char siu – Jellybeans in the City

When we think of Michelin-star restaurants, what comes to mind are posh establishments and stiff dining etiquette.

That couldn’t be farther from Hawker Chan.

The internationally acclaimed Singapore-based restaurant, famous for its Soya Chicken Rice, has opened a store at SM Mall of Asia earlier this year and is now opening its second branch in the country in SM North EDSA.

Founded by Malaysian chef Chan Hong Meng in 2009 as a small store in the largest hawker center in Singapore serving soya sauce rice, Hawker Chan has since been recognized by Michelin’s Singapore Guide when it debuted in 2016 and every year since, making it the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant in the world.

Hawker Chan was brought to the Philippines by Foodee Global Concepts, which currently manages fourteen food brands in the country.

Together with fellow foodies and other selected guests, I attended a pre-opening dinner at Hawker Chan SM North EDSA.

Among the dishes we sampled are:

Combination Platter of Char Siew, Roasted Pork and Pork Rib (Php270). Served with either plain rice or Hawker Chan’s signature noodles freshly made daily, it is a hearty meal for meat lovers.

Chicken Platter (Php299 for half | Php598 for whole). Juicy, succulent chicken with that flavorful skin, it just makes you want to get more and more.

Thai Style Tofu (Php160). Our wait staff Ian called it the healthier option among the items served but I’m calling it an addition to the items on my plate (Yep, an addition, not an option. I’m having all of them and who’s to stop me? :-)) It adds a contrast in texture and spiciness to the other dishes.

I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping they open another branch nearer to my place soon so I can enjoy a great, affordable hawker meal!

This Hawker Chan branch is located at the Upper Ground Level, City Center at SM North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City. With a seating capacity of 56 people, it is open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Did you know that there’s a possibility that you can enjoy Hawker Chan’s Soya Chicken Rice for a year at this branch? Simply be among the first ten customers when this branch opens on December 4 and 5. The 11th to the 20th customer will get 6 months supply, the 21st to the 50th will get 3 months supply and the 51st to the 100th customer will get a month’s supply. Remember: you found out about it here (and maybe treat me to one of those free Soya Chicken Rice, maybe? Hehehe!)

And with Christmas just around the corner, you can treat your fam-bam to a family-sized platter of Hawker Chan’s mouthwatering roasts – Char Siew, Roasted Pork and Soya Chicken – good for six to ten people.

Hawker Chan’s other branch is located at Ground Floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City, open daily from 10am to 10pm.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a Pre-opening Event held in this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

My officemates and I were happy to discover this new eatery along Scout Rallos in QC. It’s a bit of a distance from our workplace but the travel to the location is well worth the time.

Twapakto, a Fookien word that means “big tummy,” calls to mind the bliss that comes from having a fun and satisfying meal with good friends. Even the store’s interiors have a fun vibe; the bare concrete walls set off the colorful furnishings with cute illustrations of happy big-tummied people.

Our group of four ordered a bowl of Crispy Pork Belly Rice (Php180) for each of us and a half-order of Twapakto Char Siu or Chinese Pork Asado (Php380) for sharing. Now, I’m not much of an asado aficionado but I found myself liking this dish; the meat was full-flavored and the sauce was not too sweet. The piece de resistance, however, was the pork belly; the meat was tender, the skin was cracklingly crispy and the fat melts in my mouth. I also ordered a Leche Flan Shake Special (Php100), which was a sweet, creamy cap to the meal.

We went back to the store the following week but were disappointed to discover that it’s closed on Mondays. 😦

I look forward to coming back to that Crispy Pork Belly, though.

Twapakto is located at the 2nd Floor, Elements Hall, 27 Scout Rallos Street, Laging Handa, Quezon City.

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