Dim Sum at Min Jiang – be careful what you wish for

We often pine for the good old days when restaurants served good dim sum on push carts. In a way, we got what we wished for, and more, when we went for dim sum at Min Jiang, Goodwood Park Hotel. The restaurant was busy. We did not make a reservation and was offered a table outdoor on the verandah by the pool. It was a lovely setting.

Named after the Min River in the Sichuan province of China, Min Jiang is well known for its refined Sichuan cuisine as well as modern Cantonese food. Dim Sum at Min Jiang is regarded by many as a treat. The weekend dim sum high tea buffet is very popular.

We went there on a weekday and was told that restaurant was full. The only tables available were on the verandah. The outdoor area looked quite nice and we got a view of the hotel pool and lush greenery with swaying palm trees. There were ceiling fans and the decor was simple but stately, like what you would see in black and white colonial bungalows.

We were delighted to learn that other than ordering from the menu, most of the dim sum items would be on push carts which the staff would wheel from table to table. You pick what you want and the items would be recorded on the card placed on the table. Wait for the next cart to come along and pick more items. Some items, like porridge, would be scooped from pots on the cart right in front of you. It was really like the good old days of dim sum in Neptune Theater and Tropicana. The dim sum lunch got off to a good start when the appetizer was served – it was bak kwa, and not the usual peanuts or pickles.

The good thing about the push cart dim sum system is that you get to see the items before you order. However, you are often tempted to order more than you should because everything looked quite delicious on the carts.

We ordered Xiao Long Bao (4 pieces for $7), fried spring rolls with mango ($4.80) and cheong fun ($4.80) from the menu. We were also tempted to pick the char siew soh ($4.20), siew mai ($4.80) and mini egg tarts ($4.20) from the cart.

All the items were of the expected standard but none was particularly outstanding. Perhaps our perception were somewhat clouded by the heat. Just like in the good old days of eating in non-air-conditioned places, we soon realized how hot and humid it felt in the verandah at lunchtime. The ceiling fans provided some respite but we thought the whole dining experience would have been much better in the elegant and air-conditioned interior of the restaurant. The rather inattentive staff also did not help to make the meal more enjoyable.

Dim Sum at Min Jiang on the verandah reminded us of the idiom “be careful what you wish for”. We wished for push cart dim sum just like the good old days. We got that at Min Jiang including the discomfort of not having air-conditioning and rather poor service. The next time we go to Min Jiang, we will insist on a table in the air-conditioned area.

Ratings:
Food : 3
Service : 2
Value : 4
Atmosphere : 3
Overall Rating : 3 TOPs

Min Jiang Restaurant
22 Scotts Road
Goodwood Park Hotel
Singapore 228221

Tel : +65 6730 1704

Operating Hours:
Lunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (Monday to Saturday), 11am – 2.30pm (Sunday)
Dinner: 6.30pm – 10.30pm

Dim Sum High Tea Buffet:
Available from 3pm to 5.30pm on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday

Nearby Station : Orchard

www.goodwoodparkhotel.com/dining-en.html

The Ordinary Patrons
Singapore Food Blog by Ordinary People looking for Places to Eat