Dim Sum @ Low Yong Moh, Jalan Tukang Emas, Malacca

Dim sum is universally adored and the Malaccan food scene is no different. Sure we have nyonya food and this blog has been advocating the unsung hero of Malaccan humble grub, which is its noodles. Yet, dim sum still comes to mind when it comes to the everyman's indulgence.

A view from the inside

Along the historic and scenic streets of Jonker, lies Low Yong Moh. It is a quaint dim sum shop which has a lot of old school vibe. Being surrounded by various places of worship and other pre-war buildings, it does feel like a time capsule. This place serves dim sum on the daily (except Tuesdays) and the crowd can be very intense in the morning.

The morning platter

I ordered a few fried items, a few steamed ones and a char siew pao. To cap it all off, I had a cup of coffee as additional fortification. I normally avoid places nearby tourist spots as the food does get a bit overrated and overpriced. But I think I should reserve my judgment until I try the whole she-bang eh? The place was loaded with tourists, especially Singaporeans. How do I know? Constant talking about conversion rates are a dead giveaway. Still, it has a nice vibe to it and a little electricity from the crowd in the air.

This was actually very good.

So how was it? Lets go with the best ones first. The zhi ma zhou (fried sesame balls) were a real show stopper. Instead of the usual lotus or red bean paste, this was loaded with peanut butter. But not the store bought kind. The granules of the nuts were present and it was a clash of sweet and salty. And the filling was being held on together by butter. So its peanut butter made with butter. The outer crust was crunch and golden brown. The mochi skin still had some bite and was slightly sweet. This drew first blood thats for sure.

A tasty treat. 

The char siew pao was surprisingly good also. The exterior is supple and moist, yet it held onto the fillings rather easily. The inner meaty contents were well seasons and the meat was flaky and soft to the touch. The outer skin felt like a tough pillow, and in a good way. And the combined elements gave this bun a good variety of texture.

Meh.

Sadly, the rest seem to be mediocre. The siew mai average at best. It felt like a meatball that has been fit into a dumpling wrapper. If it was a meat ball, it would have been amazing. But it is not, so I would have to compare it to various dim sum experiences I had before. It still does the trick and its well seasoned. The daikon cake was ok but it was a little too tough for my liking. it had a lot of shrimp though, which is always a plus point. But the texture felt like I was biting into pancake that was a week old, despite tasting fresh. A bit of a disappointment as the flavour was spot on.

Looks very pretty, but looks alone doesn't maketh the dumpling

The same can be said about the har kao, or prawn dumplings. This to be fair, is a hard dish to master. Some restaurants even shy away from this. However, if it is served in front of me, I would take it and consider it accordingly. The skin felt droopy and a little tough. How tough? Slightly noodle-like if you ask me. A shame really, because again, the filling was not too bad.  And the prawns were fresh. And do not get me going on the coffee, which is a pre-packed kopi-O in a teabag. It was such a scene, that I did not even bother give it a shot for itself.

The outer fringes. And as you can see, a crowd is forming, waiting for seats inside. 

Yet, you really cannot beat the convenience, especially if you need a pick me up or a full blown meal before walking around the ancient streets of Malacca Town. And the food I had totaled to RM16.10, so its not too bad price wise. And this shop has its charm. However, if you deliberately want to come to this place to have dim sum, you would probably get something better elsewhere. At least it is not as bad as Ming Court in Ipoh. #shotsfired.

Still, its still a decent place for some food and a light breakfast. Fancy a go? The address is as follows:

32, Jalan Tukang Emas, 75200 Melaka