Changman 常满

We wanted to explore more Dim Sum places in Johor Bahru and we read of Changman. By the time we cleared the jams at the causeway, its already tea time. Besides selling Hong Kong Dim Sum, Changman offers a variety ranging from Chicken Rice to Hor Fun too.

Chang Man

Mistakenly order the Avocado Juice as I thought it was Avocado milkshake and only to find out that they are actually offering a low sugar level Avocado Juice. Juice tasted a little creamy and was light in taste, not too bad though.

Teh C RM 2.00 & Avocado Juice (Low Sugar) - RM 6.00

Looked dry on the external but as the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover. These carrot cakes were crispy on the outside with a soft texture under the layer. Simply love the Carrot Cake and it went very well with the accompanied chilli.

Deep Fried Carrot Cake (3Pcs)

The Xiao Long Bao was something I looked forward to as they were served differently with each of them sitting on a mini aluminium tray. Be additional careful as the skin was rather thin and with soup bursting out of its case easily.

Xiao Long Bao (3 Pcs)

Besides the XLB, I will also give a vote to their chicken rice set. You can never get a set of chicken rice set with drumstick at this kind of pricing in Singapore.

Chicken Rice (1 Set) - RM 6.00

Poached chicken was yummy and drenched with sauce. Meat was tender and from its skin color, you can tell that kampung chicken was used.

Chicken

Char Siew Buns were soft and packed with sweet chopped Char Siew fillings.

Char Siew Bun (3Pcs)

The green buns were stuffed with yummy golden lava or "Liu Sha" was not too bad but the skin of the buns was kind of thick with buns lacking the oozing power from its fillings. Buns were soft but was not as fluffy.

Changman "Liu Sha" Bun (3 Pcs)

Rice Roll aka "Chee Cheong Fun" was smooth and silky, encasing a few prawns. Generous amount of soy sauce was added to elevate the taste. On top of serving them in a leaf shaped plate, greens were included as a side to make the presentation looks better.

Fresh Prawn Rice Roll

 For extra kick, add some chilli to it.

Fresh Prawn Rice Roll

"Har Kao" aka aka prawn dumplings were quite fragile in the sense that the prawns easily fell out from its translucent "casing".

Har Kao (3Pcs)

How can Har Kao exists without Siew Mai in the Dim Sum Fare? Well, they were never be left out in our orders. Siew Mai has a touch of orange crab roes and the meat was rather springy.

Crab Roe Siew Mai (4Pcs)

Overall it was quite an average fare and spread of food from Changman Dim Sum. I don't mind revisiting with other groups of friends.

Chang Man
Location: 24G, Jalan Bestari 5/2, Taman Nusa Bestari, Skudai, Johor Bahru

Chin Sin Huan Eating House Tim Sum & Pau

Our trip from the West to Jalan Batu was made more fruitful after visiting this coffeeshop. Can you imagine one of our well known Pau is hidden under the blocks? Well, I'm not aware of such until my pal told me about it!

Chin Sin Huan Eating House Tim Sum & Pau

Apparently, the coffeeshop only sells local noodles like Laksa, Lor Mee and prawn noodle, and with Tanjong Rhu Pau occupying almost half of the space. Empty boxes were stuck high up and there was aplenty of paus in the wooden trays too. The perpetual queue had given us further affirmation that we "die die" have to buy them back even though we just had our lunch.

Box for the Paus

Box containing Pau

Paus in Tray

Honey BBQ Pork Buns was cute in golf ball sizing and probably one can finish them in one mouthful. The savoury pork buns tasted more of our "Rou Gan" in its juiciest form. The BBQ fragrant was really convincing and you won't regret getting more of them.

Char Siew Pau - $0.70

Revealing the savoury fillings

The meat buns on the other hand were equally yummy! Besides having them in the right ratios of skin and fillings, I would say the combination of its soft sweet skin and the juicy meat triggered the tastebud and woke up my enormous appetite somehow. I could stop at just 1 pau even after a heavy lunch!

