The whole dim sum journey would not have been complete without mentioning the tea session. We were seated by the enchanting moss garden in the centre court of Bao Teck Tea House with sunlight streaming in. We had a taste of the first generation Liu Bao Tea (Reserve year of 2018). The tea preparation and ritual itself was therapeutic and fascinating. We loved the mellow bitter taste of the tea, fragrant with a hint of bitterness towards the end.
Originally known as Ming Xiang Tai Pastry Shop, this laid the foundation for Bao Teck Tea House which was established in 2020. The memorial tea house was named after the owner Au Meng Kit’s father, Au Chee Teck, whose nickname was “Bao Teck”.
The tea house’s tagline of “Good time with you” holds a deeper meaning as it also infers to the relationship between father and son, and the fond memories of the time spent together.
We also had the Deep Fried Series that consisted of a golden sesame ball, glutinous rice ball filled with salted egg, crispy yam puff with crispy skin and BBQ pork fillings, and a “money bag” filled with prawns; every single one was scrumptious.
Upon stepping into the tea house, we were literally transported to a misty paradise. The green theme with the mossy landscape was the brainchild of Meng Kit himself.
We were totally in awe of the elegant decor which complemented the classic antiques and ornaments, dating back a few generations and make up part of the heritage and rich legacy of Penang.
There are close to 30 types of Chinese and English special teas offered here, including their cherished “Liu Bao Tea”collection.
The whole concept behind this lovely tea house is to promote a relaxing and comfortable place for their patrons to enjoy food and drink tea.
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Steamed Beef Ball made of minced beef with bits of dried orange peel on beancurd sheet. We found it juicy at first bite, the meat texture so tender and well-marinated. We loved how they used beancurd as the base as this absorbed all the delicious gravy from the heavenly meatballs.
The Snowy Char Siew Bun was possibly the best steamed char siew bun we’ve had. Amazingly fluffy and soft, the bun was made using flour specially flown in from Hong Kong. The BBQ roasted pork filling was on the sweet side and no less delectable.
The Golden Radish Cake was crispy on the outside, warm and soft inside. They added little bits of Chinese sausage and dried shrimp for extra flavour and fragrance.
We were delighted to try their Dim Sum Series that consisted of a Crystal Seafood Dumpling with prawn, uni and tobiko; Mushroom Siu Mai; and Bao Teck Siu Mai which was hand-wrapped pork dumpling with tobiko. All these were freshly made in-house with top quality ingredients, obvious from the natural sweetness of the meat and luxurious toppings.
This lovely tea house promotes drinking tea and enjoying food in a relaxing and comfortable environment. — Photos: BEN HOR
