Grab your chopsticks! It’s time for your dim sum fix.
Do you feel the excitement when pushcarts carrying towering bamboo steamers are heading towards you? Dim sum carts are a usual sight in Chinese restaurants. Open the bamboo baskets and the choices seem limitless – siomai, hakaw, kikiam, shark’s fin dumpling, siopao, and many more! Steamed or fried, these bite size treats truly make every table drool-worthy.
The ongoing community quarantine has made it difficult to for us to enjoy most of our comfort food. Whether you want a light snack or a heavy meal, dim sum could be the perfect choice. The good thing is – sellers of these frozen delights are everywhere. Thanks to the internet, your favorite dim sum can be delivered to your doorstep in no time. You just have to do some steaming at home and in about fifteen minutes, you’re ready to dig in!
After days of search, we’ve found a seller with raving reviews online: Shiok Shack PH. We’ve gone through the menu, photos, recommendations and comments. And so the next logical thing to do is to try ’em!
Siomai or shumai is considered the most popular dim sum in the Philippines. You’d find an overwhelming number of kiosks and stalls selling this popular treat everywhere.
The first thing one can notice is that Shiok Shack PH’s version of siomai is humongous! The size is relatively bigger than the usual ones available in the market. For a group of foodies who have gone to almost every Chinese restaurant trying out every dim sum available, our approval when it comes to siomai boils down to the lean meat and fat ratio. And we are certain, Shiok Shack PH got it right! We love its “chunky-meaty-juicy-goodness” in every bite! The meat flavor tastes as real as it could get! And it’s an indication that no extenders were used.
Shiok Shackn PH’s hakaw is a thing of beauty. The almost translucent wrapper does not water down when steamed. One thing hakaw lovers like us want in our basket of these shrimp-filled gems is that they are served al dente. The fillings are an explosion of flavors! Though there is so much going on, you can still enjoy the familiar taste profile and texture of steamed shrimps – shrimpy, slightly sweet, and delicate. Just how hakaw in Chinese restaurants should taste like.
Kikiam is another popular street food in Manila. For the more discriminating palates, finding the authethic kikiam means going to Chinese restaurants or heading to the eateries and food stalls in Binondo. Finding siomai online is easy, but kikiam? It’s a grind! Thankfully, Shiok Shack PH also sells this crave-worthy dim sum. Their version of kikiam reminds us of the authentic ngohiong (Well, they’re pretty much the same!). The minced pork, fish, and vegetables are perfectly seasoned! We love that is wrapped in tau pe (soybean wrapper) because it gets really crispy when fried.
Your dim sum experience wouldn’t be complete without the Chili Garlic Sauce. Putting a little fire on top of your dim sum makes the experience more delightful! For us though, we love it when our dim sum is drenched in chili garlic sauce. Or better yet, we pour a great amount of chili sauce onto our toyomansi! Shiok Shack PH’s Chili Garlic Sauce allows us to do that because it’s got the perfect balance of garlic and chili. It complements more that it overpowers any dim sum!
Thinking about dim sum? We’re highly recommending Shiok Shack PH! Ready to order? Check out the menu below for the introductory prices.
| Siomai Pack | 20 pcs | P459 |
| Hakaw Pack | 8 pcs | P399 |
| Kikiam Pack | 4 pcs | P399 |
| Chili Garlic Sauce | 1 bottle | P250 |
For updates and promos, please follow Shiok Shack PH’s social media accounts: