Chiuchow Garden Restaurant (Infinitus Plaza)

Dim sum again???  Yah, too much of a good thing right?  Since we were in Hong Kong, it is as common as finding bacon & eggs in Vancouver.  Well, it really wasn't our idea this time, rather it was Viv's great-aunt's idea.  Hey, when they are treating, they are allowed to make all the decisions!  We ended up meeting her at Chiuchow Garden near the Sheung Wan MTR station.  This was a perfect meeting place due to convenience.

We had the basics including the Ha Gau (Shrimp Dumpling) and Siu Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings).  Although on the smaller side, the ha gau were pretty decent featuring a medium-thick dumpling skin which was chewy and elastic.  The filling consisted mostly of larger chunks of shrimp which were meaty with only a light snap.  Mixed into it was bamboo shoots which were mild-tasting, but there was definitely an aftertaste.  As for the siu mai, they were pretty good with bouncy pork and a noticeable amount of shrimp and shiitake.  It was well-seasoned with a balanced amount of sweet and saltiness.

Although the BBQ Pork Buns didn't looked like the blistered steamed version, it still ate like one.  However, there was much more bun than filling.  Due to the shape of the bun, it was more on the denser side.  As for the filling, it was mostly lean pork that was bathed in a sweet glaze that could've used more savouriness.  We also go the Sticky Rice Buns which were not actually buns at all.  Rather, they were encased with a thin wheat wrapper.  This was a good thing as it meant the starchiness was kept to a minimum.  Inside, the sticky rice was chewy and nutty with enough seasoning including the preserved sausage.

Normally, my son would be turned off at the thought of Spring Rolls without shrimp, but he didn't mind these ones consisting of pork only.  However, I found the pork a bit mealy and dry.  It was also rather mild-tasting and in need of the Worchestershire sauce on the side.  I liked the outside though as it was crunchy and not greasy.  We had to order the Chiu Chow Duck (due to the type of cuisine) and it was not bad.  The duck was fairly tender and mild-tasting while the skin was a bit fatty.  It did have a decent braising liquid which was sweet and lightly salty.  I particularly enjoyed the fried tofu underneath where it soaked up the braising liquid.

Two more usual Dim Sum dishes were the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) and Steamed Pork Spareribs.  Garlicky and aggressively seasoned, the chicken feet were plump and featured a well-fried skin.  Underneath, the cartilage was just a touch firm while the tendons were soft.  I really enjoyed the spareribs as they were super garlicky and well-seasoned.  Texturally, they were on point with a meaty chew while having the desired rebound.  Most pieces were meaty and the rib portions.  Underneath, the taro helped soak up all the flavours.

Featuring a semi-thick rice noodle, the Donut Rice Noodle Roll was okay.  I found the spread of green onions to be inconsistent where one piece was inundated. The texture of the noodle was soft but a bit floury while the donut was on the denser side and not crispy.  Overall, we found the Dim Sum service at Chiuchow Garden to be decent and certainly serviceable.  Sure, it was chosen due to convenience, but we went away satisfied.

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Super spacious

The Bad:
- Service was okay but hard to flag down
- Expensive