"High Class" Dim Sum at Crown Princess

When Crown Princess first opened in downtown Toronto, I wasn't sure of the authenticity of the food and was less intrigued as I was under the impression that it was pricey. After hearing positive reviews, I decided to give it a try instead of resorting to the usual Chinatown joint.

Har Gow    蝦餃皇     $5.30

Although known as the classic dish in dimsum, shrimp dumplings, or "har gows", have never been much of a favourite to me. However, I thought these were pretty good since the skin was thin and chewy, with big fat juicy shrimp wrapped inside.

Pan Fried Turnip Cake   經典煎蘿蔔糕  $4.30

I was most disappointed by the turnip cake. It tasted rather bland and had very few pieces of meat in it. This was definitely not on par with what I expected from this restaurant.

Vegetable and Pork Dumpling Chiu Chow Style  潮汕粉粿皇  $4.30

The vegetable and pork dumpling was the dish that I enjoyed the most. The skin was chewy and the filling was flavourful with a good amount of veggies and minced pork.

Goose Liver and Caviar Siu Mai   黑魚子鵝肝醬燒賣  $6.30

The siu mai here were unlike the usual ones as they contained goose liver and caviar. I'm a huge fan of goose liver, but to my surprise, I did not enjoy this siu mai that much. I didn't think the taste of shrimp went well with the caviar and goose liver. I think I would've much preferred just the good ol' shrimp siu mai instead.

Spare Rib with Black Bean Sauce  蒜香雙鼓蒸肉排  $3.10

For me, you can never go wrong with spare ribs at dimsum. The meat was tender and chewy and I had to stop myself from finishing the entire thing!

Steamed Milk Pudding with Ginger Juice
滋潤養顏薑汁燉奶  $5.30

I was extremely delighted when I saw this item on the menu! The pudding tasted very rich and the texture was very soft and milky. The punch of ginger juice was a nice touch and didn't overpower the milky taste. 

Mango Pudding  香芒布丁  $4.30

The mango pudding was a cute surprise and it seems to me that it has become a "signature" dish here. Whenever we come across a fish shaped mango pudding, we know it's from Crown Princess! The taste, however, wasn't anything too special but was still pleasant. 

 

Although the decor and the cutlery did give off a "high class" vibe, the dining experience was rather not. The restaurant was not as crowded as Chinatown, but the waiters and waitresses were less responsive, or "sing mok", as some would say.

Taste: ★★★★☆

Environment: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★☆☆

Price: $$$

Crown Princess Fine Dining
1033 Bay Street
Toronto, ON
http://crown-princess.ca/