Fisherman's Terrace 釣魚台

I had dim sum at Hot Pot One last week, and today I went to Fisherman's Terrace right next door. I mentioned in the other post that Fisherman's Terrace is a much more popular choice, and indeed the place was relatively full when I arrived. Luckily I only had to wait a couple of minutes without a reservation. The first item to come was the peanut and spare rib congee (柴魚花生排骨粥) ($4.55). I was shocked at how small the portion was. The taste wasn't that impressive either. The peanuts were soft enough to be beans and there was no peanut taste at all. And I don't remember seeing any spare ribs in there.

I took a picture of the bowl of congee with a teacup for size comparison.

The shrimp dumpling (水晶鮮蝦餃) ($4.95) was one of the better ones I've had, and also one of the largest. The skin was very translucent and chewy. The shrimp inside was bouncy and crunchy. The only downside was that the skin stuck to the paper a bit.

A childhood favourite of mine is the lotus seed paste bun (蛋黃白蓮蓉包) ($3.45). I haven't had it for a long time, so I really enjoyed it. The lotus seed paste filling was velvety smooth and aromatic with just the right amount of sweetness. Though the filling was perfect, the bun left something to be desired. The texture of the bun was really dense and not fluffy at all. It wasn't quite dry, but it was definitely not soft enough.

Just look at how shiny the lotus seed paste was! Mmm... so tasty with a bit of salted egg yolk.

The triple mushroom rice roll (上素三菇腸) ($4.95) was very light and mild. The mushroom filling was soft and well seasoned. Vegetarian rice rolls are always a bit bland though, so it's probably not for those carnivores out there.

Just like the shrimp dumpling, I found the vegetarian fun guo (上素蒸粉果) ($4.55) much larger than typical ones. The skin was thin enough and the filling was not bad. But oddly enough, I didn't appreciate the larger-than-normal size. It was a bit too much and I didn't feel like eating any more after finishing half of one.

The steamed beef tendons and tripe (燒汁牛筋肚) ($4.95) were quite flavourful. Even though the bowl seemed like a small portion, there was actually quite a bit. And cow innards can be very filling. I liked how the texture was soft and gelatinous yet still incredibly bouncy. I also liked how the tendons, and particularly the tripe, had soaked in all the sauces and become rich and juicy.

After trying both Hot Pot One and Fisherman's Terrace, I would say I have no particular preference for either. The first option is better if you want a quieter and more relaxed atmosphere and individual tea, and the latter is better if you want to feel the authentic dim sum experience (louder and more lively).