From weddings to wontons: Bridal designer Fatimah Mohsin brings halal dim sum to Boat Quay
Jaden Darrius Png
TNP
February 6, 2025
The name Fatimah Mohsin is well-known in the Malay community in Singapore since she opened her own wedding gallery in 2002.
And now the 50-year-old has opened her second restaurant - she opened her first restaurant, 555 Halal Thai, in 2020.
Loong Dim Sum at Boat Quay, which opened on Jan 8 this year, is among the very few halal dim sum restaurants in Singapore.
The four-storey establishment features a bar that serves coffee and mocktails, alongside dim sum both traditional and with a modern twist.
"After 20 years in the wedding business, I needed to diversify and stay relevant," Ms Fatimah told The New Paper.
Apart from seeing clients happy at their wedding, another thing that brings joy to Ms Fatimah is dim sum, which she usually got to enjoy when she travelled to Kuala Lumpur.
She believes that dim sum is something almost everyone loves but there is just not enough halal dim sum for the Muslims in Singapore.
So she consulted a Michelin inspector in planning her menu and brought in chefs from established hotels in Malaysia to cook at Loong Dim Sum.
"Life in the bridal industry is about helping someone look good and feel good, but now I also get diners to eat good food and feel good," said Ms Fatimah, who takes the time to mingle with her customers at the restaurant.
Loong Dim Sum encourages diners to savour the moment and not rush through their meal. The dishes are timed to be served one after another to allow diners to catch up with one another.
The restaurant interior was designed to be roomy and light - a refreshing change from the typical squeeze of a dim sum eatery.
In tune with the trends on social media, Ms Fatimah shared that Loong Dim Sum offers an Instagrammable dining experience.
"You can eat one thing but take 10 photos here," she jested, adding that there are plans to open more outlets, possibly venturing into Malaysia and Australia.
But that has to take a backseat for now as Ms Fatimah wants to further fine-tune the operations in Singapore, looking to train more Malay chefs in an area that is dominated by Chinese chefs.
Loong Dim Sum is located at 10 North Canal Road.
Ms Fatimah advises diners, especially those in large groups, to book a table as she does not want anyone to make anyone "hangry".
