chinese food – Jellybeans in the City

From Hong Kong to SM Megamall: Tim Ho Wan’s Delicious Dim Sum Experience

Tim Ho Wan is a renowned dim sum restaurant that originated in Hong Kong and has since expanded to several countries, including the Philippines. The restuarant’s humble beginnings can be traced all the way back to a small, nondescript restaurant in Hong Kong.

In 2009, Chef Mak Kwai Pui, who had previously worked at the Michelin-starred Lung King Heen, opened a small dim sum restaurant in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. The restaurant was named Tim Ho Wan, which means “add good luck” in Cantonese. The small eatery quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality food, with many customers willing to wait in long lines just to taste its delicious dim sum. (I’ve seen this for myself when the family failed our attempt to dine at this restaurant during our Hong Kong trip a few years ago due to the long line.)

In 2010, Tim Ho Wan was awarded a coveted Michelin star, becoming the cheapest restaurant in the world to receive the prestigious honor which soon catapulted Tim Ho Wan to fame, and the restaurant soon expanded to other locations in Hong Kong and other countries.

In 2014, it opened its first Philippine branch in SM Megamall, one of the largest shopping centers in the country, which proved to be quite a hit, generating the same long waiting lines as its Hong Kong counterpart during its early days.

Now, a few years down the line, my family was lucky enough to skip the wait when we dropped by SM Megamall and decided to have our late lunch at Tim Ho Wan.

The restaurant’s interior is elegantly designed with a modern touch, offering a cozy and comfortable dining experience. The staff are friendly and accommodating, making you feel welcome and at home. You are promptly given the menu and an order slip where your will make your selections.

As for the food, Tim Ho Wan is famous for its dim sum, which are small steamed or fried dishes that are perfect for sharing. The restaurant offers a wide variety of dim sum dishes, including siomai, barbecue pork buns, shrimp dumplings, and many more. Each dish is carefully crafted with fresh ingredients and perfectly cooked to retain their flavors and textures.

One of the most popular dishes at Tim Ho Wan is the baked barbecue pork buns (₱170/30pcs), which are definitely a must-try. The buns are soft and fluffy, with a savory and slightly sweet filling of tender pork that melts in your mouth; this dish more than lives up to being the signature offering of Tim Ho Wan.

Another favorite is the steamed prawn dumplings (₱190/4pcs), which are delicately steamed to perfection, with plump and juicy prawns and aromatics enveloped in a thin layer of translucent skin.

Of course, we can’t leave out the perennial favorite, the steamed pork and shrimp dumpling (₱170/4pcs). These plump bites of ground pork and shrimp bits encased in wonton wrappers are always a welcome addition to any dimsum meal.

Aside from the dim sum, Tim Ho Wan also serves other classic Chinese dishes like noodles, rice, and vegetable dishes.

Its jade wanton soup (₱195) is a standout, a comforting combination of pork and shrimp dumplings in a clear yet richly savory broth.

The beef brisket tendon noodle soup (₱298), on the other hand, consists of tender beef brisket and melt-in-your-mouth tendon, slow-cooked to perfection, then served together with chewy egg noodles in a rich and flavorful broth that has been simmered for hours with a variety of spices and aromatics.

Those who need to have rice with every meal shouldn’t fear because Tim Ho Wan’s spareribs rice (₱188) has them covered. This classic Cantonese dish features tender and juicy pork spareribs that are marinated in a savory sauce served on a bed of steamed white rice and garnished with a variety of fresh herbs and spices.

Prices at Tim Ho Wan are reasonable, making it an affordable dining option for groups or families. The servings are also quite generous, so you definitely get your money’s worth.

Dining at Tim Ho Wan in SM Megamall is a great experience for those looking for quality dim sum and Chinese dishes. The cozy ambiance, friendly staff, and delicious food make it a perfect place to enjoy a meal with your loved ones. So, the next time you’re in the area, be sure to stop by and give it a try.

This Tim Ho Wan branch is located at Ground Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 84708836 or +63 956 3442605.

Other branches are located at:

Level 1, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Pedro Gil, Manila (Tel: +63 2 83543562 | +63 916 6689080)
Ground Floor, Glorietta 3, Parkway Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 77299367 | +63 917 8492111)
Upper Ground Level, City Center, SM North EDSA, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 8 3742966 | +63 917 8492200)
Upper Ground Floor, Uptown Mall, 36th St. cor 9th Ave., BGC, Taguig City (Tel: +63 2 7764549 | +63 945 3303446)
Ground Level, North Wing, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (Tel: +63 2 88076021 | +63 915 8226560)
Upper Ground Level, Expansion, Alabang Town Center Ayala, Alabang, Muntinlupa (Tel: +63 2 88017261 | +63 917 1087461)
Upper Ground Level, SM Seaside Cebu, South Road Properties, Antuwanga, Cebu City (Tel: +63 32 3415770 | +63 917 1186453)

Stay updated on Tim Ho Wan’s promos and offers by following it on Facebook and Instagram.

Chinese family meal at Luk Yuen, SM Megamall

For many of us Filipinos, Chinese food has become one of our go-to cuisines when dining out.

Not only has Chinese culinary influences permeated our own cuisine, its sheer variety and rich traditions have made fans of all sorts of food lovers.

The same is true with my family. Most of the time, when craving for a break from our usual lutong-bahay, we would hie ourselves to our local Chinese restaurant.

Since my childhood, Luk Yuen has been a family favorite. After attending Mass at SM Megamall, my parents usually took my brothers and me to dinner at the Luk Yuen outlet at the basement.

Now that I have a family of my own, with each of us having our own individual preferences when it comes to food. I’m happy to rediscover my faves at the same Luk Yuen outlet that my parents used to take me to, and that, despite our widely disparate gastronomic preferences, my husbands, kids and I can all happily enjoy a meal at this restaurant.

