Despite living in Japan, which is home to the most Michelin stars restaurants in the world (for seven years straight now!), I have never eaten at one before.

My previous impression was Michelin-starred restaurants = $$$$$ which is the main deterrent to visiting one. But on my recent trip to Hong Kong, I realized that’s not the case!

I ate at a Michelin-starred restaurant and only realized it when I returned and was looking at photos and decided to google it.

Tim Ho Wan is often known as the cheapest Michelin restaurant in Hong Kong.

By the way, did you know that just because a restaurant is awarded a star doesn’t mean all its outlets (even if in the same country) are Michelin-starred. I only just discovered that when reading up about the Michelin Red Guide for this post hahaha.

And I DID visit a branch that was awarded the star, so it’s all legit here. You can read on without worry.

The place is also quite pok kind, NOTHING like what I thought a Michelin restaurant looked like.

Then I found out that:

The star symbols judge only what’s on the plate, meaning the quality of products, the mastering of flavors, mastering of cooking, personality of the cuisine, value for the money and the consistency of what the restaurant offers to its customers both throughout the menu and the year.

Ahhh. Now it all makes sense.
Maybe I can start looking at Michelin restaurants to visit in Japan! *hopeful*

Because the star – the Baked bun with BBQ pork – takes a while to bake, the others arrived first.

They all taste pretty standard, nothing to call home about. So we continue waiting for the star.

And this Zhen! Omg. Can fall asleep while waiting!

Seriously, everywhere we have to stop and wait, she falls asleep. On the train, waiting for food, in the taxi. Everywhere! 小姐，有那么累吗 T_T

And when she sees this photo, she surely ask why she looks so good even when sleeping. #notthickedskinned

Is the bun as good as they say?

YES. HELL YES.

We ordered extra servings because it was so delish. Even now I miss that crispy po-lo crust shell, contrasted against the tender, juicy BBQ meat inside.

And this is coming from a person who doesn’t even like or eat pork!!!

To me, of the dishes we tried, only the Baked bun with BBQ pork was truly outstanding. The rest were just standard dimsum fare.

We went to the Sham Shui Po branch on a weekday, about 4-ish pm and got seats immediately. The place was about… 70% full?

If in the area, the Baked buns are worth the visit.

Tim Ho Wan, the Dim-Sum Specialists 添好運點心專門店

G/F, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po
深水埗福榮街9-11號地下

View Larger Map

——————————

I know Tim Ho Wan also opened branches in Singapore, which generated long, snaking queues for quite a while. Ah, we Singaporeans are such suckers for food and hype!

The worst thing is… didja know that Tim Ho Wan in Singapore is NOT EVEN A MICHELIN-STARRED RESTAURANT?!?! People really have to get their facts right and stop falsely advertising it as such! *act knowledgeable after just a bit of googling*

NANNYNANNYPOOPOO all you people who got cheated and queued for hours! XD
(just let me do that, can? It’s my first time eating at a Michelin restaurant!)