Tag: chinese food

Quick and affordable Chinese food at Causeway, Tomas Morato

My officemates and I were on our way to Le Ching for lunch when we spied the lack of parking space in that resto.

So off we went to look for another place to eat. Since we were already in the mood for Chinese food, we settled on Causeway Seafood Restaurant.

Even with the number of cars parked in front of the restaurant, the parking attendant still found a way to fit our car in.

Inside, there is the usual hustle and bustle, the busy energy, usually found in Chinese restaurants. The place is not swanky, it may even be considered dingy, but judging from the sizeable lunch crowd and the busy wait staff, Causeway seems to have established itself among a loyal following.

Our group of four shared these Chinese dishes:

Beef Hofan Noodles (Php300 for small). Stir-fried beef with noodles that is oh so greasy but also oh so good!

Fried Spareribs with Salt and Pepper (Php330 for small). Such a simple dish but I seem to find myself ordering this in every Chinese resto I go to.

From the Dimsum Cart: Crab Roe Siomai (Php80), Asado Siopao (Php80), Kutchay Dumpling (Php90) and Seafood Roll (Php85)

It seems like Causeway’s combination of quickly served dishes and affordable pricing is a winning formula, as evidenced by its lunch crowd. The wait staff could be a little quicker in fulfilling refill requests though.

This Causeway Seafood Restaurant is located at 24 Timog Avenue, Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City (Tel.: +63 2 3762559) with operating hours from 10am to 12mn Mondays to Saturdays and 9am to 12mn Sundays.

Other branches are located at:

  • 8th Acropolis Center, 53 E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Libis, QC (Tel.: +63 2 6389374) with operating hours from 11am to 12mn Mondays to Saturdays and 11am to 11.30pm Sundays.
  • 7 Congressional Avenue, Project 8, QC (Tel.: +63 2 4269032) with operating hours from 10am to 10pm Mondays to Sundays.
  • Banawe cor Linaw Street, Sienna, QC (Tel.: +63 2 5221690) with operating hours from 7am to 12mn Mondays to Sundays.
  • 883 Banawe Street corner Del Monte Avenue, Sienna, QC (Tel.: +63 2 4108690) with operating hours from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 12mn Mondays to Fridays and 10.30am to 2.30om and 5.30pm to 12mn Saturdays and Sundays.
  • 1266 Benavidez Street, Tondo, Manila (Tel.: +63 2 2304381) with operating hours from 9am to 11pm Mondays to Fridays and 7am to 11pm Saturdays and Sundays.

Authentic Sichuan Cuisine at Fantaste, Salcedo Village

Sichuan (also called Szechuan) cuisine, which originates from Chinese province of the same name, is known for its bold flavors, resulting from the variety of seasonings and cooking methods used.

Newly opened restaurant Fantaste brings a taste of Sichuan into the heart of Makati City.  Along with a selected group of bloggers and foodies (as well as my daughter, #ExhibitA), I was able to attend its Grand Opening and sample its many food offerings.

The restaurant’s mascot is reminiscent of Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda, chosen because, according to the wait staff, the panda symbolizes friendship, unity and world peace.

Fantaste’s claim to fame is its rice bowls.  These dishes are individually cooked in their own clay pot bowl, topped with hearty servings of viands, accompanied by steamed bok choi and half a salted egg, then doused with a secret sauce upon serving.  Its heated clay pot container maintains the rice bowls’ heat during the entire meal, even giving the bottom grains a slightly toasted crunch and flavor.

Given a choice of which among its twelve rice bowl choices to sample, I opted for the Chicken and Mushroom (Php260) while my daughter got intrigued with the mysteriously titled The Best of Fantaste (Php220).  To be honest, I think I had the better choice, my bowl having a better mixture of tastes and textures.