We started our meal with complimentary Hot Chinese Tea, traditionally used by Chinese diners to help ease digestion, boost metabolism and prevent overeating, among other health benefits.

We can’t have a meal at a Chinese restaurant without ordering a platter of Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php265). This dish consists of cooked rice sauteed in a wok together with bits or char siu pork, cooked shrimp, scrambled egg yolks, along with chopped scallions, carrots and peas. While flavorful as it is, it goes so well with other Chinese dishes.

Another staple of Chinese cuisine is dim sum, and my family members are all fans of the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling (Php210). Also known as hakaw, it is made of plump shrimp and cooked pork wrapped together with aromatics in a transparent wrapper with its signature pleats. Its Cantonese name

Deep-fried Bean Curd (Php175). A tasty appetizer also known as Crispy Tofu, it is made with cubes of soybean curd, deep fried and tossed in salt, pepper and chilis.

Birthday Noodles (Php465). Also known as Long-Life Noodles, this dish is the forebear of our own pancit and is traditionally served during one’s birthday with noodles consumed without breaking to signify a wish for a long life.

Boneless Chicken in Lemon Sauce (Php345). Marinated chicken thigh fillets, breaded and deep-fried, then drizzled with a tangy lemon sauce.

Peppercorn Spareribs (Php395). Bite-sized pork spare-ribs deep-fried to crispy juiciness and topped with garlic and served with chilled vinegar.

With these dishes, the fam’s combined appetites were sated and we were able to revisit some of my favorite dishes from my childhood visits at Luk Yuen.

All the dishes were flavorful, satisfying and affordable, certainly a great choice for a family meal during a bout of shopping.

This Luk Yuen branch is located at the Lower Ground Floor, SM Megamall Building B, EDSA corner Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 86334396 or +63 956 7366816.

Other branches are located at Cash & Carry, Alabang, Greenhills, Glorietta and Capitol Commons.

Let’s #ChooseTheSarapEveryday with Chewsarap

Despite the pandemic that still rages on, life continues.

Amid the trials and challenges we face, and continue to encounter, there are moments that we choose to savor, and milestones that we celebrate. Those are the times when we choose the sarap out of life.

One such moment is the birthday of my eldest. My unica hija – whom I usually refer to in this blog as #ExhibitA – is now a young adult, and I wanted to mark the day with a special meal.

However, with my busy work day, I didn’t have time to shop for ingredients, let alone spend time in the kitchen putting together various dishes.

Fortunately, I won’t have to, thanks to Chewsarap!

Operating on the philosophy that good food need not be expensive, this cloud kitchen offers a well-curated menu consisting of Chinese, Korean and Filipino cuisines, affordably priced and available in portions ranging from solo to family and party trays.

#ExhibitA’s birthday feast consisted of:

Hot Prawn Salad (Php350 for 2-3 persons | Php600 for 4-5 persons | Php900 for 7-8 persons).

Succulent prawns tossed in mayonnaise and cream then topped with sweetened fruits.

Salted Egg Chicken Wings (Php240/3 pcs | Php900/12 pcs).

Juicy chicken wings covered in Chewsarap’s special salted egg sauce.

Roast Beef (Php450) half portion | Php850 full portion).

Beef belly cooked sous vide for forty-eight hours and served with gravy and barbecue sauce.

Hainan Chicken with Curry Rice (Php300 for 1-2 persons | Php500 for 3-4 persons | Php900 for 6-8 persons).

Chicken cooked sous-vide on top of curry rice and served with ginger and soy dipping sauces.

The fam loved the varied dishes I served for my baby girl’s birthday dinner. Our intimate feast included old favorites as well as new flavors that broadened our culinary horizons, all made fresh on the day of delivery.

Plus, ordering this feast was so easy. Here’s how:

Visit chewsarap.com.
Select your orders.
Upon checkout, fill up your delivery details and choose your shipping option (pickup or delivery).
After getting the total bill, make your payments (cards/e-wallets, bank deposit and GCash are accepted).
Send proof of payment via Viber or by messaging Chewsarap on Facebook or Instagram.

Want to cook show-stopping viands such as these without the work of food prep?

Order Chewsarap’s Ready-to-Cook Meals such as:

Chicken Tenders
Beef Tapa
Japche Noodles
Pork Sisig
Beef Stew

Why should we choose the hassle, when we can #ChooseTheSarap, everyday?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided.

Classic Chinese Meal at EmERALD Restaurant

Where do you go for authentic Chinese food when you’re in the Manila-Pasay area?

Well, Hubby recently introduced our family to EmERALD Restaurant, situated along the historic Roxas Boulevard.

It’s one of those no-frills kind of Chinese eateries where occasions such as baptisms, weddings or graduation parties of loyal patrons are celebrated amidst a feast consisting of the fam’s favorite Chinese food.

From its round tables with their corresponding Lazy Susan turntables to help distribute the wide array of dishes served family style, to the frenetic energy as wait staff quickly serve EmERALD Restaurant’s signature dishes to their waiting diners, everything about this place is quite characteristic of much-loved, old-timey Chinese joints that we visited with our parents when we were kids.

During our family’s visit at this restaurant, our brood enjoyed a delicious and bountiful lunch which consisted of:

Spinach with Garlic (Php320 small | Php480 medium | Php1,020 large). A side dish made of spinach stir-fried with garlic.

Seafood Polonchay Soup (Php360 small | Php540 medium | Php1,080 large. Thick egg-drop soup made with spinach and seafood.

Three Kinds of Cold Cuts (Php350 small | Php525 medium | Php1,050 large). Platter of Chinese-style cold cuts which include asado (flavored with soy sauce, five-spice and sugar), century egg and seaweed.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php320 small | Php480 medium | Php960 large). A popular wok fried rice made with pork, shrimp, scrambled eggs, peas as well as chopped scallions and carrots.

Beef with Broccoli (Php450 small | Php675 medium | Php1350 large). Beef strips stir-fried with garlic, ginger and brocolli.

