Infused with local ingredients and flavors – these 4 Hong Kong dim sum dishes are only available at Tim Ho Wan in Taiwan

▲ Tim Ho Wan founders Master Mak Kwai Pui and Master Leung Fai Keung, along with Taiwan Tim Ho Wan Executive Chef Chef Li Yilong, announce the Taiwan-exclusive new dishes. (Photo / Provided by Heyi Lifestyle Group, the same applies below)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, Master Mak Kwai Pui, founder of Tim Ho Wan, visited Taiwan once again. He incorporated impressive Taiwanese ingredients into Taiwan-exclusive new dishes, also serving as a warm-up for the third anniversary of Tim Ho Wan’s launch in Taiwan. These four Taiwan-limited dim sum dishes are Three-Cup Chicken Dumplings, Glutinous Rice Pork Balls, Crispy Taro Skin Rolls, and Mentaiko Braised Pork French Toast. They are expected to be launched simultaneously at all Tim Ho Wan branches across Taiwan in early April.

Tim Ho Wan founder Master Mak Kwai Pui said that among these four Taiwan-exclusive new dishes, his favorite is the Crispy Taro Skin Roll. For a long time, he felt that taro skin rolls were missing a certain flavor. While developing the new Taiwan dishes, he carefully selected locally grown Taiwanese taro as an ingredient. Adding it to the taro skin roll brought out a fragrant and sweet taste, completing the ideal flavor profile he had envisioned.

Regarding the development of the new dishes, Master Mak pointed out that he doesn’t go out of his way to source special vegetables or ingredients just for the sake of creating new dishes. The inspiration for these new dishes comes from memorable ingredients he has tasted during his travels around the world. Mak also mentioned that he loves Taiwanese sweet potatoes, which he believes are the best in the world—even better than those in Japan. Additionally, he thinks wax apples, a fruit unique to Taiwan, could also be tried in Hong Kong-style dim sum.


▲ Glutinous Rice Pork Balls

Glutinous Rice Pork Balls (NT$108)
The dish symbolizes reunion and celebration. Ground pork is mixed into a filling to form balls, which are then coated in glutinous rice and steamed, hence the name Glutinous Rice Pork Balls. Watercress is used as a base to enhance flavor and nutritional value. The top is garnished with the traditional Chinese medicinal herb – goji berries – to elevate aroma and presentation.


▲ Mentaiko Braised Pork French Toast

Mentaiko Braised Pork French Toast (NT$138)
This dish combines the classic Taiwanese home-cooked dish “Braised Pork” with the French toast (also known as pain perdu), a typical Hong Kong-style dim sum known for being deep-fried until crispy—usually served as a sweet treat. Master Mak Kwai Pui fuses Taiwanese and Hong Kong street food staples into the “Braised Pork French Toast.” The French toast is stuffed with braised pork, deep-fried until golden brown, and served with fish roe salad dressing. The French toast itself was selected after Chef Li Yilong tasted over ten different types of bread, finally finding a suitable one from a bakery in southern Taiwan.


▲ Crispy Taro Skin Rolls

Crispy Taro Skin Rolls (NT$108)
Taro is in season year-round in Taiwan and can be prepared in both sweet and savory variations. Master Mak first stir-fries shredded taro with a savory filling, then wraps it in bean curd skin and deep-fries it until golden.


▲ Three-Cup Chicken Dumplings

Three-Cup Chicken Dumplings (NT$128)
Three-Cup Chicken is another well-known Taiwanese flavor and one of the best-selling dishes in stir-fry restaurants. The three-cup cooking method involves simmering the main ingredient until the sauce is reduced, with ginger and basil adding the final touch of flavor. Master Mak ingeniously combines this deeply rooted Taiwanese hometown flavor with pan-fried buns. With one bite, you can taste the signature three-cup flavor.