Heartstruck at Little Twin Stars x Dimsum Icon

Guest Post by Anna Ocampo-Alvarez, a friend who is a fellow foodie traveler.

First time to write a blog. Been invited by Coley’s Just Saying for quite a while now but it’s only now that I’m taking the time to write. So here’s my attempt and thank you for reading! J

I’ve been a Sanrio Little Twin Stars Fan for as long as I can remember. Back when I was a kid, Sanrio stuff were hard to come by and were expensive (all came from Japan). While most little girls went for Hello Kitty, I was drawn to Kiki and Lala collectively known as Little Twin Stars. Kiki is the boy with blue hair and Lala is the girl with pink hair. Their birthday is on Dec 24, Christmas Eve. The other popular Sanrio characters then were My Melody, Tuxedo Sam, Kerokerokeroppi, Patty & Jimmy and Zashikibuta

From childhood till now, I’ve been collecting anything Little Twin Stars. I even used to have clogs, hankies, hairclips and pencils as a kid. Now that I’m a mom of two, I still go for collectibles but I make sure that they are useful. Suffice it to say that I’m  still a hardcore Little Twin Stars fan after all these years. Here’s part of my Kiki and Lala collection: 

So imagine my excitement when I found out that there was a Little Twin Stars x Dimsum Icon restaurant in Hong Kong. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of dining at a Little Twin Stars-themed place. I am very lucky that I have a supportive husband who went with me to accompany me as we squeezed in this visit to the resto amidst our jampacked HK schedule. The resto is located on D’Aguilar Street in Central, in the basement of the building that houses Ippudo and Genki Sushi. It’s right across the Cotton On store in Central. It’s quite impossible to miss as there’s a Kiki and Lala sign right outside. 

At the reception you will be welcomed by a receptionist and huge Little Twin Stars graphics. Since this is a Dimsum Icon x Little Twin Stars collab restaurant, you will be asked if you want the Little Twin Stars Menu or the regular Dimsum Icon menu. My choice was of course obvious.

 

Walking down the stairs to the dining area, more Little Twin Stars visuals excited me.

This table setting was put together quickly as soon as we got seated. The tea pot and tea cup were absolutely kawaii!!! However the tea was not free. You can choose either Jasmine or Pu-Erh tea for HKD 20 a pot. 

Now to the food. Since it was a quick pre-dinner trip (we had plans of eating at Ebeneezer’s right after), I just ordered 3 types of dimsum to share with my husband. There were dessert options to choose from but unfortunately the shawarma at Ebeneezer’s needed space in my tummy. 

First to arrive was the steamed sea food roll (HKD 49) which we know here as cheongfan, which had an adorable Little Twin Stars Logo on it. Took me a few moments to will myself to take a bite into the logo. haha.

Then next the shrimp dumplings (hakaw) arrived. Another really cute and lovingly preapared basket of dimsum! Look at the heart cutouts on the paper lining underneath the dumplings. Taste wise, it was the usual shrimp dumpling flavor. What I liked was that they did not scrimp on the filling. Whole pieces of shrimps in each dumpling. HKD 59 per order.

Then for our last dimsum order, we got the steamed pork dumpling with a big whole scallop on top (HKD 69). For me this was the best among the 3. The dumplings were really tasty and the scallops on top were a real treat!

To round up my Little Twin Stars restaurant experience I decided to buy some souvenirs to bring back home. They actually sell all the dinnerware (teapots, tea cups, plates, bowls and saucers). I selected the teacups at HKD 140 per pair and a matching set of Kiki and Lala rubber coasters for 10 HKD each to add to my growing collection. 

Overall food verdict: this is HK so dimsum standards are high. The food I ordered made the mark in terms of taste, but with the extra effort of putting Little Twin Stars icons on the food, they all come out pricier. Nonetheless, these were the cutest pieces of dimsum I’ve ever eaten. Not regretting the premium I paid to try them.

Experience: Staff were attentive, but maybe because when we dined, there were only a few tables occupied. Little Twin Stars feel was achieved only through visuals and graphics, but the rest of the restaurant was in the Dimsum Icon color scheme and design that was more industrial in feel. Just managing expectations for those who want to visit.

Would recommend a trip if you’re a hardcore fan like me. Heartstruck indeed I was.  It was a lovely experience to dine in a Little Twin Stars themed way so I did not mind paying a bit more.  Plus this collab will probably be just temporary so better come over while it’s still there. Too bad I wasn’t able to sample the desserts. Maybe will try the Hello Kitty Cuisine in Kowloon next time!

The Dimsum Icon x Little Twin Stars Restaurant is located at Basement Level, Century Square, 1-13 D’Aguilar Street, Central, HK.

To see the full menu, click here.  

Many thanks Anna for sharing with us your wonderful experience at Little Twin Stars x Dimsum Icon. Makes me want to go to Hong Kong just to try it. just saying.