Lemon Chicken (Php380 small | Php570 medium | Php1,140 large). Battered and deep-fried chicken pieces and served with a thick and sweet lemon-flavored sauce for dipping or coating.

Spare Ribs with Salt & Pepper (Php380 small | Php570 medium | Php1140 large). Marinated and deep-fried pieces of pork spare ribs seasoned with salt and pepper.

Camaron Rebusado (Php450 small | Php675 medium | Php1,350 large). Battered and deep-fried shrimp served with sweet sauce.

Shakes (Php150). Icy shakes made with milk and fresh fruit.

What I love about eating at an old-timey Chinese restaurant is the layering of flavors, from the soup and sides to the mix and match of dishes in each bite. Also, given the family-style of food serving, it was a great way to introduce our kids to dishes that are new or unfamiliar to them.

Considering how many viands we ordered, I was initially doubtful if we could fully consume our spread. However, it turns out, I shouldn’t have worried at all because the fam finished off the meal with hardly any leftovers.

EmERALD Restaurant is located at Ground Floor, Gedisco Terrace, Roxas Boulevard, Ermita, Manila, open daily for dine-in and pick up from 6am to 9pm. For reservations and orders, call +63 2 70918137, +63 915 7073167 or +63 968 6009827.

To know more about EmERALD Restaurant, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

The Manila Hotel’s Red Jade Restaurant re-opens

The Manila Hotel’s stunning Red Jade restaurant, which specializes in authentic Chinese dishes, reopened on Friday, June 10, 2022. After a hiatus, Red Jade once again welcomes diners with not just crowd pleasers and best-selling dishes, but an expanded menu selection.

Diners can expect to explore a menu of traditional Chinese dishes prepared with a modern flair along with nods to other regional cuisines of China. The historic Manila Hotel’s local and foreign clientele who have either dined in its main hall or booked its function rooms for private gatherings know that Red Jade is famed for food prepared with time-honored cooking techniques, premium ingredients, and uncompromising quality.

Diners have long celebrated the famed Red Jade’s Imperial Peking Duck, which takes hours to prepare and is expertly carved for patrons. Dim sum lovers can enjoy a wide selection of items, among them the Steamed Shrimp Dumpling “Har Gao,” Crispy-Fried Shrimp Stuffed with Cheese, and Pan-Fried Radish Cake “Bi Feng Tang” style. Other menu highlights include the Scallop and Duck Liver with Foie Gras Sauce appetizer, Honey-Roasted Pork Barbecue, Roasted Suckling Pig, Crispy Pork Belly (Lechon Macau), Stuffed Chicken with Eight Treasures in Lotus Leaf, Fresh Garoupa served steamed or braised, as well as male mud crabs and green lobsters, and many others. It’s even got its line-up of desserts like the Red Jade Signature Chilled Mango Pudding, Chocolate Sesame Ball, and Chilled Almond Beancurd with Lychee, to name a few.

One of its most popular offerings, however, has been the “Dim Sum All-You-Can” special. Available beginning Monday, June 13 along with Red Jade’s comeback, guests can enjoy delightful dim sums that are meticulously hand-crafted by our chefs to bring out amazing flavors and textures. Guests can order them to their heart’s content for only P1,288 nett per head. Soon, Red Jade will also launch the “Dim Sum All-You-Can” discounted vouchers for a limited time this June. Be sure to catch the promo! The “Dim Sum All-You-Can” offer is available at lunch time from Monday to Friday only.

Red Jade is known to its loyal guests as one of the most beautifully decorated Chinese restaurants in the country. Guests who enter Red Jade feel like they have been transported to a different world, a place that evokes a sense of majesty. The restaurant is highlighted by the stunning décor of wall relief murals in jade. A luxurious ambience permeates the space, drawn out by the dramatic lighting that creates a lovely contrast with the stylish wallpapers, detailed ceilings, and red tones all around—an elegant tribute to Chinese traditions and flavors right in the heart of Manila.

With its name and ambiance calling to mind luck and prosperity, Red Jade will surely be a venue for joyous celebrations among family, friends, colleagues, and associates over expertly prepared food, flawless service, and a refined atmosphere. Experience all of it again, starting this Friday, by booking a table now!

Red Jade, located at the ground floor of the historic Manila Hotel, is open daily from 11am to 3pm for lunch, and 6pm to 10pm for dinner. Reservations can be made by calling (632) 8527 0011, (632) 531 0011 or emailing restaurantsrsvn@themanilahotel.com.

#ChinoyComfortFood at White Flower Tea House

The mark of a good Chinese restaurant is a is a widely varied menu. This recognizes the myriad of gustatory possibilities in Chinese cuisine.

Personally, I love its localized variant, Chinese food that has been adapted to suit the Pinoy palate. Called Chinoy cuisine, its dishes are both flavorful and filling.

Foodies can get a taste of Chinoy comfort food crafted and curated by Chef Decker Gokioco at White Flower Tea House, one of the eclectic culinary stalls in Powerplant Mall’s The Grid Food Market.

Here, Chef Gokioco showcases his unique Chinoy heritage, and also calls back to his treasured childhood memories of going on Sunday visits with his family to the celebrated home of Chinese cuisine in Manila: the Binondo. By combining both traditional and modern approaches, the chef produced a menu that features both favorite flavors and fresh forays into Asian cuisine.

Recently, White Flower Tea House unveiled its new appetizers which include:

Mapo Tofu Dip (Php220). A new spin on the famous Mapo Tofu dish which has been turned into a dip made with braised ground pork and silken tofu, served with crispy fried wanton chips.

Prawn Toast (Php350). A snackable treat made with deep-fried prawn paste served on top of dense savory bread along sweet mayonnaise and a serving of sweet-and-sour sauce.

Egg Floss Shrimp (Php550). A Singaporean-inspired dish made with deep-fried battered shrimp tossed in curry leaves, chilies and egg floss.

