#Chinese restaurant Ortigas

[beingjellybeans]

Two iconic Ortigas hotels reveal recent renovations for enhanced guest experience

The Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria, two of the most iconic hotels in Ortigas, are thrilled to showcase their room renovations, promising an unmatched experience for discerning business travelers, leisure seekers, and families and friends alike. Completed with meticulous attention to detail, these renovations reflect a dedication to delivering a reimagined standard of…

[purplesurveys]

676

Themed surveys are the shit y’all. There should definitely be more of these.

General

Where is your country? My country is in Asia – specifically in Southeast Asia, which I recently learned a lot of people outside Asia aren’t aware of. We’re situated just right below China and we neighbor Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia. How big is your country? It’s moderately large, but when you consider how many we are, we are an extremely small country. What is the population of your country? 109 million. I’m not sure if this is still updated, but we’re around the 12th most populated country in the world. Compare that with how we’re only the 77th in terms of size. How would you describe the landscape? We are an archipelago, which means our country is essentially a collection of thousands of little islands – 7,107 in total. Side note: this means it’s always been extremely hard to make an attempt to be ‘united’ as a nation, due to the fact that we are literally separated from one another. But besides that, yeah we’re made up of a lot of islands which means going from one province to another typically requires you to travel via plane, boat, or ferry. Aside from the tiny islands that we have, our country has three main islands, of which the small ones are a part of – Luzon (which is where Manila is and where I live), Visayas, and Mindanao. The Philippines is also part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which means we have a number of active volcanoes and that we are prone to hurricanes – and we do get them, badly, every year. We also have a number of mountain ranges consisting mostly of tropical rainforests; these ranges, while beautiful, make traveling from province to province quite a challenge.  Which part of your country do most people live in? Oh Manila, without a doubt. Most people, especially from the provinces, want to move to Manila because it’s the economic hub and everyone has an ideal image of it bearing opportunity for them. Unfortunately it is never what it seems and Manila is instead filled with the urban poor, some homeless and some living in shanties or illegal settlements. A lot also live in the cities surrounding Manila in a region we call Metro Manila (or, officially, the National Capital Region) to have closer access to Manila, and also because these cities have proven to give them a better life as well.

Tell me about the main industries there. The main economy is agriculture, but since then we’ve been making a shift to manufacturing and the service industries. While the shift looks good on paper, it has since meant that our farmers have been neglected and they remain extremely poor despite the effort they put into their work. Our biggest exports are sugar, coconuts, rice, bananas I think?, pineapples, and mangoes.  Tourism is also an important industry and unfortunately we’ve been hit hard by the coronavirus. Nevertheless, significant tourist spots include Boracay, Puerto Galera, Palawan, Siargao, Baler, Vigan, La Union, and Baguio. Lastly – while it’s not an ‘industry’ per se, millions upon millions of Filipinos also try their luck abroad as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) for better opportunity and higher pay. As a result, their remittances to the country is one of the biggest things that contribute to our economy every year, because these OFWs are usually the breadwinners and thus send money to their families, which obviously end up pouring into the national economy. What agricultural products are produced by your country? I’ve already mentioned them, but we’re essentially powerhouses in producing rice, sugar, coconuts, corn, rubber, several fruits such as pineapples and bananas, and a type of material called abaca.

Food and drink

What traditional dishes are served in your country? Which is your favorite? What’s the recipe? We have many, considering PH has a very rich native culture. A lot of our dishes have been inspired by Spanish and Chinese culture, such as lechon (whole roasted pig) and afritada (meat and veggies in tomato sauce) for Spanish cuisine; and siopao (a bread-like dumpling), siomai (our version of Chinese dumplings), and pancit (noodles) for Chinese cuisine. But besides those, we also have come up with our own such as dinuguan (pork blood stew), sisig (chopped pig’s cheek skin, ears, and liver), and sinigang (meat or seafood in sour broth). My personal favorite is kare-kare , which is oxtail and vegetables in peanut sauce. I dunno how to cook it but both my grandmothers have the best recipes.

What drinks is your country famous for? We’re not particularly known for our drinks as much as for our food, but we do have sago’t gulaman and taho. Fruit shakes are also widely popular, and so is coconut juice. We also produce several variants of coffee, such as barako and arabica.

What alcoholic drinks are produced in your country?Again, not really internationally renowned for drinks but Filipinos LOVE their beer. Popular favorites include San Miguel Pale Pilsen, San Mig Light, and Red Horse. Tuba and lambanog are notable local alcoholic drinks but tbh they’re so native and mostly consumed in the province that as a city girl, I don’t even know what they’re made of, and I mostly read of them in books lmao.

Are there any stories behind traditional foods? Not really. But essentially, Filipinos have historically lived in the wild, with some provinces more remote than others; and a lot of people are generally poor. That means it’s in our blood to have to make do with what we have, which is why a lot of our dishes are composed of things that may be conceived as weird by others, such as duck embryo, chicken intestines, or pig’s cheeks. We’re not ‘uncultured’ or ‘disgusting,’ we’re only from a different culture with very different origins than that of the West.

Political

What is the political system in your country? I just know we live in a democracy, but the official system name for our government is apparently a unitary presidential constitutional republic; thanks, Wikipedia.

Who is in power at the moment? Unfortunately we currently have a garbage of a President, and an internationally notorious one at that – Rodrigo Duterte.

How is your country dealing with the current financial crisis? I honestly don’t know how to answer this. The Philippines has never been one of the top dogs when it comes to global economy, and as far as I know we’ve always played it safe when it comes to this, so we don’t really get seriously hit when financial crises happen.

