Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan in IFC has no queues unlike the original outlet which had since closed however service here is average and the bbq pork buns did not look perfect. Just tick off what you want to have on the order form and it is promptly delivered to your table. We had:

Baked bun with BBQ pork (HK$20) - their signature buns are crispy and biscuity with a slightly sweet bbq pork filling. Quite delicious and is served piping hot.

Steamed rice rolls stuffed with pig's liver (HK$21) - Pillowy soft and smooth, the metallic taste of the liver isn't overpowering but there is certainly no mistaking what you are eating. Quite nice if you enjoy offal.

Osmanthus and goji berry cake (Hk$12) - Chinese style jelly that is cooling and refreshing. Quite sweet but not sickly.

Service: :star :star ½
Quality of food: :star :star :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star :star ½

English menu: Yes.

Type of venue: Yum Cha, Chinese

Worth a return visit? Yes/Maybe

Address: Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station (Podium Level 1, IFC Mall) , Central, ifc mall

Spice Temple

Spice temple offers the best yum char we have had. We have had yum char in many countries and although Spice Temple isn't cheap, the quality and uniqueness on offer is something we will gladly pay for. Just a shame it is only served during lunch times on Thursday to Sunday. We had:

Salt and pepper squid, pickles and XO Slider - good to try as the squid is cooked perfectly and the slider is just a dainty morsel to get things started. 

White cut chicken gua bao - deliciously moist chicken, with accompaniments not unlike what you would find with a Hainanese chicken rice, except it is enveloped not in rice but a pillowy bao.

Jade scallop and crab - delicately sweet seafood flavours in this steamed dumpling and the dumpling skin is super thin.

Glutinous rice dumplings with chicken - lightly fried, the dumpling shell is made from the glutinous rice. Crispy and delicious.

Tea smoked duck breast with pickled cabbage and Chinese mustard - we order this every time we eat here. Beautifully light smokiness and perfectly pink duck breast. Goes extremely well with the pickled cabbage and mustard.

Egg custard with crab and XO sauce - just love the fried spanner crab meat with the pillowy soft egg custard and house-made XO sauce. Slight hint of spiciness but so tasty you could have it on some steamed rice.

Egg custard tart - are these the best egg tarts in the world? They could be. Extremely flaky pastry and the egg custard is just set and it is so wobbly you'd think it isn't ready yet. One never seems quite enough.

Service: :star :star :star :star :star
Quality of food: :star :star :star :star :star
Value for money: :star :star :star :star 

Type of venue: Chinese, Fusion, Yum Cha

Worth a return visit? Yes.

Address: Crown Towers, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank VIC 3006

Tim Ho Wan (Melbourne)

Super excited and can't wait for the cheapest Michelin Star restaurant to open in Melbourne this April!