xiao long bao – Jellybeans in the City

Experience the rich and vibrant flavors of Taiwan at Fat Fook

If you’re tired of the same-old dishes that you normally have for your daily meals, why not give Taiwanese food a try?

Taiwanese cuisine is a delicious and unique blend of Chinese and indigenous Taiwanese flavors, with influences from Japan and Southeast Asia. One of the hallmarks of Taiwanese cuisine is its focus on fresh and locally-sourced ingredients, which are often prepared using simple cooking methods to let the natural flavors of the ingredients shine. Many dishes in Taiwanese cuisine also feature bold and complex flavor profiles, incorporating a variety of herbs, spices, and sauces.

Taiwanese cuisine also has a strong street food culture, with night markets and street vendors serving up a wide variety of snacks and small plates.

And lucky for you, getting your hands on Taiwanese dishes is quite easy: all you need to do is hie yourself over to Fat Fook in Robinsons Galleria.

This Fat Fook branch boasts a cozy and inviting atmosphere with its warm lighting and traditional Taiwanese decor. The restaurant is adorned with vintage posters, and traditional Taiwanese ceramics and art pieces, creating a nostalgic and charming ambiance. The wooden tables and steel chairs lend the space a rustic yet modern feel, making it a perfect place for a casual meal with family and friends.

The restaurant’s name, Fat Fook, loosely translates to “prosperous fortune” in Mandarin Chinese, which is a nod to its commitment to delivering delicious and authentic Taiwanese cuisine to its customers. The menu boasts a wide selection of dishes, including classic favorites such as noodles, dumplings, and rice bowls, as well as signature dishes that are unique to Fat Fook.

Check out this list of top menu choices at Fat Fook that you can sink your teeth into:

Taiwanese Sausage (Php368). This popular Taiwanese street food is definitely a must-try at Fat Fook. The sausages are made with a mixture of pork and spices, giving them a delicious and savory taste. They are then grilled to perfection and served with garlic slices inserted at slits on their sides.

Fried Crispy Oysters (Php208). These deep-fried seasonsed oysters are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and pairs so well with Fat Fook’s noodles and rice bowls.

Xiao Long Bao (Php228/5pcs | Php288/8pcs). Fat Fook’s version of this classic pork soup dumpling is not to be missed. The steamed dumplings are filled with a savory pork and broth mixture and are served with a side of soy sauce and vinegar for dipping. The thin and delicate skin of the dumplings that give way to the delicate broth and savory meat filling is a testament to the chef’s expertise.

Beef Noodle Soup (Php488, regular or spicy). The soup is made with a rich and savory beef broth, tender beef chunks, and thick noodles. The dish is topped off with an assortment of vegetables and herbs, making it a comforting and hearty meal.

Beef Tendon Hotpot (Php598). A hearty and comforting dish that is perfect for colder days. The hotpot features tender beef sauteed in flavorful tendon sauce with onion leeks and sliced chilis.

Taiwan-Style Fried Rice (Php308). A staple in Taiwanese cuisine, it is made with rice which is stir-fried with a mixture of vegetables, egg, and meat, giving it a delicious and savory taste.

Classic Milk Tea (Php98 + Php20 for tapioca pearls). No Taiwanese meal at Fat Fook is complete without a cup of its rich and creamy milk tea made with fresh milk and black tea, making it a refreshing and indulgent treat.

So if you’re up for a change and game for a new foodie adventure, then check out the rich and unique flavors of Taiwanese cuisine at Fat Fook. From the savory and succulent Taiwanese sausage to the crispy and flavorful fried oysters, the dishes on offer are sure to leave your taste buds wanting more.

This Fat Fook branch is located at Phase Veranda Level 2, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Ugong Norte 3, Quezon City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 86375258.

Other branches are located at:

Upper Ground Floor, SM City Center North EDSA (Tel: +63 2 82838936)
Second Floor, Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Makati (Tel: +63 2 88381549)
Second Floor, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Bgy Tambo, Paranaque City (Tel: +63 2 79157999)
Second Floor, Ayala North Exchange, Ayala Avenue corner Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati (Tel: +63 2 79009139)
Ground Floor, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City (Tel: +63 2 83648341)

Stay updated on its menu and offers by following Fat Fook on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts on Fat Fook:

Family’s Intro to Fat Fook at Robinsons Galleria

Tasty Taiwanese dishes at FatFook Kitchen, UP Town Center

#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.

Check out my posts about other restos of The Bistro Group:

Feasts for the Man of the Hour from The Bistro Group

Dad can’t say no to meaty, fall-off-the-bone ribs and steaks any time of the year, especially on his special day this Sunday, June 21. Treat him to the delicious goodness of juicy, luscious steaks and slow-cooked, tender ribs that are perfectly glazed, they glisten!

