Tim Ho Wan: Affordable Michelin-Star Rated Restaurant

Have you ever wondered what is a Michelin Star and how it gives prestige and impact to a restaurant? I've been blogging for almost 10 years now but believed me, it's only recently that I expressed interest to discover more about a Michelin Star-Rated restaurants.

Well, a Michelin Star is often called a hallmark in fine dining with restaurants considered it as the highest achievement in food business. It is a rating, to emphasize more - an honorary grade - granted to a restaurant by food expert reviewers of the Michelin Red Guide, published by a French company for achieving a highest standard in food quality. It is also given to a chef who crafted recipes and cuisine on highest quality.

In the Philippines, there are restaurants that achieved this rating but some of it are quite expensive. And mostly located in hotels. However, there are some exemptions. Though a Michelin Star-rated restaurant is quite a luxury, not all can empty your wallet. Believe me.

Tim Ho Wan, a Hongkong-based dim sum restaurant, is one of the most affordable Michelin Star-rated restaurants in the world. With less than Php200.00 for each of the dishes, including the best-seller soft buns, you would not breaking a bank for taking a regular meal here.

One Sunday, my friend and I dropped by at Tim Ho Wan at SM North for dinner to try its much-hyped baked buns. It was quite late for dinner, almost nine in the evening. Which was good since this restaurant drew a large crowd everyday at meal time.

I chose the Spare ribs rice toppings, my friend chose congee. We chose Jasmine Tea as our beverage. It is a great shame not to include the soft buns in your table when you are at Tim Ho Wan. So we took one order. And yes, it lives up to the hype!

The much hyped baked buns in pork barbeque sauce.

Soft, fluffy and super yummy! Only Php158.00 (the 3 pieces)

Super luscious!! The buns, soft and fluffy outside to the point of crumbling the texture when you take a bite, appears to be very willowy but super tasty and really scrumptious. The pork barbecue sauce balances the sweet and spicy taste and it compliments the mild flavor of the soft buns.

Super luscious!! The buns, soft and fluffy outside to the point of crumbling the texture when you take a bite, appears to be very willowy but super tasty and really scrumptious. The pork barbecue sauce balances the sweet and spicy taste and it compliments the mild flavor of the soft buns.

Spare ribs 170.00

I would also recommend the spare ribs rice, it suits the Filipino palate. Savory, with a tasty sauce coating of spices and oriental flavors. Compared to typical ribs recipes, this special dish is so meaty and cooked to perfection as textures are so tender.

Other must-try at Tim Ho Wan are Steamed egg cake, Beancurd skin roll and shrimp, Pork dumpling with shrimp, Beef brisket and tendon noodles, Prawn dumplings, Vermecilli roll with shrimp.

All these dishes per order is less than Php200.00, making Tim Ho Wan an ideal place to hold a family or team gathering. You can have a sumptuous, high quality food without ruining your budget.

Tim Ho Wan has six branches in the Philippines. In SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, Glorietta, Uptown Mall, Mall of Asia and Ayala Center, Makati. The atmosphere of the restaurant is in a typical oriental setting, earth interior, homey and minimalist.

Just stretch the fiber of your presence when you dine at Tim Ho Wan. It gets crowded at meal time with some are lining outside waiting for a vacant table. But it's worth the wait and the value of your money! Remember, this is a Michelin-Star rated restaurant.