I overheard from my seatmates (and seconded by my daughter who is more well-traveled than I) that the dishes feature the taste of mainland China’s provinces, rather than the taste we normally associate with Hong Kong which is more familiar to the Filipino palette.  We all welcome the variety that these bring to our dining experience, although some would be an acquired taste: the Red Jujube and White Fungus Soup (Php120) for example, had a seemingly bland broth with explosions of sweet and tartness from the date fruit and the meat flavor of its chicken bits.

The restaurant also has a breakfast menu which we were all also able to sample: the Congee (Php120) and Beef and Lettuce Congee (Php140) which, to me, served as a subtle palette for toppings; the Steamed Vermicelli Roll (Php120) which had a nice spicy kick; the carbo-loaded Yangzhuo (or more commonly known as Yang Chow) Fried Rice (Php160); Pork Ribs coated with Glutinous Rice (Php140); the Dry Fried Noodles with Beef (Php180) which had a nice peanut-ty taste; and the Fried Noodles with Three Shreds (Php180).

Those looking to complete their taste of authentic Chinese food can even opt for drinks imported from the mainland such as Chinese versions of our favorite softdrinks, flavored yogurt drinks and flavored teas.

Given the novelty of its food offerings, I would suggest to the restaurant manager to consider having a menu with pictures and descriptions of the dishes.  That way, the really adventurous foodies would know which items are in line with their palates while the less gastronomically conservative patrons can choose those which more closely align with their taste.

I would also suggest a less upbeat background music: the resto’s offerings are somewhat traditional and some can even be considered medicinal (particularly its herbal teas) .  If the resto would like to capitalize on the health benefits of its cuisine, a more languid and traditional background music would be more appropriate.

Just my two cents… 🙂

Foodies who will journey all the way to Makati to visit this resto should also consider where they can park.  Parking spots are severely limited and the nearest pay parking area charges Php80 for just two hours.

Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I was invited to attend this restaurant’s Grand Opening.  All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Xiao Long Bao is the star in Bai Nian Tang Bao, BGC

Xiao Long Bao is comprised of a savory meat filling (usually a mixture of ground pork and shrimp flavored with chopped green onions, salt, pepper, sugar, rice wine and sesame oil) accompanied by a fragrant soup (chicken broth infused with pork fat with herbs and aromatics) inside a delicately pliable bao wrapping.  This Chinese delicacy is usually prepared in a small bamboo steaming basket called xiaolong, hence the name xiao long bao.

Boldly claiming to be the origin of xiao long bao, Bai Nian Tang Bao, located inside Bonifacio Global City, promises to sate the cravings of fans of this dish.

Trivia: Did you know there’s a right way to eat the xiao long bao? Here’s a clue: it definitely does not involve immediately popping it into one’s mouth nor biting into it as we do other dumplings.  Nope, enjoying this special dish requires some special steps:

  1. Once served, allow the baos to rest in their basket for a few minutes.  This will allow the baos and their filling to cool and settle a bit.  You might want to take this time to prepare the sauce by combining the vinegar, soy sauce and minced ginger to your taste in a small saucer.
  2. Using your chopsticks, gently pick up a bao (make sure not to pierce through the wrapping), dip in the sauce then place it squarely on your spoon.
  3. Poke a small hole at the top of the bao with your chopsticks, just enough so that some of the steam inside can get out and you can slurp the soup from inside.
  4. Once the soup has been duly slurped, you can then pop the what remains into your mouth.
  5. Repeat as desired. 🙂

During a stopover in Bonifacio Global City, the fam decided to have a quick lunch at Bai Nian Tang Bao.  We ordered Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs (Php279) and Pepper Salt Chicken Strips (Php199) to go with our Beef Fried Rice (Php219) and Sausage Fried Rice (219). The pork ribs went well with the fried rice but the chicken strips were a little dry and much akin in flavor to the kind of chicken strips we would make at home. Of course, the star of the meal is the Xiao Long Bao (Php158) which was served in the traditional steaming basket. As we followed the correct way to eat this dish, we were able to fully enjoy its taste and texture.

Maybe next time we find ourselves in this resto, we’ll just get ourselves several orders of that xiao long bao, hmmm?