Chicken Pau - $1.40

Other Dim Sum items like Fan Choy, Lou Mai Kai are available too but too bad when we wanted to buy their Siew Mai, it was sold out. I will be back for more!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Chin Sin Huan Eating House Tim Sum & Pau
Location: 7 Jalan Batu #01-113 Singapore 431007

Enjoying Dim Sum

Just on a Sunday morning when most of us is still lazing at home under the comfortable shelter, we were already walking ups and downs in Ion Orchard before 11am, waiting for Taste Paradise business to be in operation. As usual, crowds were seen roaming about the main entrance even though dining is mainly due for reservations only. I walked up to the counter and indicated my presence with the ladies waiting my name to be called as I had made my reservations earlier on. This was my second visit but this time round with a purpose – to treat mum for her upcoming birthday. Interior was set to oriental chic design with an impressive feel of ancient elegance as we strolled into the restaurant guided by the well dressed ladies in grand Chinese suits. It had given us additional majestic feel with the greetings of the staff as we approached the dining area. Set in the opulence orange lighting trails with the domino placement of vertical wooden boards on its ceilings had illustrated a swishing tail of a dragon body.

The Light Trails

We were directed to a corner of the restaurant and have a bird-eye view of the place. Entire dining ambiance was made magnificence with its dragon’s utensils, table cloths and menu covered by golden fabric.

Utensils

Pickled vegetables (appetizers) were served with our beverages (Glutinous Rice Tea) and were promptly refilled by the waitresses. It tastes more towards “Tie Guan Yin” to me.
Cost: S$8.40

Xiao Long Bao with the proverbial flavorful soup that shoot and flows out of the delicate Bao skin. Though thin, it was moist and good enough to contain the soup as we picked it up by the tip (where you can find the thickest portion portion of skin throughout) noting the weight of the big chunk of minced meat within.
Cost: S$4.80 for 4

Xiao Long Bao

Chee Cheong Fun with Scallop. Savour the smooth, fine and thin rice roll with shredded chewy scallops wrapped within. Delicately made with fillings well contained without even breaking through the layers. Added with the light soy sauce and some hints of fragrance from the sesame oil, this version of steamed “intestine-liked” rice rolls are simply worth the taste buds.
Cost: S$6.20

Chee Cheong Fun with Scallop

BBQ Pork Pastries were simply heavenly. As the waitress doles out these freshly baked pastries in a plate of 3, these glossy looking golden pillows were seen flaky and delicate. As we bite, the red juicy BBQ pork fillings was packed to the fullest that every mouthful does have them within the pastries.
Cost: S$4.80 for 3

BBQ Pork Pastry

The perfect marriage of deep fried prawn and mango in a roll just never fail to disappoint. Mum had made the right choice!
Cost: S$5.60 for 3

Prawn and Mango Roll

It’s half time and I’m almost full. 2 Packets of Steam Glutinous Rice in Lotus Leaves, the classic “Lor Mai Kai” but with the “parcel” opening feel as we flipped up the lotus leaves, with the wonderful scent rushes into our senses. Tell me, it’s just hard to stop at this!
Cost: S$4.60 for 2

Steamed Glutinous Rice

Siew Mai was rather normal and did not have the “Wao” factor like the rest of the dim sum. I would prefer the meat to have a stronger meat taste as the roes added was a little salty for me.
Cost: S$5.80 for 4

Siew Mai

Har Gao, another common item that one will not miss when having dim sum. Up to the mark but not to die for.
Cost: S$5.80 for 4

Har Gao

Steamed Custard Buns is another noteworthy item that one cannot leave the restaurant without trying. Do not judge the overall just by its plain and ordinary white exterior, its seriously addictive especially when you hit the first bite – just like that molten lava, the golden custard flows out continuously.
Cost: S$8.40 for 3

Steamed Custard Bun

Whet your appetitie for more to come! XO Carrot Cake lends a nice soft texture within the crunchy sprouts and spring onions.
Cost: S$7.80

XO Carrot Cake

BBQ Combi with suckling Pig that strikes just the right punch of crunchy and juicy! It was irrestistible especially when the combi were barbaqued with a exceptional crisp. I just cant stop at one serving!

Cost: S$28.00

BBQ Combi with Suckling Pig

While almost every dishes was remarkable, even for its desserts, we couldn’t take our eyes off them. 3 of our desserts were exaggerating ! Check out in the video!

The Cooling Effect when we received our desserts
Just like enjoying a cup of avocado drink, Taste Paradise’s Avocado With Walnut Ice Cream was rich and creamy.
Cost: S$6.80

Likewise, Mango with Coconut Ice Cream standard were not that bad afterall. Cost: S$6.80

Lime with lemongrass was saltish yet refreshing. Quite refreshing to cleanse the palate after some major savoriness.
Cost: S$6.80

We were requested to do a survey on mini ipad to note that down.
With 10% of service charge and 7% of GST, it sums up to $127.12 for 3 pax.

