of meat were also bigger in size. It’s amusing how the chefs managed to make the bits of pork feel like chicken (taste and texture-wise).
Though the ikan bilis was aromatic, I am still old-school and prefer the good ol’ youtiao with my congee.
Siew mai
- Dim Sum Haus— S$5.40
- Sum Dim Sum— S$5.10
The Steamed Pork & Shrimp Dumpling “Siew Mai” at Dim Sum Haus had a single wolfberry on top. It was lip-smacking and extremely juicy, with a firm prawn embedded within— definitely one of the best I’ve ever had!
The rendition at Sum Dim Sum also had a wolfberry, but with bits of tobiko added on top. The freshness of the prawn and the juiciness of the dumpling mirrored Dim Sum Haus. But there was one problem; the seasoning was too savoury for my liking.
Har kow
- Dim Sum Haus— S$5.70
- Sum Dim Sum— S$5.10
Appearance-wise, the har kow at Sum Dim Sum had more defined edges. For me, what makes or breaks a har kow is the skin. And I’m glad to report that the one at Dim Sum Haus was thin and soft with firm and succulent prawns.
Sadly, though the har kow at Sum Dim Sum looked prettier, the skin was slightly tough and thick. My dining partner even had to spit out a portion of it.
Verdict
After indulging in the dim sum offerings at both spots (and feeling utterly full), here are our results:
- Xiao long bao— Dim Sum Haus
- Pan-fried carrot cake— Dim Sum Haus
- Congee— Sum Dim Sum
- Siew mai— Dim Sum Haus
- Har kow-— Dim Sum Haus
As you can see from the results, the lesser-known Dim Sum Haus triumphs. Of course, this is merely based on our personal opinions.
Have you personally tried both dim sum spots? Do let me know your thoughts in the comments.
