Eden Dim Sum City, Kepong

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[Non-halal] We checked out Eden Dim Sum City in Kepong upon a friend’s recommendation. 

We don’t know about you – but a proper dim sum (or yum cha as they call it in Aus, HK and US) is something we sorely miss during the lockdown. 

There’s just something about the bustle of dim sum trays being offered from table to table, as patrons wash down the delectable morsels with Chinese tea. Eating dim sum at home just doesn’t compare.

Two ways to enjoy dim sum in Malaysia

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Before we go on, we need to mention we are no connoisseurs of dim sum. We don’t eat dim sum very often but the cravings for a good siu mai and har gao do happen occasionally. 

Hence, we never really had a favourite place for dim sum. 

Here in Malaysia – dim sum is mainly served in two types of restaurants.

The first type is the casual, open-air restaurants (such as Eden Dim Sum City) where the experience is more laid-back and informal.

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The second is in proper Cantonese banquet halls (such as Noble Mansion by the Oriental Group) which showcases classic Cantonese dishes in addition to dim sum plates. These banquet halls often serve dim sum in the morning, while dinnertime is catered to Chinese wedding receptions or family/corporate events.

The space is generally spacious with proper service and air-conditioning. Naturally, the dim sum is also priced higher.

Eden Dim Sum City – the best in Kepong?

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In searching for the best dim sum restaurant, our friend recommended Eden Dim Sum City in Kepong. 

In our experience, there are no ‘perfect’ dim sum restaurants. As these establishments offer an array of dim sum dishes on their menu – it is unlikely that every dish will be exceptional.

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Hence, our criteria for a good dim sum joint is this:-

• What we consider the three core dishes of dim sum – siu mai, har gao, fish ball – must not be disappointing.
• There must be at least one key signature dish that is truly outstanding. This dish must outshine all competitors in town and is a “must order”.
• Excellent, prompt service and prices that are marked to quality. 
• A good variety is not a criteria for us, as long as they get the fundamental dishes right. 

So, did Eden Dim Sum City meet our criteria? Let’s find out! 

Criteria one – The trinity of dim sum dishes!

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Make no mistake – any regular dim sum patrons have their own “standard orders” for yum cha.

For us, the litmus test for a good dim sum restaurant is how well they make the three core dishes as mentioned above. 

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Siu Mai (燒賣) – These were meaty and juicy with no weird alkaline taste. We thought the prawns can be bouncier and the fish roe on top is slightly underwhelming. Overall, slightly better than average. 

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Har Gao (虾饺) – These were excellent! The prawns were fresh, succulent, and juicy. The skin was thin enough and retained the fillings well.

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Fishball (鱼丸) – The fish balls were juicy with a good and bouncy texture. It also had sufficient fish taste. The shredded fu chuk bits were a nice touch.

Overall, we were pretty pleased with their core dishes. Definitely warrants the ticket price. 

Criteria two – Key signature dishes 

Now comes the exciting part. There were a few signature dishes that we enjoyed.

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Clam Dumplings – These immediately caught our eye when we saw them on the tray. The clam meat was mixed with the paste before they were steamed inside their shells. We enjoyed these! The paste was juicy and fragrant. The steaming process definitely infused the paste with clam essence. We like the addition of carrots and spring onions. Great stuff! 

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Spare Ribs with Yam – Spare ribs is one of our favourite orders for yum cha. We enjoyed their version here as the ribs were tender and flavourful thanks to the addition of black beans and cut chilli. The addition of yam was simply delicious. 

What we enjoyed

Aside from the above, we ordered a few “essential items” for us. Here’s what we enjoyed. 

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Woo Kok (芋角) – These yam puffs were good! The skin was crispy but not greasy. We liked the generous portion of yam and filling. A must order. 

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Chee Cheong Fun – The flat noodles were smooth with a nice sweet-spicy kick from the sambal. The char siew is on the sweeter side. We like that it was not overcooked. The soy sauce was mildly savoury and sweet. 

What was average 

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Radish Cake (萝卜糕) – This was pretty average in our books.

Fried Lo Bak Ko – Essentially the stir-fry version of the above – we thought the dish was a bit too sweet for us and lacked “wok hei”. 

What we didn’t like

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Char Siew Bao – While the filling was tasty, the portion was too small. We’ll skip this next time.

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Creamy Custard Bun – Similarly, the lava portion was too little and it did not “flow” out when opened. 

Fish Paste in Fuchuk – This was the most underwhelming dish. The paste was underseasoned and the fried beancurd was pretty bland.

Service and comfort 

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Service was very prompt with trays coming around every 5-10 minutes or so. The place was also comfortable as it is open-air with a good distance between tables. The restaurant is also well-lit and clean.

Verdict 

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Would we come back? Yes – if we are in the area.

Eden had enough well-executed dishes to warrant a return visit. In particular, we would definitely order the siu mai, har gao, fish ball, clam dumplings, spare ribs and woo kok. 

Prices range from RM5.00 (for medium plate) to RM5.70 (for large plate) and RM7.30 (for special dim sum). 

Our meal cost RM84.70 (including taxes) to comfortably feed three people to last us from brunch until tea time. 

Where is your favourite?

Where are your favourite dim sum places?

A lot of our IG followers recommended Foo Hing in Puchong and to order their egg tarts. 

Other recommendations include Yuen Garden, Oriental Pavilion, and Yun House. 

Check out our IG page below and look for the “Dim Sum Rec” story highlights for recommendations by our friends on IG. 

Follow us on Instagram for the latest food adventures and recipes.

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Learn how to make siu mai

Want to learn to make siu mai? Check out our recipe below.

• King Siu Mai recipe

King Siew Mai 燒賣 [Recipe]

• We also used the same prawn paste to make Fried Siew Kow. Check out the recipe below.

Fried sui kow 水饺 [Recipe]

What else to eat in Kepong?

Check out the link below for more food recommendations in Kepong.

• What to eat in Kepong?

Where is Eden Dim Sum City?

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Eden Dim Sum City
Address: Jalan 9/62a, Bandar Sri Menjalara, 52200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 7am-11.30pm Daily (7am-5pm on Sundays)
Phone: 012-350 5269
Website: https://www.facebook.com/EdenMenjalara/