At TGIFridays, Italianni’s and Denny’s, place an order of their bestselling ribs and take home another one for FREE at the following select branches:

ITALIANNI’S Bonifacio High Street, Ayala North Exchange, Greenbelt 2, Glorietta 4, Eastwood City, Evia Lifestyle Center, Alabang Town Center, Midtown and Vista Mall Sta. Rosa Dine-in store hours are from 11am to 6pm

TGIFRIDAY’S at Bonifacio High Street, Alabang Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, Glorietta 3 and Evia Lifestyle Center. Dine-in store hours are from 11am to 6:30pm

DENNY’S at Uptown Parade, Midtown, Eastwood City and Vista Mall Sta. Rosa. Dine-in store hours are from 8am to 8pm

Meanwhile, steak-loving Dads will be happy to sink their teeth into Texas Roadhouse’s legeandary Ft. Worth 10 oz Ribeye Steak, an order of which entitles guests to half ribs for FREE to take home.

Dads who are partial to Asian cuisine will love the dishes of Watami and Modern Shanghai. As a Father’s Day treat, order Xiao Long Bao at Modern Shanghai and get one FREE to go. At Watami, an order of Tokyo Beef Rice Bowl entitles guests to another one FREE to go.

At Buffalo Wild Wings, Buy 1 Get 1 Platter 2 (Liempo, Ribs, Traditional Wings and Rice) available for Take-Out/Delivery only at these branches inside Denny’s Vista and Uptown, BGC.

Of course, there are a lot more on the menu, so get ahead and spoil Dad!

Promo details and images provided by The Bistro Group in a recent press release.

Dimsum Treats at Yeah! Yeah! Chinese Cuisine, New Manila

Together with a bunch of officemates, I ventured farther than our usual haunts for our #HappyLunch. I actually recommended Yeah! Yeah! Chinese Cuisine after seeing pic after pic of scrumptious dimsum and rice toppings posted by fellow foodies on Instagram. Also, I wanted to take advantage of the promo by which diners can get the resto’s dimsum offerings, normally priced at Php120 or higher, for only Php95.

So off we went to Hemady Square along E. Rodriguez Avenue. (There is ample parking in the building’s basement but for a minute there I was worried that my officemate’s Ford Everest won’t fit the entrance nor the parking slot.) The building is fairly new but is already home to several business establishments.

Upon entering Yeah! Yeah! Chinese Cuisine’s premises, you will notice the spacious, well-lit and well-appointed dining area which contrasts with other run-off-the-mill Chinese eateries which might seem a bit dingy to almost everyone except their most loyal patrons. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows let in a lot of natural light. The furniture and design elements have muted colors that contribute to a relaxed dining atmosphere.

Taking advantage of the Php95/order for their dimsum, our group ordered:

Xiao Long Bao (normally priced at Php130)

Crab Roe Siomai (normally priced at Php120)

Shrimp Rice Roll (normally priced at Php160)

Taro Puffs (normally priced at Php130)

The famous Piggy Salted Egg Yolk Bao (normally priced at Php130)

Steamed Chicken Feet with Taosi (normally priced at Php130)

And since we brought our considerably big appetites with us, we also ordered:

Pork Giblets Congee (Php180)

Lechon Macau Rice Topping (Php280)

BBQ Pork Rice Topping (Php280)

Beef Brisket Noodle Soup (Php260)

The Lechon Macau was quite good: the flavorful skin has a nice crackle when you bite into it and the meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The serving was quite small, though.

The Xiao Long Bao is quite tasty as well; it was served steaming hot so I can slurp the soup from the bao and savor its meaty and herby flavor.

The Piggy Salted Egg Yolk Bao, on the other hand, was a bit of a let-down. Yes, it’s cute and Instagrammable, but I would have preferred a more pronounced taste of the salted egg yolk.

The dishes were served relatively promptly considering the size of our group and the number of orders. The servers were also attentive and accommodating, although there was some delay with a few of our requests.

I was thankful for the dimsum promo as it helped in convincing my officemates to accompany me in this foodie adventure.

By the way, if you have yet to try out Yeah! Yeah! Chinese Cuisine’s dimsum offerings, you will be glad to know that the dimsum promo has been extended to October 31, 2018. With this promo, you can get all dimsum at only Php95/order, Mondays to Fridays, from 11am to 5pm and 9pm to 11pm.

Yeah! Yeah! Chinese Cuisine is located at the Third Floor, Hemady Square, Dona Hemady Street corner E. Rodriguez Sr Avenue, New Manila, Quezon City. For reservations, call +63 2 9750070.

Sumptuous Chinese Lunch at Lugang Cafe, Greenhills

Lugang Cafe is the offshoot of Bellagio, a Taiwanese restaurant chain which first opened in Shanghai in 2001, bringing with it a combination of authentic Taiwanese cuisine with a modern and vibrant restaurant design. Since then, it has grown its China operations to include outlets in key cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Najing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Galaxy Macau.

