Hand in Hand Beijing Restaurant

And my personal pick, being the sweet-tooth that I am, was the Chinese Taro in Hot Toffee ($12/small). Well-executed, the dessert is made to order and presented at the table with the staff separating each piece coated by the molten syrup by dunking them into ice water - creating a crystalised shell and then sprinkled with sesame seeds. Grant with a choice of Yam or Sweet Potatoes, we had the former and it was so good. The tender bite of yam is accompanied by the caramel sweetness of the crunchy exterior. Hence, I would highly recommend all to order this to end off your meal. Think a warm, glossy, honeyed glaze coupled with the natural earthiness of the root vegetable.

On a roll, their rendition of the classic Xiao Long Bao or as known on their menu as Baozi Stuffed with Juicy Pork in Bamboo Steamer ($5/Small, $8/Medium) were definitely crowd pleasers. Wrapped in respectably thin dumpling skins, the staple dish was slightly larger that those I was familiar with and that was really a plus point in my books. With the increase in size, there were more broth and ingredients in each mouthful - the proportion of each element just right. The soup itself was lip-smacking, light and fresh-tasting.

Thin and beautifully crisp, the Fried Dumplings with Leek, Pork and Shrimp ($7.80) were a tad greasy in my opinion yet oh-so-good! The minced meat filling being both savoury and fragrant. Love that you get the satisfying crackle from the lattice and the silky smooth skin of the dumplings. The hint of sweetness from the plump chunks of shrimps as you bit into the juicy packages were icing on the cake. Do note to eat it while it’s hot.

Packed with a good number of Japanese expats on a weekday evening, Hand in Hand Beijing’s items certainly appeared to appeal to their palate; and after our meal it was safe to say that we were on the same page. For starters, we had the Steam Chicken with Chilli Sauce ($7.80/ Small) which was a hit at the table though I found certain parts a little dry. It was mildly spicy but the tantalizing heat was pleasant and addictive. The flavours wasn’t too heavy and worked out as a chilled teaser to whet our appetite for what were to come next.

This was delicious, with its fiery numbing spicy broth.
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The slices of catfish were tender and soft, but held up well without breaking, and the flavour is devoid of any muddy taste, instead carrying the infusion of sweet spicy notes.
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The portion is huge though, and suitable for sharing between 4 people.
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Shou La Shou / Hand In Hand
More details in profile & blog

A showpiece dessert that is well executed and delicious.
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Part performance art, this features chunks of yam / taro, coated in extremely hot, molten toffee syrup.
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Presented tableside, staff then separate each piece and dunk them into ice cold water, creating a crystalised shell around the yam / taro chunks.
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Bite in, and you get a warm crunch of the sticky honeyed sweet shell, followed by the tender bite of the yam / taro, releasing its earthy sweet flavour.
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Because this dessert can only be made to order, there's a lengthy preparation time of about 15 minutes; best to call for it just before you finish your last dish.
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Shou La Shou / Hand In Hand
More details in profile & blog