Happy 1st Anniversary to King Chef Seafood Restaurant, Lucky Chinatown Mall!

Last Saturday, I, along with my Superf Nicely, attended the first anniversary of King Chef Seafood Restaurant at Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo. It was well-attended by members of the media, bloggers, investors, suppliers and friends of the famous Chinese restaurant. The guests were treated to a sumptuous lauriat lunch composed of King Chef specialty dishes. Everything we ate was delicious and as we had expected, the feast they served us was fit for a king. Now, that's the King Chef promise that they deliver to their customers every single day.





While the lauriat lunch was being served, there was a program that featured some slideshows and speeches from the people behind King Chef as well as parlor games where the lucky winners received King Chef GCs. Everybody, including yours truly, went home with a happy tummy and of course, wishing King Chef - Lucky Chinatown branch more fruitful years in the competitive dining scene of Binondo.



Below are food photos from the lauriat lunch we had:


Assorted Cold Cuts Combination (the perfect start to a great lauriat lunch)


Dumplings in Seafood Spinach Soup


Deep-fried Suahe with Salted Egg (this was made of awesome!)


Stir-fried Kung Pao Chicken (enjoyed the sweet, tangy and spicy flavors of this delightful dish!)


Fried Spareribs with Eight Spices


Stuffed Eggplant in Japanese Sauce (I didn't know eggplant could be this tasty!)


Fried King Fish in Mango Sauce


Typhoon Shelter Crabs (these big, fat, juicy crabs were the highlight of our lauriat lunch!)


Birthday Noodles (my current fave noodles!)


Almond Fish Gelatin (delicate gelatin with just the right sweetness, this is King Chef's own gourmet masterpiece)


Mango Balls (loved this yummy buchi with fresh mango filling!)

King Chef first opened in Banawe, QC on June 30, 2011. It's the baby of the Ang couple -- Michael and Maritess. Today, King Chef already has three branches: two in Banawe (King Chef Fine Dining and King Chef Dimsum Kitchen) and one in Binondo (King Chef-Lucky Chinatown Mall). It's amazing how in just a span of two years, King Chef has already made a name for itself and gained a loyal following among Filipino-Chinese families and Chinese-food lovers alike.

King Chef owners Michael and Maritess Ang with the managers and staff of King Chef-Lucky Chinatown

There's only one way to find out how King Chef has won the hearts (and tummies!) of a lot of people this early in their existence, and that is simply to dine there. Yes, to see (and taste!)is to believe. For reservation and inquiries, call them at the following numbers:

(+632) 720-8594
(+632) 466-5765
King Chef Seafood Restaurant
2/F Lucky Chinatown Mall
Binondo, Manila

(+632) 410-4919
(+632) 413-6619
(+632) 441-4177
(+632) 352-7534
(+632) 697-7781
King Chef Fine Dining / King Chef Dimsum Kitchen
987-989 Banawe St., Quezon City

For promos and updates, you may want to visit the King Chef Facebook Page.
Happy 1st Birthday again to King Chef and thank you to Glenn Arvin Reyes (PR of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls) for the invite! :)


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Binondo Food Trip: Dong Bei Dumpling

One crisp Sunday morning, the fiancee and I tried the very popular kuchay or steamed dumplings of Dong Bei Dumpling in Binondo (Manila's Chinatown) for the first time. We initially wanted to try just the steamed dumplings, but we ended up ordering other items from their pretty basic menu of Chinese food. Which made our supposed to be "snack" as a sort of "brunch." We didn't regret our decision as we left the place with very happy tummies.


the signage


front view of the place

At Dong Bei Dumpling, the steamed dumplings are made on the spot right after the customers have ordered them.



In a matter of minutes, our steamed dumplings were ready!



Our order of steamed dumplings was served on a plain, white plate. Priced at P100, it had a total of 14 pieces. Each piece had soft and chewy dough with a generous amount of filling. One bite and I immediately tasted the burst of flavors from the ground pork and the leeks. I think I also tasted a hint of ginger and garlic.

I dipped the dumplings into the mixture of soy-vinegar and hot chili oil to complete the experience.





I just loved 'em dumplings. The fiancee felt the same. He was even one with me in agreement that Dong Bei Dumpling serves the best steamed dumplings in the whole of Binondo!


a satisfied dumpling-eater look on yours truly's face

The rest of our steamed dumplings we paired with Dong Bei Dumpling's Fried Rice. The secret to this dish lies in its simplicity. It's basically rice mixed with spring onions, egg and some salt. At P60 per order, it can easily feed two people.



The fiancee, who's a noodle soup lover, also got a bowl of Dong Bei Dumpling's Wanton Noodle Soup (P100). It was served on our table steaming hot I almost burned my tongue. It had a few pieces of wanton and some tenga ng daga (wood ear mushrooms), fresh noodles and soup. While I enjoyed the wantons and the fresh noodles that were chewy to the bite, the soup tasted bland to me. (For me, the taste was akin to boiled water sprinkled with flour.) The fiancee, however, liked the soup a lot. I'd found out later that to make it palatable, you are to add some soy-vinegar to the soup. Errrr, fine.



To wash down all the yummy stuff, we treated ourselves to a can of Wong Lo Kat each. It's a refreshing herbal tea in a can. We highly recommend it after eating a lot of steamed dumplings from Dong Bei Dumpling.


Wong Lo Kat, P35

All in all, we had a pleasant dining experience at Dong Bei Dumpling. Don't let the non-descript appearance fool you. The place may be basic and all, but the offerings are definitely worth the trip to Binondo. I wish I could go back there soon and try their other specialties.

