The inside is packed with a glutinous rice that is stickier and more expansive than typical white rice, as well as a mixture of meats and fillings such as mung beans or mushrooms. We also ordered no mai gai, or Chinese sticky rice, which is traditionally wrapped in a bamboo or lotus leaf, similar to a tamale. This delicate presentation takes a peasant’s comfort food and turns it into a fine dining experience. Tim Ho Wan’s version is somewhat more elegant with the addition fried wonton skins for a garnish. Tim Ho Wan’s version includes the classic combination of a century egg and tender pork, perfectly salty and smooth and reminding us of our favorite hole-in-the wall-spots in Hong Kong, where the flavors blended perfectly in bowls of jook that had simmered together for hours. Many years later, my cousins and I devoured bowl after bowl of jook for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in between. My own grandmother told me of how she used to beg for rice grains in the streets as a child in China during the Japanese invasion so that her family could stretch the rice and make a pot of jook to keep from starving. This porridge is a staple of Chinese cuisine and one that has fed many generations throughout feast and famine. Similar to grits or risotto, jook is made from rice cooked slowly in a simmering broth until it softens and thickens into a hearty porridge. Our first dish was rice porridge, or jook. After a little debate, we settled on a few classics. Unfortunately our server informed us that the signature cha siu baos with the craquelin tops had peanut butter in them! Luckily we never indulged in the puff pastries in Hong Kong-we’ll be sticking to the steamed versions at other teahouses. Because our Cantonese was never good enough to fully investigate the ingredient lists in Hong Kong, we loved to see how Tim Ho Wan has developed allergy-conscious materials for the States. Our server was a cute, spiky-haired dude who quickly grabbed us an allergy menu and walked us through some of the most popular dishes. As is the new style of dim sum, Tim Ho Wan has a checklist rather than carts for their menu, with the sold out items hastily crossed out. Once we were seated, the same paper menus we had missed so much greeted us from underneath our monogrammed plates. Of course, as it does in Hong Kong, the tables cycle through quickly enough. The Yelp line is out the door, so we recommend adding your name to the waitlist from your phone while you’re scrambling down 42nd Street. The interior is surprisingly sleek compared to the stereotypical teahouse grunge. The storefront is nothing special, just an unassuming green awning. There is also a location in the East Village, near the Strand Book Store. The shortest walk is from 42nd Street Port Authority station on the A, C, or E lines, but if you hate the insanity that comes with anything 42nd Street-related, you can probably make it a few extra blocks from 50th Street on the C or E trains. Tim Ho Wan sits in the midst of Hell’s Kitchen on 9th Ave between 43rd and 44th Streets. Tim Ho Wan has elevated the noisy, overwhelming experience of dim sum by streamlining their menu and specializing in some of the most popular dim sum items. Dim sum is not necessarily a traditional New Year’s meal, but it is a traditional Cantonese cuisine that embodies the spirit of sharing a table and spending time with loved ones.

When we made our way back to the Big Apple, it was with delight that we realized that Tim Ho Wan had landed in the city. We have traveled from Mott Street to Mott 32 and back and we’re excited to take you out to a Hong Kong staple that has established itself in New York City: Tim Ho Wan.Īs some of our longtime readers may know, we sampled dim sum in Asia where we visited one of the original Tim Ho Wan shops in Hong Kong Central MTR station.

The zodiac traditionally starts with the rat, so if you thought a new decade was enough of a fresh start, get ready for a whole new zodiac cycle!Ĭhinese New Year is a special holiday for us on the Brunch with Bear team because we get a chance to share our culture and our table with our audience, some of whom may be unfamiliar with Chinese food or Chinese customs. The Chinese zodiac is a cycle of animals that represent the passage of time every twelve years. Gung hay fat choy! Happy Chinese New Year to all you Brunch with Bearees, and welcome to the Year of the Rat! Chinese New Year, for those who are unaware, falls on a different day each year based on the lunar, rather than solar, calendar used in traditional Chinese culture.

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