Ms Skinnyfat

Like I said I would, I headed back to Kai Garden for their Dimsum because that Pan Fried Charcoal Pork Bun ($6.80 for 3pcs) induced tears of joy when I first sampled it. Oh and that Peking Duck is another tear jerker (read my previous Kai Garden review here).

Dimsum is available every afternoon, along with their a la carte dishes and set lunches. Despite the generally dead crowd in Marina Square, Kai Garden was packed with dimsum loving people dining in the natural light washed dining hall with a view of the Marina area.

I like to start my dimsum meal with some steamed goodness and the Steamed Cheong-fun with prawns and chives ($7.80) awakened our palates with succulent prawns wrapped in the fluffy rice flour rolls, doused with a light sweet soy.

The Steamed Prawn Dumpling ($6.50 for 4pcs) is often used to determine the standard of dimsum at any Chinese restaurant and as far as this goes, i was very happy. The chunky prawns and sweet seafood broth were held perfectly in that translucent skin. Give the Steamed Scallop Dumpling with Abalone ($9.80) a miss unless you are into super bland dumplings that well.. don't taste much of anything.

I love my traditional Cantonese carrot cake and this Wok-Fried Carrot Cake in X.O. sauce ($9.80) was super addictive. It's even better when you eat it with the housemade chili paste. 

Something special to order at Kai Garden is the Pan-fried Pork Dumpling ($8.80 for 4pcs) 烧卖. These are giant bites of chunky minced pork topped with ebiko. Honestly i would go with steamed because the wanton skin isn't exactly best prepared pan fried and the crust turned out to be a little dry. Well i guess maybe the photo opp makes up for it? Hur.

Chef does the char siew super well btw. The dark charred honey BBQ meat had gorgeous layers of rendered fats, plus the meat was simply tender! Is this the best char siew in Singapore??! 

I also cannot stop raving about the stellar Baked BBQ Honey Pork Pastry ($5.60 for 3pcs) 叉烧酥. That buttery pastry was so thin, flaky, and crunchy, which I found unbelievably good! Of course, it was packed with all the char siew (less fats in this one). It's been a while since i last had such delicious char siew sor. 

Kai Garden's other sweet dimsum signature is the Steamed Custard Bun ($5.80 for 4pcs) or Liu Sha Bao. I liked the viscosity of the golden lava but found it to be a tad sweet. Balance that and up the notch of the saltiness and this would be a bigger hit.

My other sweet favorites include the Chilled Aloe Vera and Lemongrass Jelly ($6.80) and Chilled Coconut Puree ($6.80). Both of them provide a cold and refreshing end to the meal. 

Kai Garden is a great addition to my dimsum list with some really stellar hits that i would die for. Will definitely be back!

Kai Garden

#03-128A/B Marina Square

Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039594

Tel: +65 6250 4826

Weekdays: 11.30am - 3.30pm, 6 - 11pm

Weekends & PH: 11am - 4pm