Note:
(1) Appetizers cost are inclusive with the tea, therefore even if one omit the dishes, amount still remains the same.
(2) Reservations must be made in advance to avoid disappointments.
(3) Even Reservations were made, customers was given a fixed duration for each table.

The Michelin Star

Having awarded the Michelin star award, Tim Ho Wan has its status made prominent ever since it was first launched in Singapore last month and this explains why the dim-sum die-hearts are willingly queuing outside the restaurant despite of the long waiting time.

My second attempt to Tim Ho Wan was successful. My first was simply too long and I had gave up as waiting time is about 3 crazy hours. I had taken extra mile to be as early as 9am (an hour before the operating hours) on a sunday morning and I'm still not the first in queue, there are about 20 pax ahead of me.

The big 4 Heavenly Kings are highly recommended and right on top of the dinning menu.

A1. Steamed Egg Cake
This sponge like cake was absolutely fluffy with mild sweetness with steamed vapor evaporating.
Normally I dont really fancy cake like this but the bite is really awesome!
Cost: S$3.80

B5-S Prawn Dumplings (4Pcs)
are generally well fare. The springy prawns are encased in a filigree of fine and translucent wrap which goes very well with a dab of their specially made chilli.
Cost: S$5.50

E21 Congee with Lean Pork, Century Egg & Salted Egg
The mixture of eggs together with bits of Lean Pork Cubes are simply a tasty surprise among all Dim Sum Congee that I had tried so far.
Cost: S$4.80

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (4pcs)
With a eye shape wolf berry on the top of the Siew Mai has enhanced the colors of the presentation. Standard of siew mai are probably on par with the few well known dim sum restaurants in Singapore. However, they do have a slight yellow skin smell which is not in flavor for me.
Costs: S$5.00

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (3pcs)
This is the BEST of all and a DEFINITE MUST TRY. Soft crispy crust most probably drizzled with sugary butter gives the exterior a contemporary twist to the BBQ Pork Bun. The humble BBQ Pork was meaty and succulent with the BBQ Pork Sauce giving it depth and richness in flavour.
Dangerously Addictive snack with a winning combination of crispy and sweet! No wonder they limit 3pcs to each pax.
Cost:S$4.50

Pan Fried Carrot Cake (3 Pcs)
A very rich in raddish flavour carrot cake with little flour. Perfectly well steam to its fullness to achieve a meltingly soft radish all within the centre portion, not forgetting that the top pan fried layer are abit hard given off the charred outlook.
Cost: S$4.50

Barley
Almost sugarless and plain. Good thing is that this bland taste will not affect the taste of the dim sums.
Cost: S$2.00 per cup

Its quite considerate of the management staff as big fans were installed along the queuing corridors to prepare customers for their wait. It would be better if they do provide reservation and take-away service.

The Must TRY Hong Kong Dim Sum!

Food
Once we got an offered seat by the staff. We will need to get this from the counter and make our order, unfortunately, there were alot cross out (sold out) during my first visit.

Fish porridge is not too thick and not too watery. The amount of water content is alright. This bowl of century egg with chicken meat is delicious.

Fried "Fong Zhua" is one of my all time favourite order for DIm Sum. A slightly different taste from the typical ones, not too salty.

The XO Carrot cake is so soft till i thought I'm eating some gluey paste until I confirmed that it is their signature carrot cake. This is also one of the shop's recommendation.

Hong Kong Style Milk tea is quite trendy in the shop, they have a cup of ice tea chilled with a bowl of ices surrounding the tea. I find this quite interesting. The tea really reminds me of the Hong Kee's way of milk tea!

Fried dumplings with mayo is yammy too. It was served piping hot from the wok! Dip the fried dumplings into the sauce and it feels so heavenly.

Siew mai is moderate.

The signature dish - Yellow castard bun.Once you bite on it, the fillings will ooze out. This is very oily and creamy, I believe that they have over done their fillings, its too oily. Overall it still tastes good.

Service
Understaff. The queues are non stop and the turn over time is not that fast.

Ambience
Ambience is like what we have in a normal Hong Kong Cha Chang Ting. Tables were shared and withnarrow walkways.

Price
Pricing is relatively fine as compared to its competitor.