Friday, September 30, 2011

Lunch Date with Mom at North Park (Convergys Branch)

I took a leave from work last Friday to go to Makati to finish some very important errands. I was accompanied by my mom who happened to be visiting us from Cavite. We had lunch at North Park, a modern Chinese restaurant on the corner of Ayala Avenue and Salcedo St. It was our first time there and we loved the food a lot we ended up staying at the restaurant for almost two hours. That was a long stay considering we were fast eaters!

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North Park’s menu doubles as under liner. Cool concept, methinks. Mom let me choose what to order. After a little browsing, I called the waiter and requested a few dishes.

I was expecting they’d provide us with complimentary warm tea (just like in other Chinese restos) and they did!

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But apart from that, we also ordered drinks: Coke Light (P55) for mom and a glass of Cold Chrysanthemum Juice (P55) for me. I was a bit disappointed with my drink. It looked and tasted as if it came straight from a teabag and just served with some ice. They should have named it Chrysanthemum Iced Tea and not Chrysanthemum Juice. Juice and tea are two different things, right?

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Our food arrived a couple of minutes later. I am happy to report that the food at North Park were not only delicious but came in big servings.

We started off our meal with the Nanking Beef and Wanton Noodles, P118. Afraid that we’d get full too early, I only ordered the light one (smaller serving). I chose whole wheat for the noodles. The waiter mentioned they offer three kinds: whole wheat, flat and Hong Kong noodles.

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The bowl of beef and wanton noodles was delicious. The beef was oh-so tender and the wantons were yummy. My only complaint was that the soup was just lukewarm and not as hot as I wanted it to be.

BBQ Pork Asado, P158. This Chinese favorite is one of the roasted specialties of North Park and we enjoyed it a lot. It came in a small plate but don’t judge just yet as it was packed with meat that could easily feed two to three people. The pork meat was tender and oozing with flavors. Mom liked it as it was. I, on the other hand, added some chili oil and soy sauce to the meat to neutralize its sweetness.

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As much as possible, I don’t leave a Chinese resto without trying out the Siomai, P88 for four pieces. For me, it’s one of the factors that could make or break a Chinese resto. The siomai at North Park was wonderful! If my memory serves me right, each piece had two small shrimps, with the remaining portion divided between the ground pork and the pork fat. But how I wish North Park would make the pork fat in their siomai smaller in size. While biting into a piece of siomai, I caught a glimpse of the pork fat and suddenly became uneasy of its size. I’ve eaten siomai as delicious as theirs but with pork fat barely visible to the naked eye. Just saying.

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Yang Chow Fried Rice, P158. It may look like a small cup of fried rice on the photo, but it was actually a BIG cup! Mom and I had a hard time finishing it all by ourselves. This is the kind of fried rice that would pass anyone’s discriminating palate. The rice was soft and flavorful. Small shrimps, pork bits and veggies were generously mixed into the rice making it a complete meal in itself. Mom and I happily partnered it with the Asado and the Siomai and each bite never failed to satisfy our tummies.

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This particular North Park branch was a busy bee on a Friday noon. As what we have observed, a group would arrive after another group has left. Most of the diners were Chinese families and Makati yuppies. As for the interiors, it looked modern yet cozy and relaxed. We settled in one of the tables with comfortable, cushioned seats. My mom loved the place as much as I did.

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The service was slow but friendly. The prices (which are already VAT-inclusive) are very reasonable for the size of the food that’s usually good for sharing. Allot P300 per head for a decent lunch or dinner.

I am definitely going back, but this time will try their branches nearer to my place. And I'll bring a better camera, too (sorry for the lousy photos!).

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North Park Convergys
Ayala Ave. corner Salcedo St.
Makati City

(+632)750-1391

http://www.northpark.com.ph


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3 comments:

  1. It's always nice to have lunch with moms, especially if we can take time out from our work weeks to be with them. In this own little way, we can get to show our appreciation---as heartwarming as the comfort food of good old North Park :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi! Yes, I hope to take her to more lunch dates in the future. It's a great bonding activity, especially for someone like me who considers her mom as her bestest friend. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. my fave is their 3 kinds of mushroom noodle soup :D

    ReplyDelete

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