Bunn Choon Restaurant: Best Dim Sum in Kuala Lumpur for Decades

With a rich history spanning back to 1893, Bun Choon Restaurant is a formidable dim sum restaurant in KL known for its fragrant, non-halal dim sum.

Its striking yellow façade, perched at the corner of Jalan Balai Polis near Pasar Seni, makes it a standout among the top eateries that tourists throng in that area.

Aromatic wafts of baked pastries infiltrate its premises and drift into its walkway, luring hungry tourists and office workers into its cosy ambiance, draped with nostalgia.

From its tasty egg tarts, to BBQ pork char siu puffs and durian filled tartlets, Bun Choon Restaurant’s menu of meaty parcels and flaky pastries are hard to resist!

About Bun Choon Restaurant

Perched at the corner of Jalan Balai Polis near Pasar Seni, Bun Choon Restaurant's striking yellow façade makes it a standout among the top eateries that tourists throng in that area.

Bun Choon Restaurant was originally established by a businessman from China.

In the 189Os, just before the businessman returned to China, he offered his acquaintance Kee Swee an irresistible offer as he intended to sell the business.

Kee Swee, who was working at a nearby tea house, saw this as a business opportunity and took up the offer. Kee Swee then renamed the business to Bunn Choon.

Today, Bun Choon is helmed by its fourth-generation owner, Wong Kok Tong, who is the great grandson of Mr Kee Swee.

While the initial business focused on selling tea only, they expanded their menu to include Chinese pastries and dim sum, much to the delight of their customers.

Realising the importance of being hands-on in the F&B business, Kok Tong’s father travelled to Hong Kong to master the art of making egg tarts and moon cakes.

However, in the early 2000s, rental premises reached unprecedented heights, putting pressure on their finances. As a result, the business was shuttered for good.

From left to right: Majestic Shrimp Dumplings, Cheese Bean Curd Roll & Glutinous Rice served at Bun Choon Restaurant Kuala Lumpur

Having survived two world wars and the Japanese occupation of Malaya, Kok Tong felt strongly about reviving Bunn Choon for its rich legacy. Thus he did not give up on the family business.

He started off with minimal overhead cost, selling Chinese pastries in front of the old Bun Choon restaurant by setting up a small stall.

In 2008, he opened a second stall in the Imbi wet market, introducing egg tarts and moon cakes.

Soon, their business flourished and upon stabilizing, Kok Tong final settled down at Bun Choon Restaurant, where it currently anchored itself in 2023.

Getting to Bun Choon Restaurant

Located beside Ho Kow Hainan Kopitiam and along Kwai Chai Hong Lane, Bun Choon Restaurant is accessible via public transport.

The best way to beat the traffic is to sit an MRT or LRT train and disembark at the Pasar Seni stations.

You can also ride the KL Monorail train and disembark at the Jalan Maharajalela station. It takes approximately a 10-minute walk from the station to reach this famous non-halal dim sum shop in KL.

 

Should you choose to drive down, your best spot to park is at MJCP Parking @ Petaling Street, an open air car park open 24 hours.

There used to be an open air car park along Kafei Dian Café along Jalan Balai Polis. But it has been demolished to make way for a police station and its quarters that are being constructed.

What is Bunn Choon Restaurant famous for?

(from left to right: Bun Choon's signature egg tart; also available in the charcoal variant with a less sweet custard and slight char to the pastry; a mouthwatering galore of pastries on display. Charcoal egg tart courtesy of Wieke Veronica on Google.)

Bun Choon is famous for its flaky traditional Chinese pastries, particularly its egg tart and BBQ pie (char siu pie).

Serving KL’s best non-halal dim sum, their pastries are coated with pork lard, exuding a fragrant and rich aftertaste even competitors find hard to replicate.

The egg tart’s filling is smooth, not eggy plus its mildly sweet filling makes wolfing down more than 1 pastry irresistible. The pork fat creates a distinct separation within the pastry layers, resulting in a flaky finish that’s crisp to perfection.

The egg tarts also come in a charcoal variety with a less sweet custard filling and a distinct char to its pastry.

What a dim sum feast we had! Everyone loved the ham wrapped dumplings, the BBQ pork paos were winners too, so is the siu mai (steamed pork dumpling with crab roe).

Their BBQ Pie balances sweet undertones with nuances of umami, with succulent pork fat melting into a rich gravy.

Finally, their durian puffs are to die for, exuding creamy durian fillings engulfed in their signature puff crust.

Congee lovers would rave over this comforting bowl served with minced pork, diced century egg, scallions, garlic oil and its scallop-infused broth.

The Har Gao (prawn dumplings) are encased in a translucent wrapper that’s clear and bouncy, while the freshness of the succulent prawns is bursting with flavours.

The salted egg yolk pau is filled with melted egg yolk with a buttery tinge that oozes out as you bite through its light texture.

Finally, their deep-fried yam puff is another must try pastry at Bun Choon Restaurant. This taro puff is popular for its iconic crispy thin mesh of pastry on the outside and fragrant yam filling inside.

Service at Bun Choon Restaurant

Service is swift as a clear system has been established. Guests are assigned table numbers at the entrance. As you make your way to your table guided by the staff, you’ll find menus, condiments, toothpicks, tissues, a thermal flask, and utensils placed on each table.

Customers order via QR code scanning or can be assisted by their waiters. After that, you’ll be given a sharp scissors soaked in hot water to cut up the dim sum for sharing.

The deep-fried food and pastries are served almost immediately and often before the drinks are served. While the steam variants requires 15 minutes of preparation as it is cooked on demand.

Ambiance at Bun Choon Restaurant

(from left to right: Its interior is lined with photos of the owners and merchandise from the past, adding nostalgic charm to this modern establishment. First 2 photos courtesy of Meilivia from Google)

The heritage interior, lined with photos of the owners and their crew, adds nostalgia and relevance to its ambiance that juxtaposes liveliness and old-school charm.

Red thermal flasks with floral prints reminiscent of the 1960’s are placed on each table, and an old coffee shop signage complements its sentimental theme.

As for seating, this 3-story famous dim sum shop in KL can get overcrowded during peak periods. Staff will propose for guests to share tables among small groups to expedite seating.

Pricing of Bun Choon Restaurant

While the dim sum here may not be as cheap as that sold in conventional coffee shops, their signature dim sum dishes are hard to come by and worth the money.

Throw in the relaxing ambiance and attentive service, Bun Choon Restaurant does live up to its billing as a purveyor of good dim sum in KL.

Conclusion

Bun Choon Restaurant is a story of persevering through challenges and finding the perfect recipe that addresses unmet culinary needs in the community it serves.

The Bun Choon today is a tourist magnet, thronged by tourists who meander the scenic streets of Kwai Chai Hong and Chinatown. It’s also a culinary haven for office workers seeking to line their bellies with nice dim sum.

So, if you’re near Petaling Street, be sure to swing by Bun Choon Restaurant to savour delicious non-halal dim sum that has won over the finicky diners.

Address: 3, Jalan Balai Polis, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Business Hours: 7.30am - 4pm (Tuesday – Friday); 7.30am - 5pm (Sunday). Closed on Monday.

Contact: 016-228 7625

Links: Website; Facebook; Instagram