A 30-year-old Hong Kong-style dim sum house: savory snacks and a luxurious afternoon tea that cuts through richness and hits the right notes

Photos and text byMIKA’s Foodie Adventures

Sometimes you really crave that Hong Kong flavor, and when I got an invitation to try Dahda Teahouse’s Hong Kong–style afternoon tea, I didn’t hesitate—I grabbed a friend and headed right over. Dahda Teahouse has five branches across Taipei, central, and southern Taiwan. I’ve been to their Taichung branch before and found the food to be refined Cantonese cuisine at an affordable price—definitely a favorite. With over 30 years of history, Dahda Teahouse offers attentive tableside ordering service, and its Cantonese dishes are made to order, adhering to a tradition of handmade preparation. Its thoughtful service and exquisite Hong Kong–style cuisine have long been beloved by Taiwanese.

The New Taipei Yonghe branch is located right across from Dingxi MRT Station—super convenient.

The dining room floor is covered with a red floral carpet, while the tables and chairs feature a lavish golden palace style, giving off an extremely festive and elegant vibe.

The attentive tableside ordering service may seem ordinary, but because the servers are all friendly and experienced ladies, they offer lots of great suggestions and answer every question. They really know their stuff when it comes to each dish.

The menu is beautifully designed as well.

Hong Kong–style afternoon tea: NT$499 per person + 10% service charge
Only available at the New Taipei Yonghe branch. Time slot: Monday to Friday, 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Hong Kong–style afternoon tea set:
Choose one popular main: Dry-fried beef hor fun, Chinese broccoli preserved meat fried rice, Singapore-style fried rice vermicelli, preserved egg and lean pork congee.
Choose three Hong Kong–style dim sum: Bursting custard buns / Oyster sauce BBQ pork buns / Egg yolk lotus seed paste buns / Western-style beef meatballs / Glutinous rice pearl meatballs / Black bean spare ribs / Steamed vegetarian dumplings / Milk-flavored Malay cake / Oyster sauce chicken feet / Treasure-filled cake / Lotus seed sesame balls / Deep-fried water chestnut strips / Chives spring rolls / Chicken and salted vegetable dumplings / Golden lotus seed buns / Honey-glazed BBQ pork puff / Preserved meat radish cake / Coconut red bean cake / Coconut sago dessert / White fungus and lotus seed sweet soup.
Choose one Hong Kong–style flavored dish: Portuguese-style cabbage, mushroom oyster sauce Chinese broccoli, shredded chili fermented tofu broccoli, kissing fish amaranth.
Choose one selected tea: Pu’er tea / Jasmine tea / Oolong tea / Tieguanyin.

Jasmine tea
Simply put, jasmine tea is a type of scented tea made with jasmine flowers. It’s a fully oxidized tea with a floral aroma, light and smooth on the palate, with a lingering floral aftertaste that pairs perfectly with dim sum.

Oyster sauce chicken feet
Dahda Teahouse’s oyster sauce steamed chicken feet, a recipe passed down for over 30 years, are first deep-fried then braised using a traditional method. Slow-braising with oyster sauce makes the chicken feet tender yet firm, with a slight separation between skin and bone for a Q-textured bite. The glossy red color looks appetizing and delicious.

Soft but not mushy, the skin separates easily from the meat, making it easy to eat. You can taste the aroma of the oyster sauce and the gelatinous texture of the chicken feet.

Chives spring rolls
The spring roll wrappers are crispy and golden, still slightly hot when you bite into them—the warmth makes the filling taste even sweeter.

The wrappers are thin and crispy, and the filling is rich, including shrimp. Dip it in the special sauce for a mildly spicy, salty, and delicious kick.

Dry-fried beef hor fun (substitute pork, medium spicy)
Dahda Teahouse’s dishes can actually be customized. For example, since I don’t eat beef and love spice, I just had to ask, and they changed it to pork with added spice—and wow, the salty-spicy flavor was really bold, and the pork was delicious, tender yet juicy. The hor fun itself is thick, flavorful, soft, and Q-textured, with the umami of oyster sauce.

Chicken and salted vegetable dumplings
These small, cute oval-shaped salted vegetable dumplings are filled with savory, delicious meat.

Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, with a slight numbing spice | The wrapper is crispy, the filling juicy, and the overall taste is very satisfying.

Shredded chili fermented tofu broccoli
I realized broccoli is actually cauliflower—I’ve always loved cauliflower. The fermented tofu, however, was different from what I expected. It was lighter in flavor, slightly thickened with a starchy texture, and had a delicate fermented tofu aroma. It tasted refreshing and not at all greasy.

I also ordered an additional spring-inspired dim sum dish: shredded radish pastry.

Shredded Radish Pastry
The flaky pastry crust is thin, crispy, and layered, with a generous coating of white sesame seeds on the bottom, giving off a rich aroma.

Unlike regular shredded radish pastries, the radish here is blended into a paste, resulting in a thick, sweet-and-salty texture. It has the natural sweetness of radish, with a crispy exterior and a soft, tender, sweet interior. It’s really unique—such a special preparation that leaves a deep impression and makes you want to keep eating more. Even now, I still find myself nostalgic about it~

Tired of sweet desserts and afternoon tea?
How about trying a Hong Kong-style savory dim sum for a luxurious afternoon tea experience, paired with hot tea to cut through the richness and perfectly complement the flavors.

Affordable yet refined and delicious Hong Kong-style afternoon tea—highly recommended ^^

【Da Da Tea House – Yonghe Branch, New Taipei】
Address: 5F, No. 116, Section 2, Yonghe Rd., Yonghe District, New Taipei City (next to Exit 1 of Dingxi MRT Station)
Business Hours: 11:00 – 22:00
Phone: 02-6637-5959
Parking Info: 1 hour free with a minimum spending of NT$1,000
Official Website:http://www.dadatea.com.tw/home.php

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MIKA’s Foodie Travel Journal