With such delicious appetizers, we can definitely look forward to tasty meals from White Flower Tea House.

Dine in at The Grid Food Market to taste these Chinoy comfort food creations hot and fresh, or order them for delivery to enjoy them wherever you are.

White Flower Tea House is open for pickup and delivery at thegridfoodmarket.com. It is also available for dine-in at Stall 9 at The Grid Food Market, Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati. It also delivers via GrabFood, FoodPanda, RiderKo and Pick-A-Roo.

For more details on its menu items and offers, follow White Flower Tea House on Facebook and Instagram.

The Grid Food Market is the resident food hall of Powerplant Mall which offers a wide range of flavors to cater to various cravings.

Check out my previous posts on other cuisines available at The Grid Food Market:

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting held at this establishment. Food items mentioned here were served at no cost to the attendees.

North Park delivers via GrabFood Signatures

With many of us still having qualms about dining outside, it’s no wonder that food delivery services have been our lifeline, not just to good food, but also towards supporting our favorite restaurants in this time of pandemic.

In its bid to bring good food to people staying at home, leading super app Grab launched its GrabFood Signatures Program, wherein it partnered with leading food brands. These popular establishments then deliver their famous dishes plus offer irresistible discounts and other promos via GrabFood.

Among GrabFood Signatures’ partner restaurants is North Park, a homegrown Chinese restaurant which brings old fashioned and well-loved Chinese food that have found a place in the hearts and palates of Pinoys.

Wanting to give my fam a break from out usual lutong-bahay fare, and to also give my yaya a break from the stress of cooking and preparing the family’s lunch, I decided to order in via my Grab app and I chanced upon a Grab Signatures promo granting Php150 off my order.

Well, I lost no time ordering my family’s faves from North Park:

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php228). Delicious egg fried rice with shrimps, chopped BBQ pork, carrots, and green peas.

Pork Sionai (Php348/12pcs). Steamed dumplings made with ground pork, vegetables and aromatics.

Boneless Honey Lemon Chicken (Php263). Boneless chicken marinated in freshly squeezed lemon juice and seasonings, thickly coated with a sticky sauce made with honey and lemon.

Braised Noodles with Wanton (Php218). Wanton made with paper thin flour skin filled with diced pork and shrimp generously poured with premium oyster sauce over Hongkong Noodles.

The fam had wonderful meal with such a delicious and hearty fare from one of our favorite restaurants.

North Park branches in Metro Manila include:

Pasig: The Strip Commercial Complex Ortigas
Mandaluyong: Greenfield District
Quezon City: SM Hypermarket Cubao, Tomas Morato, G. Araneta Avenue, Trinoma Mall, Banawe, Tandang Sora, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Eton Centris
Taguig: Market! Market!, SM Hypermarket FTI
San Juan: P. Guevarra Street (opposite Petron)
Makati: Makati corner Kalayaan Avenue, Glorietta 3, Salcedo Village, Legaspi Village, SM Hypermarket Market
Paranaque: SM City Bicutan, ASEANA Square
Manila: Manila Ocean Park
Pasay: Mall of Asia Arena Parking Building
Valenzuela: South Supermarket
Alabang: Alabang Town Center, South Supermarket
Muntinlupa: SM Center Muntinlupa

Want to enjoy similar offers? Just check the Messages tab in your Grab App for promo notifications.

About Grab

Grab is the leading super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 185 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food, package, grocery delivery services, mobile payments and financial services across 339 cities in eight countries.

About GrabFood

Operating under the Grab super app, GrabFood is an online food delivery service that connects local food businesses to people. GrabFood presents a variety of food based on what’s available around consumers: Filipino, Western, Asian, European, Fusion and so on. Today, GrabFood’s services are available in areas of Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Cebu, with plans to continue expanding to reach more areas in the country.

Download the Grab app here.

The Jelly List: Top dishes from Asian restos for your Chinese New Year Feast

Kung hei fat choy, foodies!

This year, Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, falls on the first of February.

We can expect a lot of get-togethers, wishes for happiness and prosperity, and of course, lots and lots of food to celebrate the occasion.

Luckily, we’ve got quite a plethora of delicious dishes for us to enjoy with family and friends, whether at our favorite Asian restaurants or at home right here in the metro as we welcome Chinese New Year. Some of my favorites are:

Modern Shanghai’s Birthday Noodles

Noodles are generally eaten on someone’s birthday as a way wishing them long life, so how about enjoying as a way of wishing each other a Happy New Year? Modern Shanghai’s Birthday Noodles include chopped meat, hard-boiled quail eggs and veggies tossed together in a wok to make a flavorful noodle dish.

Drop by Modern Shanghai branches at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City, Shangri-la Mall in Mandaluyong City, Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig City, Evia Lifestyle Center or Vista Mall Global South in Las Pinas City, S’Maison Conrad in Pasay City or Alabang Town Center in Muntinlupa or order via the Bistro Delivers app.

More deets about Modern Shanghai here.

Yang Chow’s Yang Chow Fried Rice

Yang Chow Fried Rice is a staple in many a Chinese feast. And no wonder: pre-cooked rice stir-fried in a wok along with chopped char siu, scallions, veggies and scrambled egg make for a tasty companion to many Chinese dishes.

Enjoy this dish at Yang Chow Industria in Libis, Quezon City or order via GrabFood.

More deets about Yang Chow here.

Eat Fresh Famous Hongkong Street Food’s Salt and Pepper Spareribs

One of my favorite Chinese dishes, this is made with pork spare ribs seasoned with salt, chili peppers and five spice powder, then deep fried until the outside is crispy to complement the tender meat inside.

Enjoy it at Eat Fresh outlets along Jose Abad Santos Street in San Juan, Banawe Street and at The Popup in Katipunan in Quezon City, and along C. Raymundo Avenue in Pasig City. You may also order via GrabFood.