The restaurant has a nice minimalist feel to it with some Asian-inspired accents. The servers were also friendly and prompt with our requests.

Bai Nian Tang Bao is located at the Ground Floor, Uptown Parade, 9th Avenue corner 38th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.  It is open 11am to 10pm Mondays to Thursdays, 11am to 3am Fridays and 11am to 12midnight Saturdays to Sundays.

Lamonfest at Vikings, SM Megamall

Vikings seems to be the default buffet resto for celebrations and family gatherings.  Known for its lavish decor that display sumptuous spreads of mouth-watering dishes from various cuisines throughout the world, Vikings can generate long waiting lines of avid diners.

The fam, together with the in-laws, recently dined at Vikings at SM Megamall’s Mega Fashion Hall for bro-in-law’s birthday celebration.

With an all-you-can-eat arrangement at the rates below, the family is definitely in for a #lamonfest:

  • Adults: Php738 (weekday lunch); Php938 (weekday dinner, weekends and holidays lunch and dinner)
  • Kids:
    • for kids below 3 feet: FREE!
    • for kids 3 feet to 4 feet: Php208  (weekday lunch); Php938 (weekday dinner, weekends and holidays lunch and dinner)
    • for kids 4 feet to 6 feet: Php418 (weekday lunch); Php618 (weekday dinner, weekends and holidays lunch and dinner)

Note: Rates not yet inclusive of the 5% service charge.

For this #lamonfest, I focused on some dishes that I don’t usually have the opportunity to taste that often: the Seafood Paella (I guess I’m going through a paella phase now), the Lengua Estofado (went so well with the paella for a great taste of Spain) and the Leg of Lamb.  The Ebi Tempura is always a good bet (and always nearly depleted by the time I get there, hehehe!), but some of the meats in the carving station fell short of my expectations: the Stuffed Turkey was a bit dry and the Angus Beef was tough and chewy.

For dessert, no one can tear my away from my favorite Puto Bumbong (since it always reminds me of Christmas; I even went to the Cheese Station and sprinkled some grated premium cheddar on it) and Avocado Ice Cream (as it’s hard to find ice cream of this flavor in the supermarkets).  I also tried the Caramel Dip for the Churros and the moist Carrot Bar.

Overall, it was a great dining experience for the family.

To make the most of your #lamonfest at Vikings, you might want to make sure you do the following:

  • Make your reservation. This way, you avoid waiting outside and can just walk right in as soon as you arrive. To make your reservation, you can call +63 2 8454647 (this hotline covers all Vikings branches), book via the Booky app (you may get some discounts at selected branches), or book online via the Vikings website.
  • Check out Vikings’ current promos.  You just might get big savings.  For example, birthday celebrants get to eat for free on the day of their birthday so long as they’re with one full-paying adult, or any day of their birth month if they’re accompanied four full paying adults.  Until June 30, members of the graduating class of 2018 can eat for free as long as they’re with three full paying adults (which is why my daughter snapped a photo of her diploma before we left the house).  Just make sure that you bring all the necessary documents.  For more details on these promos, click here.
  • Pace yourself.  Scope out the spreads first and pick the ones you want for your gastronomic explorations, be they your tried-and-tested favorites or some new cuisines you want to sink your teeth into (literally and figuratively!). Sample a bit of of the food and just come back for seconds to avoid leftovers.  There are an awful lot of food here and you don’t want to already be in a food coma just when you get to the stuff you want.

For tips on how to survive a buffet, check out my blog post: Buffet Survival Guide: All-You-Need-to-Know to Eat-All-You-Can.

Affordable Chinese Food at Greyson’s Dimsum and Noodle House, Mother Ignacia

Feeling a bit adventurous and finding myself without my usual lunch buddies, I decided to try out the newly opened dimsum and noodle place near my office.

