Dim Sum @ Black Society (黑社会) in VivoCity Shopping Centre [Singapore]

While the name black society doesn't raise any eyebrows literally, its Chinese translation refers to secret societies, also known as gangs, that used to be rife in Singapore before the 1980s. 

Hence, you can imagine the interest when Black Society (黑社会) first opened for business in 2006 at VivoCity! Decor was dark, modern, chic and would have made for a perfect setting for movies revolving around gangsterism. Sadly, my request to take photos of my food was rejected and I decided not to patronize after the first visit. 

Fast forward to more than 10 years later; I was famished after an amazing day at Adventure Cove Waterpark @ Sentosa and walked past Black Society (黑社会). I remember it was a Chinese restaurant and thought it was weird to see cakes (rainbow, lava, burnt cheesecake etc) at the counter. 

Well, there was hope they might have advanced with times and would be more open to simple, amateurish photo-taking. I asked and the lady actually gave me a funny look; guess they scrapped the no-photography rule a long time ago. Anyway, order made for dim sum since there's a 30% discount from Mondays to Saturdays between 2.30pm and 5.30 pm. 

Ginseng Oolong Tea - a pot of tea would always be a necessity when you are eating dim sum and ginseng oolong sounded unusual. Frankly, it was more like a flower tea with a light ginseng aftertaste that could have been missed by fast tea drinkers.

Prawn with Kai Lan Rice Roll -  another intriguing twist to a traditional dim sum dish which aims to increase our vegetable intake for the day. Pity, the old school prawn chee cheong fun is still better.

Crystal Loofah Dumpling - despite its unappetizing appearance, this was shockingly good with the refreshing crunch of loofah complementing the pieces of earthy, aromatic mushrooms. Mom would love this! 

Original Xiao Long Bao - they may not look as perfect as the 18-folds xiaolongbao from Din Tai Feng but could give the veteran restaurant a run for their money. Delicious pork broth, soft, fatty meat that went well with the ginger and soy sauce. Only problem; dumpling skin was a tad thick. 

Jade Queen Shumai - your upsized siew mai which allowed for a bigger, juicier bite! Having the fresh prawn on top elevated the luxuriousness of the dim sum (remember, it's called a queen), the taste and the satisfaction! 

Sichuan Golden Pancake - BreadTalk is famous for their signature pork floss bun; this would be its relative, in pancake form. To be honest, it was too oily for my liking and when it comes to such Chinese pancakes, I think red bean paste would be a safer, more comfortable bet. 

Signature Custard Lava Bun - it's so hard to find a good custard lava bun nowadays; they are either too sweet, not salty enough or the custard wasn't of the right texture! 

This would be what I termed a good custard lava bun; hitting all the right buttons with a generous pool of liquified custard that achieved a balance of sweetness and saltiness,  and soft dough that wasn't overly thick! 

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Personally, I would return to have dim sum again, with my mom and likely during the promotional period for dim sum; 30% is irresistible for the quality we had! Service wasn't spectacular but being a positive person; maybe it's a marketing tool for being a Black Society (黑社会)?

Address

1 HarbourFront Walk,

#02-156/157, Vivo City,

Singapore 098585

Map

As above.

Website

http://blacksociety.com.sg/

Dim Sum Menu

As above.

Pricing

Ginseng Oolong Tea - S$3.00 per person

Prawn with Kai Lan Rice Roll - S$5.46

Crystal Loofah Dumpling - S$5.25

Original Xiao Long Bao - S$4.20

Jade Queen Shumai - S$5.25

Sichuan Golden Pancake - S$4.76

Signature Custard Lava Bun - S$4.55

(Subject to GST and Service Charge)

Additional Information

Want dim dum with a touch of classiness? 

You can consider the above!