More deets on Eat Fresh here.

North Park’s Boneless Honey Lemon Chicken

This dish never fails to appeal to the entire family! From crispy and juicy pieces of battered and deep-fried chicken pieces to its tangy-sweet sauce, it is a welcome addition to any Chinese meal.

Enjoy it at North Park Noodle House branches in Muntinlupa (Alabang Town Center, SM Supercenter, Westgate), Quezon City (Banawe), Paranaque (Bicutan, Caltex Macapagal), Makati (Convergys, Glorietta 3, Osmena Highway, Salcedo Village, Makati Avenue, Paseo de Roces), Quezon City (Eton Centris, Fairview Terraces, Araneta, Cubao, Shell Mindanao Avenue, Tomas Morato), Mandaluyong (Greenfield), Taguig (FTI, Market! Market!), Pasay (Mall of Asia Annex), Pasig (Medical City), and Manila (Manila Ocean Park), San Juan (P. Guevarra). You may also order for delivery online or through its hotline +02 837373737.

More deets on North Park Noodle House here.

Wangfu Chinese Cafe’s Salted Egg Squid

This decadent viand made with breaded and deep-fried squid rings flavored with mashed salted egg yolks has become a family favorite!

Enjoy it at Wangfu’s branches in Ayala Malls Vertis North, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Eastwood City, Serendra, Tomas Morato, SM Fairview or SM Marikina. You may also order for delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Lido Cocina Tsina’s Shrimp Foo-Yong

This is an exciting discovery that I never tire of recommending to friends: a saucy egg dish with a healthy serving of plump shrimp folded in which is chock-full of flavor.

Discover it for yourself at Lido Cocina Tsina’s branches located in Quezon City (Banawe Toad, Commonwealth Avenue, E. Rodriguez Avenue, Mindanao Avenue and Visayas Avenue), Las Pinas (Alabang-Zapote Road), Makati (Chino Roces Avenue), Manila (UN Avenue), Paranaque (Dona Soledad Avenue, Dr. A. Santos Avenue) and Pasig (C. Raymundo Avenue). You may also order for delivery online or via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

More about Lido Cocina Tsina here.

Hainanese Delights’ Hainanese Chicken Rice

The dish is traditionally prepared by poaching a whole chicken at sub-boiling temperatures, with some of the resulting stock combined with ginger, garlic and other aromatics used to cook the accompanying rice, producing a yellowish, flavorful and oily rice. It is usually served with three dipping sauces: a spicy red chili sauce, a dark soy sauce, and freshly ground ginger.

Enjoy it Hainanese Delights outlets at Robinsons Place Ermita, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas, SM Fairview and Waltermart Munoz. You may also order for delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Bistro Charlemagne’s Drunken Lengua in Mushroom Sauce

This spectacular dish made with tender pan-seared ox tongue with mushrooms and asparagus in white wine sauce is a mainstay in many of my fam’s celebrations.

Enjoy it at Bistro Charlemagne branches located in Ayala Malls Feliz and Ayala Malls Manila Bay or order for delivery via GrabFood.

Virtual resto-hopping at GrabKitchen in Pasig

Do you sometimes miss those times when you can just hang out at a mall and go restaurant-hopping?

Being able to try various cuisines is heaven for a foodie like me.

However, with lockdowns and restrictions brought about by the pandemic, restaurant hopping is nigh impossible.

Even if you try to order food from different establishments for delivery, the delivery fees would also multiply.

Unless, of course, you get your food orders from GrabKitchen.

GrabKitchens are designed to greatly expand the food choices available in a particular locale by serving a varied curation of food selections from restaurants with no physical presence in the area all served from one central kitchen. It also offers customers the ability to mix-and-match – ordering from different restaurants hosted by the GrabKitchen for a single checkout and delivery fee.

That’s a load of convenience and savings, right?

GrabKitchens have already set up branches in Glorietta, Malate and Paranaque, and now, finally, right in my neck of the woods: Pasig City!

Through this GrabKitchen, I was able to able to treat the fam to a wide array of dishes and cuisines from different restaurants for our weekend lunch. These include:

Dimsum and noodles from King Chef such as Hakaw (Php190/4pcs), Pork & Shrimp Siomai (Php130/4pcs) and Beef Brisket Noodles (Php280).

Korean-style boneless fried chicken from 24 Chicken such as a Half Half order of Original and Yangnyeon (Php545/7pcs each) and a Half order of Snow Cheese (Php299).

Solo (100ml) cups of artisanal ice cream from Merry Moo such as Honey Comb (Php135), Milo (Php135) and Strawberry Shortcake (Php135).

Refreshing drinks from CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice such as CoCo Milk Tea (Php85/regular), Pearl Milk Tea (Php90/regular), Strawberry Au Lait (Php150/regular with pudding) and Chocolate with Pudding & Pearl (Php100/regular).

Thanks to GrabKitchen, the fam and I had a virtual resto-hopping experience right at home!

But that’s not all!

A few months ago, driven by our K-drama triggered cravings, we also ordered our Korean meal from Happilee Korean Kitchen which included Pork Mandu (Php99/4pcs), Mini Kimbap (Php150/5pcs), Kimchi (Php30) and Soy Glazed Chicken Tray (Php600/10pcs).

Other restaurants hosted by GrabKitchen Pasig include Omakase, Conti’s, Las Titas MNL and Merienda by Pan de Manila.

With the mix-and-matching options available, ordering from GrabKitchen Pasig is well-suited for families whose members have varied food preferences.

So, fellow Pasiguenos, when you feel like having some variety in your meals or want to explore new food options, download the Grab app and order from GrabKitchen Pasig!

GrabKitchen Pasig is located at 172 C. Raymundo Avenue, Maybunga, Pasig City, open daily for delivery orders from 9am to 10pm.

Disclosure: A gift voucher was provided to facilitate the order experience.