Outside China, it is known as Lugang Cafe, currently with 7 branches in the Philippines, and recognition as a recipient of Philippine Tatler’s 100 Best Restaurant Awards.

Walking in to Lugang Cafe’s O Square branch in Greenhills Shopping Center, I can’t help but be impressed by its sleek, contemporary yet decidedly Asian decor. It has floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of natural light (great for food photography!) and even allows passersby to peek at the chefs at work in the kitchen. It has distinctive wall art, fixtures and furnishings that give the place a luxurious and premium look and feel, quite a departure from the usual down-home (and sometimes shabby-looking) Chinese restaurants.

Even though the place was packed with the Sunday lunch crowd, we were lucky to find ourselves a table with the help of a very accommodating hostess. There was a frenetic kind of energy to the place, what with the servers rushing here and there and the din of clanging utensils from the diners.

For my Sunday lunch together with Hubby and my daughter #ExhibitA, we ordered an array of dishes that showcase Lugang’s penchant for carefully selected ingredients imported from China, cooked fresh (with no chemical additives), and developed by the 14 world-class chefs it employs.

Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao (Php268 – 8 pieces). Did you know that in China, making Xiao Long Bao, also known as the soup dumpling for the flavorful pork skin broth that accompanies the pork leg meat inside the fine, delicate hand-rolled skin, is considered an art form? Lugang’s take on this challenging dish results in a very light and delicious dumpling that whets the appetite for more.

Steamed Vegetable and Pork Dumplings (Php268 – 8 pieces). A lighter take on the usual pork dumplings as the meat has to share the limelight with some greens.

Steamed Pan Fried Siopao (Php268). Another departure from the run-of-the-mill cuisine, this version of the steamed siopao has bottom which has been seared to a crisp texture, adding an interesting contrast in texture to the light fluffy bun that envelopes the meaty filling.

Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodles Soup (Php320). Tender choice cut beef sirloin slices and melt-in-your-mouth tendons are accompanied by a savory and spicy broth and firm handmade noodles (that I had trouble cutting with my soup spoon, hahaha!) and topped with aromatics. This is definitely something I would want to sip on during cold rainy days.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Php320). A twist on the regular fried rice, with cashew nuts adding texture and pineapple bits lending some sweetness to the dish. Although it went well with the viands we ordered, I think this rice is a bit too oily for my taste.

Beef Tenderloin with Crispy Garlic (Php680). A new dish offered by Lugang first introduced in this very branch last year, it features tender cuts of beef braised in a flavorful garlic sauce, quite a flavor grenade!

Fried Prawns with Oats (Php580). Humongous prawns covered in an oat-filled batter and deep-fried to a golden brown. While it has an interesting texture, I think that the oats do not do much to enhance the prawns’ taste.

All in all, our Sunday lunch at Lugang Cafe introduced us to a host of absorbing new tastes and textures, as well as wowed us with the luxurious restaurant interiors. We definitely wouldn’t mind returning and revisiting our favorites or trying out the other dishes being offered.

Which brings us to…

Lugang Cafe’s UlTEAmate Feast

From August 28 to September 28, weekdays at 2.30 to 5.30pm, diners can eat all the Steamed Pork Xiao Long Baos their hearts desire, together with other unlimited dumplings, for only Php298 per person at all Lugang Cafe branches. For more details, visit Lugang’s Facebook Page.

I might have some difficulty availing of this offer – what with work schedules and all – but take heart, I vow to find a way!

Lugang Cafe’s Lauriat Feast

Did you know Lugang can deliver platters and packed meals with your favorite Taiwanese dishes right at your doorstep?

This Lugang Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, O’Square, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 906 2176217. Other branches are located at:

Level 1, Main Mall, South Arcade, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (Tel: +63 906 2176216)
2/F The Block SM North Edsa, Pag-asa 1, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 3328725 or +63 915 7469693)
Skypark, Level 5, SM Aura Premier, 26th Street corner Mckinley Parkway, Taguig City (Tel: +63 2 5195663 or +63 906 4555873)
Glorietta 2, G/F, The New Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 4033303 or +63 906 4555879)
F Fashion Hall, Bldg D, SM Megamall Edsa cor. J. Vargas, Brgy Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City (Tel: +63 2 6316436 or +63 915 1742243)
Level 1, Pedro Gil Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila (Tel: +63 995 7564734)

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.

View this post on Instagram

Pork #xiaolongbao (Php158), #sweetandsourporkribs (Php279), #peppersaltchicken strips (Php199), #beeffriedrice (Php219) and #SausageFriedRice (Php219) at @bainiantangbaoph. It was supposed to be a quick lunch though. #ChineseFood #foodie #foodiegram

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Jun 1, 2018 at 10:01pm PDT

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:

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.
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.
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.
Once the soup has been duly slurped, you can then pop the what remains into your mouth.
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.