Gong Xi Fa Chai!
The Year of the Fire Rooster that’s bound to bring you good luck and fortune has almost arrived. Liven up the Chinese New Year with these delectable finds from some of Manila’s finest Chinese restaurants you and your family will surely enjoy.
Red Lantern
Their hugely popular dim sum buffet trots out the dumpling flavors we know by heart, from glutinous chicken feet to pork buns to versions of hakaw. Red Lantern takes something as basic as a shrimp and cuttlefish ball, and then coats them with crunchy almond slivers. Or the sweet deep-fried katafi roll with a filling of warm avocado paste, a hands-down favorite among diners. For purists, Red Lantern serves traditional Peking duck, roasted suckling pig, and Buddha Jumps over the Wall, a hearty soup of pork, chicken, dried scallop, abalone and fish maw. – Sylvia Reynoso Gala
Red Lantern is located at Solaire Resort and Casino, Aseana Ave. Parańaque City. Call (02) 888 8888 for reservations
Sichuan Modern Restaurant
Classic Sichuan dishes we love include mapo tofu, kungpao chicken and Sichuan hot pot. When it comes to taste and presentation, the restaurant’s Pork Slices in Chili Sauce is hard to beat. Strips of pork tenders, alternated with thinly sliced cucumbers, are hung on a kind of tabletop trestle fitted with a slatted wooden tray on which a saucer of chili lies in wait. Like the tzatziki or yogurt and cucumber side served with fiery Indian dishes, the cucumber helps calm down singed taste buds. Also in the Sichuan menu are Spicy Beef Kenchi, Steamed Chicken with Chili Oil, Deep Fried Oyster with Spicy Salt and Braised Garoupa with Green Peppercorns. Seasonal dishes include the Chili Frog and Fried Bullfrog with Cucumber and Pickled Pepper. – Sylvia Reynoso Gala
Sichuan Modern Restaurant is located at The Fort Strip, 5th Ave. corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Century Seafood Restaurant
The concept of making simple, home-cooked Chinese meals and transforming them into culinary masterpieces has always been a Century Seafood Restaurant trademark. The taste has always been consistent and savory, refining people that good food is not complex; just using the best ingredients and bringing out the flavor would suffice. The hot prawn salad is a must try!
Century Seafood Restaurant is located in Century Park Hotel, 599 Pablo Ocampo St., Malate, Manila
Lung Hin
Award-winning Hong Kong chefs Cheng Yeung Kwan and Ka Ming Pun were brought in to act as main Chinese and dim sum chefs, for Lung Hin. Together, they create a style of food that is described as authentic, traditional and contemporary Chinese. Although initially confusing, this paradoxical description makes sense as diners see Cantonese dishes updated using ingredients that are not usually associated with Chinese food. Don’t miss out on the Three flavored prawns and stir-fried crab meat with egg white and milk.
Dine at Lung Hin located in Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, 1600 Metro Manila, Philippines
Xin Tian Di
(Photo from Xin Tian Di’s Facebook page)
Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria’s premier Chinese restaurant, Xin Tian Di, is among the first establishments that introduced the dim sum buffet concept. Dim Sum Unlimited†allows diners to enjoy unlimited orders of more than 50 dim sum selections. Available for lunch, the menu offers extensive treats, appetizers, soups, dumplings, rice, vegetarian dishes, noodles and desserts. Xin Tian Di also offers various Asian specialties, and cozy and spacious private rooms for intimate gatherings.
Xin Tian Di is at the 4F of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Ave. corner ADB Ave., Quezon City; (02) 633 7222 or email fandb.reservations@ihg.com
Li Li
Li Li reflects New World Manila Bay Hotel’s renowned standards of modern oriental hospitality. It is the preferred place for power lunches, elegant dinners and enjoyable relaxed dining for both foreign and local residents. Guaranteed to impress the most distinguished gourmet, the menu reflects traditional home style cooking of sumptuous Cantonese fare, most especially dim sum. Their All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum Lunch Buffet, which is available from Monday to Saturday (12 noon to 2:30 p.m.), is a guaranteed winner!
Li Li is located at the 5th Level of New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. del Pilar St. Malate, Manila. For details, call (02) 252 6888