Birthday lunch from Lido Cocina Tsina, C. Raymundo

Celebrations call for good food enjoyed with loved ones and my recent birthday was no exception.

My family and I sat down for a sumptuous birthday lunch of delicious Tsinoy comfort food in hearty servings delivered right to our doorstep from Lido Cocina Tsina.

This homegrown Chinese food chain came about in the 1930s when Cantonese chef Mr. Lido started a modest eatery in Binondo called Panciteria Lido. Rebranded as Lido Cocina Tsina, it has become a byword for Chinese dishes that appeal to Pinoy taste buds.

During my recent birthday, I was able to introduce the fam to some of my favorites from Lido Cocina Tsina as well as tried some new dishes:

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php132). For me, a Chinese meal wouldn’t be one without this egg fried rice mixed with shrimp, pork, carrots and spring onions.

Sweet and Sour Fish (Php374). Lightly battered and fried fish fillets served in a sweet and sour sauce with carrots, bell peppers and onions.

Manchurian Wings (Php392). Crispy chicken wings coated with a gingery, sweet and spicy oriental sauce, another showcase for the Pinoy’s penchant for flavor combinations.

Spareribs Salt and Pepper (Php380). Crispy pork spareribs sauteed in Chinese five-spice mix, and then served with house-made vinegar, another mainstay in my Chinese food spread.

Shrimp Foo Yong (Php468). Ever since I had my first taste of this Lido-style egg omellete with shrimps, mushrooms and vegetables, and served in a nice and light oyster sauce a year ago, I haven’t been able to resist it.

One thing I’ve noted about Chinese food, especially the ones here at Lido that have been adapted to the Pinoy palate, is that varied combinations tend to mesh well together. The dynamics of sweet, sour, salty and spicy, as well as the different textures from various ingredients complement and play off one another, making it easy to select a new dish to add to your go-to orders when you’re feeling adventurous or looking for a change.

My sumptuous birthday lunch was a delicious revisit of my Tsinoy food favorites. Why don’t you give these a try and tell me how your Chinese food adventure went?

This Lido Cocina Tsina branch is located at GA 1-GA 2, 8003, C. Raymundo Ave, Barangay, Rosario, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 9pm for dine-in, take-out and delivery. For delivery, call +63 2 88885436 (LIDO) or visit lidodelivery.com.

Other Metro Manila branches are located at:

Quezon City: New Manila, Project 6, Batasan Hills, Project 8, Z Square Mall Banawe,
Makati: San Lorenzo
Manila: Ermita
Paranaque: Don Bosco, San Isidro
La Pinas: Talon

Check out my previous posts on Lido Cocina Tsina:

Tsinoy food feast at Lido Cocina Tsina, New Manila

More often than not, a dish with Chinese origins would make its way into a Filipino’s hapag-kainan.

This is hardly surprising as the Pinoys and the Chinese have been trading since even before the Spanish colonization.

Through the centuries, various waves of Chinese migration occurred, each bringing their own cultures, especially their culinary traditions, into the country.

In the 1930s, a Cantonese chef known as Mr, Lido established a modest eatery in Binondo called Panciteria Lido. In the next eighty years, this eatery has grown into a chain of restaurants – now under the Lido Cocina Tsina brand – that are renowned for serving tasty Chinese dishes that also appeal to the Filipino palate.

Before the pandemic hit the metro last year, I was able to sample some of Lido’s signature dishes. These left quite an impression on me that when restrictions on dining out were recently loosened in the metro, I quickly grabbed the opportunity to bring my fellow foodie unnis – Jen of SandUnderMyFeet.com and Nix of IEatAndIWander.com – to the resto so they can taste for themselves what I had beem raving about for the past year.

That day, the unnis feasted on delectable Tsinoy food which included:

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php132). I couldn’t fathom a Chinese meal without this egg fried rice made heartier and more flavorful with shrimp, pork, carrots and spring onions.

Pugon Roasted Asado (Php436). Mr. Lido’s claim to fame from his eighty-year-old recipe of pork loin basted in precise proportions of Chinese herbs and spices, and then cooked in the a wood-fired brick oven which infuses the meat with a rich and smokey flavor. It’s great as a viand for the Yang Chow Fried Rice but it’s wonderful when used as a filling for hot pan de sal.

Sweet and Sour Pork (Php374). A dish that appeals to the Pinoy penchant for the sweet and sour combination. It’s made with fried pork pieces sauteed with pineapple chunks, bell peppers and onions and served in a sweet and sour sauce.

Shrimp Foo Yong (Php468). Ever since I had my first taste of this egg omelette with shrimp, mushroom and veggies served in light oyster sauce, I’ve been obsessed with it. Taste it for yourself and you’ll see what I mean.

Buchi (Php138). Deep-fried sesame balls with lotus cream filling make for a satisfying cap for a hearty Chinese meal.

This visit to Lido Cocina Tsina has sated my year-long cravings and made believers out of my fellow unnis.

We sure are looking forward to our next Lido Cocina Tsina adventure!

This Lido Cocina Tsina branch is located at 1014-1020 E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Barangay Mariana, Quezon City, open daily from 8.30am to 6.30pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8885436, +63 2 84145436 or +63 947 4925752.

Other branches are located at:

16 Visayas Avenue, Barangay Vasra, Quezon City
Unit 6 and 7, La Fuerza Bldg., 2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue Corner Sabio Street, Barangay Bangkal, Makati City
Block 8, Lot 9 Commonwealth Avenue, Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City
43 Mindanao Avenue (beside Phoenix Gasoline Station), Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City
Upper Ground Floor, Z Square Mall, Banawe Street Corner Del Monte Avenue, Barangay Manresa, Quezon City
532 United Nations Avenue cor. Jorge Bocobo St., Barangay Malate, Manila
35 Dona Soledad Avenue, Barangay Don Bosco, Paranaque City
Ground Floor, Puregold Building, Dr. A. Santos Avenue, Barangay San Isidro, Paranaque City
262 Alabang-Zapote Road, Talon Dos, Las Pinas City

To have your Chinoy food feast delivered right where you are, order online.

