Fong Mei Dim Sum Lo Bak Gou

I was planning to have lunch at Yoke Heng when I stumbled upon Fong Mei Dim Sum, a restaurant I hadn't noticed before. Intrigued by the unexpected find, I decided to give it a try.

I ordered a variety of dishes to get a good sense of their offerings: siew mai, har mai (this was an accidental order - we had wanted har gao), char siew bao, HK chee cheong fun, fish paste soup, and a fried lo bak gou.

The steamed dim sum were quite average. While the siew mai were freshly made at the shop itself, the texture and flavour was off. The filling felt like a paste and while prawns were added to give it a sweetness, it didn't appeal to me. The har mai tasted like a Japanese crab stick. The HK chee cheong fun was too thick for my liking, which detracted from the typically delicate texture of this dish.

The char siew bao was a bit dry, and the char siew filling lacked the caramelized flavour that usually gives it a sweet and savoury depth.

The fish paste soup, added as an afterthought, turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The soup itself was tasty, and the fish paste, enhanced with Tung Choy, had a nice texture and taste that elevated the dish.

The highlight of the meal was undoubtedly the fried lo bak gou, or turnip cake. It wasn't overly oily, and the texture was spot on – firm but not hard from over frying. The flavour was great, making it the standout dish of the meal.

While Fong Mei Dim Sum had some hits and misses, it was a decent experience. For example, their siew mai starts at RM7. Our total bill for 2 pax was RM52. There often is queue on weekends. Their prices is perhaps what draws many to them.

What you do when there's a queue is to take a number and wait for them to call you to be seated. If you're in the area and looking for a quick dim sum fix, it might be worth a try, but don't set your expectations too high.