Royal China - Introducing to you, the royal dim sum~!

Welcome to Royal China~~

Royal China is one of the must-go restaurants for dim sum lovers. Previously, we went without making a reservation and left disappointed as there weren't any vacancies. Having learnt from the last lesson, we reserved a table and went in high anticipation for some fantastic dim sum treat!

The grandeur of Royal China certainly etched deep impressions in our minds... Nostalgic chinese music can be faintly heard in the background, waitresses were dressed in cheongsum-liked uniforms with their hair bunded up. This is the most atas dim sum restaurant we've visited already. =P

*For some of items, we ordered for 4 pax because most of the dishes serve 3 only. We will indicate the price as shown in the menu*

While ordering our food, we saw a waitress carrying a tray of Deep Fried Carp Fish Balls ($8). Out of curiosity, we decided to give it a go. However, it proved to be a wrong decision. Though as it looked appetizing, the carp fish ball tasted just like an ordinary fish ball.

J's & A's rating: 3/5

Steamed Scallop Dumpling ($4.80 for 3)
Some of you may not know that we dislike the pungent smell of coriander leaves. We didn't enjoyed this dish particularly because of its presence. However, the freshness of the prawns and scallops were commendable. The thickness of the dumpling skin was just nice, despite being tad too sticky. For those who do not mind the smell of coriander, you will probably appreciate this dish.

J's & A's rating: 3/5, 4/5 if w/o coriander leaf

Royal China Cheung Fun ($4.80) *MUST TRY*
Royal China Cheung Fun consist of 3 fillings: Char Siew, Prawn & Scallop. Again, ingredients were fresh which we appreciated. Though it was delicious, it wasn't great enough to leave an impact in our minds. But still, it's worth a try for its price :)

J's rating: 4/5, A's rating: 4.25/5

Panfried Carrot Cake ($4 for 3)
We felt that the carrot cake was a little oily. There was insufficient carrot to enhance the taste.

J's & A's rating: 3/5

Shark's Fin Dumpling with Seafood in Superior Soup ($8.80/ bowl)
The broth was infused with the sweetness of seafood essence. However, the dumpling skin was soo thin that it broke off easily. Besides, there was so little shark's fin that we felt it was not worth the price.
(J: I bet we only had a shred of shark's fin each lol.) 

J's rating: 3/5, A's rating: 3.25/5

Baked Barbecue Pork Puff ($4 for 3) *MUST TRY*
Here comes the first star of the afternoon~ Royal's char siew sor! The char siew sor was heavenly! Baked with perfection to give its royal yellow colour. Flaky and buttery top encasement, topped with fragrant white sesame seeds, and crispy at the bottom. The char siew fillings were extremely juicy, succulent and delightful! Barbecue sauce was sweet and very addictive! Thumbs up for the 'su-est' char siew sor which is currently hailed as our char siew sor king! We couldn't stop at 1 and just had to order another. hehe.

J's & A's rating: 4.75/5

Barbeque Pork Bun ($3.60 for 3)
The bun was super soft and fluffy. Just like the char siew sor, the sweet char siew filling was extremely delectable. Till now, the sweet char siew still lingers in our mouth!

J's & A's rating: 4.25/5

Steamed Seafood Roll with Garlic ($4.80 for 2) *MUST TRY*
This was something unique which we've not seen before. Seafood (crabstick, prawn & scallop) wrapped with spaghetti. It was the strong aroma of garlic and saltiness of the sauce that made this dish memorable.

J's & A's rating: 4.25/5

We waited in anticipation... Tick tock, tick tock... ticckkk tooooccckk~
And here it comes!

Steamed Custard Bun with Fresh Mango & Salted Egg ($4 for 3) *MUST TRY*
The bun was OooohHhh-SoOo-SOFT~~ Explosion of the sweetness from the fresh mango and saltiness from the egg yolk made our hearts flutter in joy upon the first bite! It was absolutely heavenly & delicious! We could finish one basket on our own! Need we say more? 1 more basket of custard bun please!

J's & A's rating: 4.75/5

Baked Soft Shell Crab with Salted Egg ($6.80 for 1 crab) *MUST TRY*
The soft shell crab was baked till perfection despite being a little oily! Crispy and juicy crab was enticing indeed. Somehow salted egg and soft shell crab always seem like a perfect combination. What more can you expect? Such a luscious dish!

*This item is not in the menu but you can request for it. The picture below consist of 2 soft shell crab*

J's & A's rating: 4.5/5

And now...a pleasant dessert to end the royal dim sum meal...

Red Bean Pancake ($10)
Though this pancake is a little pricier than others, it was the best we ever had! Pancake crust was thin and crispy, nicely filled with the sweet red bean paste. We couldn't resist savouring one after another despite feeling so full!

*This pancake is big enough to be shared by 4 or 5 people.*

J's & A's rating: 4.5/5

Dining at Royal China was a definitely a pleasant and satisfying experience. However, it may be a little difficult to get the waitresses' attention, especially on a busy weekend afternoon. Food were served hot and promptly, and they were able to accomodate our special requests. Total bill for 4 people amounted to $123.34. Though pricier than other chinese restaurants, the food is definitely better than many others. 

Gosh, we're already missing our char siew sor and custard bun! Give us MORE~!!!

Royal China
1 Beach Road
#03-09 Raffles Hotel
Call 6338 3363 to make reservation!