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Savor Asian flavors at Hawker Lane, SM Megamall

If you’re craving for the bold flavors of Asian cuisine, Hawker Lane at the Eatogether Food Hall in SM Megamall should be right up your alley.

Inspired by the hawker centers in Singapore where tasty Asian dishes and more are sold from stalls inside these large food courts, Hawker Lane brings the the same vibrant colors, textures and flavors to its diners.

Together with fellow foodies last weekend, I headed to Eatogether Food Hall to sample some of its signature dishes which include:

Deep-fried Salt and Pepper Squid (Php290 ala carte | Php220 with rice). A Cantonese dish made with pieces of squid which are deep-fried and tossed in a mixture of garlic, ginger and hot peppers.

Fish Fillet Tofu Claypot (Php220 ala carte | Php180 with rice). Another authentic Chinese dish made with shallow-fried fish fillets braised together with tofu in a flavorful sauce and served in a claypot.

Crispy Fried Garlic Chicken (Php300 ala carte | Php240 with rice). Chinese-style crispy fried chicken infused with the flavor of garlic.

Theses dishes surely sated my cravings for bold tastes and textures!

Want to have your own taste of Asia? Drop by Hawker Lane!

This Hawker Lane branch is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor, Eatogether Food Hall, SM Megamall Building A, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Another branch is located at Eatogether Food Hall, Second Floor, Unimart Supermarket, Oranbo, Pasig City.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting here together with fellow foodies. All food items mentioned here were served for us to sample the fare and elicit our honest feedback.

Check out my posts on other stalls at Eatogether Food Hall:

A sumptuous taste of the East at Wangfu Chinese Cafe

Chinese cuisine is so ingrained in the local food scene that I simply can’t imagine going without it.

As one of the chief culinary influences to the Pinoy cuisine, Chinese food has been a frequent feature of many a Pinoy table from simple family dinners to lavish feasts.

In pre-COVID times, my officemates and I would sometimes go to the Wangfu Chinese Cafe branch near our office for lunch. There, we would feast on tasty yet affordable Chinese dishes that would sate our midday hunger and power us for our tasks for the rest of the workday.

With the community quarantine in effect since last year, going out for Chinese food is not as easy as it once was.

Thankfully, Wangfu has made its dishes available for long distance delivery via GrabFood so I can have my Chinese food cravings satisfied with little effort.

Giving in to my daughter #ExhibitA’s request for Chinese food for lunch at home one day, I ordered some of my old faves from Wangfu, which included:

Hakaw (Php206.84). Both my daughter and I go crazy over this shrimp dumpling. When dipped in toyomansi with a little bit of chili paste, it’s irresistible!

Half Hainanese Chicken (Php614.25). Half of a chicken poached in sub-boiling temperatures along with ginger, garlic and pandan leaves, then sliced upon serving. It’s best eaten with the oily chicken rice accompanied by three dipping sauces – soy sauce, chili sauce and ginger sauce.

Chicken Rice (Php84.48). The stock produced in poaching the chicken is used to boil rice, producing a flavorful oily rice (Yes, it’s oily and I don’t care! It’s yummy!) that goes so well with the chicken.

Salted Egg Squid (Php457.55). Breaded and deep-fried squid rings flavored with mashed salted egg yolks.

All of these flavors mesh well together. Once you’ve gotten a taste of this winning combination, I’m sure you’ll be hooked too!

Thanks to Wangfu, my daughter and I were able to satisfy our cravings for good Chinese food!

This Wangfu Chinese Cafe branch is located at Lower Ground Floor, LeGrand Tower 1, Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 73734308 or +63 917 6295466. It also delivers via GrabFood.

Other branches may be found at:

Ground Floor, SM City Marikina, Marcos Highway, Calumpang, Marikina City
Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, Phase 1, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato Avenue Corner Scout Madrinan Street, South Triangle, Quezon City
Level 1, Ayala Malls Vertis North, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Ground Level, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Balintawak, Quezon City
Lower Ground Floor, The Parkway, SM City Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City

Check out my reviews of other Asian restaurants:

Grab your limited-edition Polland Special Tikoy from Shopee today!

With the Lunar New Year just a few days away, you may have hounded your Chinoy friends to send you some tikoy, am I right?

More widely known as Chinese New Year because most of the traditions surrounding it originated from China, the Lunar New Year marks the first new moon of the lunisolar calendars traditional in countries such as China, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam.

It is a time when families get together to wish each other good fortune, happiness and health. Among the traditions that made its way to our country are wearing red clothes, the festive Dragon Dance, the much-anticipated gifting of ampao – red envelops containing money, and the exchange of Nian gao, which is more commonly known as tikoy.

Nian gao translates to “sticky cake” but it also has a similar sound to the Chinese term for “higher year.” Eating some tikoy during the Lunar New Year therefore symbolizes raising oneself up in the new year. It is also produced in a circular shape, the same shape as money, which is said to attract wealth.

The term tikoy, on the other hand, is the Filipinization of the name tike in Hokkien which translates to “sweet pastry.”

Tikoy is traditionally made with glutinous rice flour, sugar and water. It can be sliced thinly and served as is, but we Pinoys love to dip the slices in egg then lightly fry them until the the outside is slightly crisp and caramelized while the inside is deliciously chewy.

Its lucky connotation and its appeal to the tastebuds make the tikoy a highly sought after delicacy especially at this time of the year.

The good news is that you won’t have to harass your Chinoy friends for some tikoy. Getting some for yourself is easy, thanks to Shopee!

Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. With its wide product assortment supported by integrated payments and logistics, it makes it so easy for shoppers like us to find and get what we want and need.