Dong Bei Dumpling
642 Yuchengco St.
Binondo, Manila


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Binondo Food Trip: A Thanksgiving Dinner at Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant, Binondo

After several failed visits, my officemates and I finally went to Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant in Binondo for a thanksgiving dinner last Thursday night. We got another six-year lease in the office and we thought it called for a celebration. I brought Edwin along. I have heard a lot of good things about the restaurant, and so my expectations were quite high. I'm happy to announce that it didn't disappoint me. Our dinner of Chinese food had been as authentic as it should be.

We arrived in the place before 6:00 p.m. We were the first guests for dinner. After perusing through the laminated menu, we immediately ordered a couple of dishes including their signature fried chicken and oyster cake. For drinks, most of us had almond gulaman. Prices were quite affordable. We were five and we paid less than P1,500 only, tip included.

my refreshing almond gulaman

Let's start with the oyster cake (P240). It was loaded (as in really filled!) with the aphrodisiac shellfish. Unfortunately, we didn't like it much. The omelette tasted bland and the seafood goodness of the oysters were too overwhelming for us. But in fairness to the oyster cake, the other occupied tables had it. And the diners were Chinese.

oyster cake

The fried chicken was awesome. We ordered one whole chicken (P300) and it arrived on our table on two plates. I liked the way it was cooked. They cut the chicken in medium-sized pieces. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender and delicious. It didn't have gravy and instead, there were ketchup and hot sauce provided. It matched well with my fried rice. Now I know why people keep raving about the fried chicken at Sincerity.

Sincerity Cafe's signature fried chicken

Sincerity fried rice

For starters, we had some kikiams (P50 each). Unlike the kikiams sold on the streets, theirs were bigger and crunchier. The kikiams also had bits of pork meat and fat which made them really tasty. Plus, they came with some creamy, mushroom gravy that went well with them.

Sincerity kikiams, not your ordinary street food

The other dishes we ordered were pancit canton and camaron rebosado. I found the pancit too dry and bland for my taste. I had to ask for some soy sauce to finish the serving I got for myself. The camaron rebosado, on the other hand, was ordinary.

pancit canton

camaron rebosado

As for the restaurant itself, the service was okay and the ambience was similar to that of a typical Chinese eatery -- simple and laid back. But what made me feel that I was really eating in a Chinese restaurant at that time were the lanterns hanging from the ceiling and the several pieces of framed Chinese silk art hanging on the wall.

All in all, I can say it was a pleasant dinner. Had I seen any of the staff smiling to us, I would've said it was a fantastic dinner. But they were not that friendly. Our only consolation was that they served our food fast.

If you're eating at Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant, make sure to include the fried chicken and the kikiams in your order. You'll never regret it. :)

Sincerity Cafe
497 Yuchengco St.
Binondo, Manila

(+632) 241-99-90 and 241-99-72

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Binondo Food Trip: Our Cafe Mezzanine Experience

Binondo, a.k.a. Chinatown, is one of the top tourist destinations in Manila. This is where you could find anything and everything Chinese, from porcelain wares and antiques to Chinese medicines and authentic Chinese cuisine. Last Holy Wednesday, my three officemates, Edwin and I took advantage of the declared 'half day' working hours in all government offices. We trooped to Binondo and had lunch at Cafe Mezzanine, the Volunteer Fireman's Coffee Shop. It was an afternoon of gustatory delights which we will always remember with fondness.

Cafe Mezannine is a quaint little restaurant at the second floor of an old building on the corner of Ongpin and Nueva streets. The ambience is laidback and homey. The fireman hats and fire scene photos hanging on the wall on the left (from the entrance door) do not fail to steal people's attention. I guess they serve as a tribute to the brave firemen of Binondo, the owner of the restaurant being one of its long-time sponsors. The same person is the one behind Eng Bee Tin Shop, or so I heard.








Once we got seated to the table near the entrance door, the wait staff immediately handed us the menus and prepared our cutleries. I didn't have to think hard because I came there for the kiampong, which is always one of the highlights of popular street walker Ivan Mandy's Binondo tour. It's not once that I heard of blogger friends raving about this dish. Indeed, the raves have basis as I would learn later that the kiampong was a satisfying meal on its own, very flavorful and yes, very Chinese.


Cafe Mezzanine's famous kiampong, P48 per serving


I almost forgot to take photos of the food as I got so excited to eat. Add to that the fact that we took a long walk on our way to Binondo which made us quite famished. Anyway, below are some of the snapshots I managed to take:


lumpiang shanghai

asado and egg

camaron rebosado

Everything was as good as they looked. I especially liked the beef and wanton noodle soup that we all shared in little bowls. For 195 per serving in a big bowl, it was good enough for five people. The soup was rich and the beef was juicy and tender. It was so easy to remove the fat from the meat! The aroma of the soup was inviting, with hints of sangke (star anise) penetrating the nose in each spoonful. It couldn't be better than that. Good thing the resto had air-con, we didn't perspire while enjoying the soup.


the delicious beef and wanton noodle soup
We would've ordered desserts had we not been so stuffed. I guess we'll just reserve that for our next visit. As for the prices, Cafe Mezzanine didn't burn a hole in our pockets. We paid only P200 plus each, and that already included drinks and tip.


lemon soda



Cafe Mezzanine
650 Ongpin Cor. Nueva Sts.
Binondo, Manila

(+632) 242-9759
(+632) 241-9999
(+632) 247-2222


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