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Over the last couple of years, the neighbourhood of Ubi has developed significantly with the addition of the Downtown Line and new BTO flats. As far as food goes, early mornings and mid afternoons are going to be even more awesome with the opening of RICHMAN DIM SUM.
The business is established by Malaysian-born Chef Foo Wah Keng, who brings with him 30 years of culinary experience from esteemed establishments such as Crystal Jade, Mercure Hotel, and a well-known 4-star hotel restaurant. He runs it together with his childhood buddy, Chef Kok Let Chin, a veteran in making dim sum for over 3 decades.
The kopitiam stall at Excalibur Centre shares the same space as Yang Ming Seafood, and serves up affordable Hong Kong dim sum with a Nanyang-style flair.
Besides offering over 45 varieties of handcrafted dim sum starting from just S$2.90, RICHMAN DIM SUM’s menu also offers a range of roasted meats that are meticulously prepared in-house.
We kickstarted our lunch with the Limited Time Specials, starting with the Beetroot & Rice Crisps Rice Rolls (S$7.80). It was a crispy treat consisting of chewy beetroot skin, crispy prawns and a layer of savoury soy sauce underneath.
My dining partner found the Crispy Mushroom Snails (S$5.80) too adorable to be consumed, but I devoured them mercilessly without hesitation. The sweet, chewy pastry, topped with a nostalgic pig ear cookie as its ‘shell’, was stuffed with earthy, juicy mushrooms.
Overall, we felt that the combination would’ve work better if the exterior was savoury instead.
We then tried the Four Treasures, a selection of the chef’s signature dishes, starting with the Cantonese Dried Vegetables & Salted Pork Porridge (S$3.80). The silky congee was comforting, though we felt it could use a touch more seasoning to make the ingredients pop.
One of the highlights was the Crispy Popiah Rice Rolls (S$6.80), a lovely combination of crispy and chewy textures paired with a savoury sauce — addictive down to the last piece!
The Coconut & Salted Egg Layer Cake (S$5.80) was a pillowy sweet and savoury cake filled with delectable salted egg, coconut shavings, and bits of tangerine skin.
Being a die-hard fan of the spiced fishcake from Muar, I had high hopes for the Muar Otak Siew Mai (S$5.80). Unfortunately, one overpowering spice dominated the dish and masked the other flavours. I’ve already shared my feedback, so here’s hoping your experience turns out better than mine.
You can also try the Baked Roasted Duck & Yuzu Bun (S$6.80), which, in my opinion, could be improved by adjusting the ratio of yuzu to duck for a more harmonious flavour.
Wrap up your meal with sweet bowls of Mango Yoghurt Pomelo Sago (S$4.80) or Pink Guava Sago (S$5). Or both!
Though I enjoyed both, the Pink Guava Sago with watermelon bits stood out more. Who would’ve thought to use pink guava as a base for a sago dessert? It’s truly an interesting twist.
Head down to 71 Ubi Crescent and give Chef Foo’s array of dim sum a go.