Take our collective enthusiasm for tikoy, for example. By housing the online store of Polland Hopia, Shopee makes it so convenient for to buy our favorite tikoy but also discover new variants that appeal to Pinoy palate such as: White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Ube, Strawberry, Pineapple and Buko Pandan. These tikoy variants are priced at Php125 for small (600 grams) and Php200 for medium (1.2kg).

But don’t stop there! Polland also made limited-edition tikoy that will surely tickle our fancy such as:

Mini Lucky Tikoy (Php100). A 300g white sugar tikoy topped with an intricate strawberry detail for “HOK,” the Chinese character for luck.

Fish Tikoi (Php300). A 350g meticulously handpainted fish-shaped white sugar tikoy. Fish is traditionally served during Lunar New Year because the of how the Chinese word for fish rhymes with the Chinese term for “leftover”. Eating fish during Luna New Year is said to attract bounty such that you will have a lot leftover at the end of the year.

Heart Tikoy (Php100). A 350g strawberry tikoy shaped into a heart. Everyone loves a good mash-up and this tikoy serves as an adequate segue from Lunar New Year on February 12 to Valentine’s Day on February 14.

The sheer variety of tikoy that you can have on your table is sure to add more color and life to your Lunar New Year celebrations.

How about adding more luck into the mix by including Polland’s claim to fame? Since the 1960s, Polland Hopia has been producing deliciously authentic flaky-crusted mung bean cakes, known here as hopia. Aside from the classic Mongo Special (made with yellow mung beans), Polland Hopia expended its hopia repertoire to include Black Mungo (made with black mung beans), Ube (made with purple yam) and Hopia Baboy (made with wintermelon chunks and pork). With their lucky round shape and snackable size, they make for a welcome addition to your Lunar New Year spread or snack stash.

Here’s an idea: how about gifting your pals (especially your Chinoy friends) and wishing them fortune, health and happiness in the Year of the Ox with Polland Hopia products?

Let me know how it goes!

Gong xi fa cai, foodies!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature article.

Not yet done with shopping for your Valentine’s Day treat for the fam? Check out this post on Valentine’s Day gift ideas available on Shopee.

#TheBistroGroup Trinoma Food Crawl: Modern Shanghai

Who can say no to delicious Chinese food?

Not me, definitely!

Chinese food lovers north of the metro sure are lucky to have a place to go to for a delectable feast: Modern Shanghai at Trinoma Mall.

Modern Shanghai, managed by The Bistro Group, brings the rich flavors and authenticity of home cooking from Sichuan, Beijing and Shanghai in a casual, family-style restaurant setting.

In response to the need of the times, The Bistro Group has instituted safety protocols for safe dining-in at its restaurants. These include: regular health checks for all its personnel, compliance of all outdoor and indoor seating to physical distancing guidelines, hand sanitizers available at the entrance and on every table, as well as contactless menu ordering and payment.

These protocols require diners to submit to temperature checks, provide contact tracing details and using the hand sanitizers and sanitation mats prior to entering the restaurant premises, as well as wearing their personal protective equipment (PPEs) while inside. Would-be diners who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to people who do, have underlying health conditions or have concerns about contracting the disease when dining out are advised to stay home and avail of the restaurant’s contactless delivery options.

Together with my foodie friends, I was able to have a safe dining experience at Modern Shanghai, third stop of our epic food crawl at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. The mood was light and celebratory, as we sampled mouthwatering dishes such as:

Premium Steamed Shrimp and Pork Siomai (Php338/6 pieces). Traditional pork and shrimp dumpling best enjoyed dipped in toyo-mansi (soy sauce with calamansi juice) with just a bit of chili paste.

Signature Xiao Long Bao (Php258/6 pieces). The classic dumpling made from a savory meat filling and a fragrant soup wrapped together in a delicate bao wrapper.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php388, good for sharing among three to four people). Always present in my Chinese meals, this wok-fried rice is a delicious mixture of flavors and textures that go so well with other Chinese dishes.

Birthday Noodles (Php498, good for sharing among three to four people). Noodles are generally eaten on someone’s birthday as a way wishing them long life. Noodles, chopped meat, hard-boiled quail eggs and veggies are tossed together in a wok to make a flavorful noodle dish.

Wok-Fried Sliced Beef with Broccoli (Php648). Tender slices of beef sauteed with ginger and broccoli.

Deep-Fried Pork Ribs with Spicy Salt and Pepper (Php498). Tender pork ribs seasoned with salt, pepper and spices, deep-fried and topped with sauteed garlic.

These rich flavors and hearty servings are best enjoyed with family and friends.

Dine in at Modern Shanghai and enjoy more of these sumptuous Chinese food plus great savings with Modern Shanghai’s irresistible offers:

BFF Bundle (Php1,298, good for three to four persons): Signature Shanghai Mien, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Yang Chow Fried Rice and Braised Fish Fillet in Black Bean Sauce
Buy One Take One Everyday: Wok-Fried Sliced Beef with Brocolli + Signature Xiao Long Bao (Php648), Sauteed Tenderloin Beef with Scallions + Steamed Hakaw Shrimp Dumplings (Php648), Birthday Noodles + Steamed Buns with Preserved Egg Yolk (Php498), Signature Shanghai Mien + Pan-Fried Shanghai Pork Buns

You can also get great savings with the BFF Card, The Bistro Group’s loyalty program that gives members exclusive perks across 15 restaurant brands such as:

30% off on Mondays
20% off on Tuesdays
Complimentary coffee or hot tea single-serve with entree purchase
Online seats reservation
Six Php250 e-vouchers with minimum purchase of Php1,000 per voucher

This Modern Shanghai is located at Fourth Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 8pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79162028 or +63 977 2414903.

Other branches are located at:

Ground Floor, Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Second Floor, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Piñas City
Ground Floor, AllHome, C-5 Road Extension, Manuyo, Las Piñas City

Modern Shanghai also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.