It’s really a hole-in-the-wall, a cozy (almost cramped) self-service eatery along Mother Ignacia Avenue.  I suggest you head on over here for lunch a bit early as it tends to get full of diners really fast.  In fact, I almost didn’t have anywhere to sit; it’s a good thing I was able to spot some coworkers who were already dining there and allowed me to sit with them.

Given the really affordable pricing, I actually went a bit crazy with my orders (takaw-mata, anyone?): Spareribs with rice (Php85), Pork and Shrimp Siomai (Php45) and  Quail Egg Siomai (Php35).  I didn’t get to finish my rice toppings and quail egg siomai as I got too full.  Still, it was a filling lunch at less than Php200 so I can’t complain.

If you want a quick, fuss-free and affordable meal, this place might just be your best bet.

Food nostalgia at Classic Savory, SM East Ortigas

Pinoys have an interesting relationship with food, particularly the tastes they have grown up with. A lot of the appeal of classic Pinoy fare has to do with the memories associated with the flavors you encountered during family gatherings and celebrations: the pancit canton that was your lola’s specialty, the turon that you used to munch on with your cousins for merienda and so on.

Such nostalgia came into play when Hubby and I took a break from shopping and errands, and dined at the Classic Savory branch at SM City East Ortigas.

This food chain started as a panciteria by the Ting brothers in post-war Manila, primarily serving lomi to its mostly Chinese clientele, before it introduced fried chicken to its menu, thereby attracting more Pinoys to its offerings.

That blend of Pinoy and Chinese flavors were present in the combo meal (Php485, good for 2 persons)  that we ordered.  It consist of a half chicken, pancit canton, fried rice, salt and pepper spare ribs, special turon and iced tea.  Given its price and the mix of flavors, I think this is already good value for money.

This Classic Savory branch is located at 2nd Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Barangay Sta. Lucia, Pasig City.

 

Affordable Chinese feast at Kopi Tiam

This cozy resto in New Manila is actually known for offering affordable versions from the original North Park menu.

We recently welcomed my parents home with a sumptuous dinner in Kopi Tiam. The place is located along C. Benitez Street, past Camp Crame from EDSA. The part of Boni Serrano leading to this place was pretty dark and I had my doubts on whether we were in the right location. Fortunately, Hubby chanced upon the signage and we were soon assisted by a friendly security guard into our parking space.

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The resto’s interiors were clean, well-lit and had a modern Asian feel.

To satisfy a hungry party of 9, our orders were:

  • 3 orders of large, fresh and nutty vegetable rolls or lumpiang sariwa (only Php93 per roll!)
  • 2 platters of Yang Chow Fried Rice because no Chinese food meal in my family is complete without it (Php188 per platter)
  • 2 plates of Lechon Macau, another family favorite (Php258 per plate)
  • Brocolli Garlic, just so we can say that we had another veggie dish (Php168)
  • Salt and Pepper Spareribs, always a safe bet (Php223)
  • Garlic and Beef Cubes (Php268)
  • Chami Noodles (Php288), and
  • Nestea Tower (Php250)
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It was a comfy and tasty feast for the whole family; we were able to enjoy the relatively quiet ambiance and the service was fast and efficient.

Plus, given all our orders, total bill was at Php2,368!

I’m looking forward to dining here again and trying out the kopi beverages and desserts.

Kopi Tiam by North Park is located at Horseshoe Village, C. Benitez Street, New Manila, Quezon City. For reservations, call 02-7235674.

Chinese restos like Hap Chan are great for family dinners

I took my folks here for a nice family dinner. I always say that Chinese restos are great for family dinners because the viands are served family style which encourage sharing and bonding. We ordered our favorite Chinese food:

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Hot and Sour Soup (my mom says it helps with her colds) 
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Birthday Noodles
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Pork Siomai
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Pork Ribs with Salt and Pepper (nicely seasoned)
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Beef Steak Chinese Style (very tender with a sweet-savory flavor)
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Hap Chan is located at Armal Bldg III C.Raymundo Avenue, Maybunga Pasig City