What can you say about the leaders of your country? Miserable. Most of our senators did not deserve a seat, but there they are. As it stands, we have a TV host, a boxer (Manny Pacquiao, no less), a former police chief, and an actor in the Senate. A number of personalities in the entertainment industry have also found careers in politics. This means a lot of the things that are urgent and need lots of rational decision-making are always handled poorly and haphazardly. A lot of politicians are known to be corrupt, stealing millions of money and spending more than they earn – but they always get away with it, the ones who are supposed to be the watchdogs of corruption are also their allies. The genuinely good politicians are always overpowered, silenced, arrested, killed, ostracized – and lose elections.

The elections system is just as sad. Most, if not all, candidates, appeal to emotion and literally exploit the poor by using them as talent in their commercials to show the other poor people watching TV that they are on their side – and because the poor don’t have access to education and don’t know any better, they end up voting for them, even though these candidates don’t actually give a single fuck about the poor. Many spend hundreds upon millions for TV and radio ads for 30-second spots. Election violence, vote buying, and ghost voting are widespread.

Cities

How would you describe the capital city and any other main cities? Manila is a sad shell of what it used to be. Look up photos of Manila in the 50s and 60s, and you’d see it looks no different than the streets of Los Angeles or New York. Today it’s neglected, overpopulated, congested, and resided by people who were once filled with hopes and dreams about Manila. There’s a side of Manila that is beautiful and pretty wealthy – the part along Manila Bay – but this side is only riddled with Chinese businessmen, most of whom treat Filipinos like shit. Quezon City, Makati, and Ortigas are the economic and financial hubs surrounding Manila and for the most part these cities are known as the hip places and it’s where the youth and adults hang out. It’s where the malls, bars, restaurants are, and these cities are the ones shrouded in Western influence; but because people do flock to these places, the cost of living is extremely high from parking fees to condominiums. The major city in Visayas is Cebu and in Mindanao, Davao; but given that I’ve only been to Cebu once, and Davao never, I can’t say much about them. What special attractions can be found in each city? Manila has Rizal Park and tons of museums but the city itself isn’t a favorite among foreign tourists; these people usually go to our beaches like Boracay and Palawan, or the cities that offer a more local scenery, like Baler, Bohol, and Ilocos.

Sports and games

What is the most popular sport in your country? How do you play it? Basketball, FOR SURE. Every barangay or municipality has their own basketball court – literally. Filipinos are just basically obsessed with it whether it’s the NBA, the PBA, or basketball even at the collegiate level. Are there any sports or games unique to your country? Very few. We’ve mostly gotten eaten up by Western culture and patronize sports such as basketball, boxing, and volleyball. The only traditional sport I know of is arnis, which even I know very little about except for the fact that it’s a martial art that involves sticks. When is the best time to watch them? I’ve never watched a game of arnis. And I generally don’t watch sports, so I’m not the best person to answer this lmao. How well does your country do in international competitions? I don’t follow a lot but we’ve made our mark here and there. Obviously Manny Pacquiao is a boxing legend, but we also have Hidilyn Diaz for weightlifting, Efren Reyes for billiards, Paeng Nepomuceno for bowling, Carlos Yulo for gymnastics, and Lydia de Vega for track. Are there any sports that foreign visitors practice in your country? I don’t think so. Is football (soccer) popular in your country? If so, which are the best teams? Not really.

Weather

Is the weather very different in different parts of the country? No. It’s mainly tropical, with extremely humid summers and it’s moderately cold by the end of the year. Only cities with high elevation, like Baguio and Sagada, get EXTREMELY cold during the Ber months, which makes them popular vacation spots during Christmas haha. Sometimes the temperature will dip down to 10 or 9 degrees Celsius, which is a huge deal here.

Can you describe the seasons? We don’t have the conventional ‘seasons’ y’all have. We have two main ones – warm and wet. Wet is just the season with typhoons, warm is either summer, or a period with no typhoons. Pretty straightforward.

What is the best time to visit? It depends on where you’re going. Going to Baguio, for example, is the best during the colder months (October to December) to really maximize the colder weather. Going to the beaches is ideal in April to June.

Language

What languages are spoken in your country? Nearly 200, but official languages are Filipino and English. What language do you usually hear on the streets? Filipino. But it depends where I am, too. In wealthier cities, I’ll hear English more. How many people speak English in your country? A good number; I’d say 60-70% can understand or speak basic English. Those who can speak it conversationally comprise a smaller amount. Some still live in pretty remote areas and thus have no concept of English.

Customs

Is there a particular national costume? Can you describe it? Yeah, for the woman we have baro’t saya, and for the men we have the barong Tagalog. Just Google them lmao.

Are there any special local dances? What are they like? Several ones, like tinikling (a dance where you have your feet play with bamboo poles routinely beat together or tapped by two other people) and cariñosa, a romantic dance. But due to the Western influence here, people are more prone to get into hip-hop or contemporary dance more. Are the people generally friendly? Without a doubt, yes. Filipinos are extremely known for their hospitality. If a tourist were to knock on our door right now we would definitely let him in, make him dinner, and my mom would probably ask me to give my bedroom to him for the night. What are some special customs or traditions in your country?

We have the mano po, which is when younger individuals would greet their seniors/superiors by taking the older person’s right hand with their right hand, and placing the back of the older person’s right hand it onto their forehead. It’s a significant sign of respect and to avoid doing it is extremely impolite.

We also have the concept of community spirit, or bayanihan. Basically, if one is in need, everyone in the same community steps up and helps. The quinetessential example for this is when one has to move their hut to a new location (Filipinos before were nomadic), all the neighbors swoop in to help lift the hut and carry it all the way to the new place. 

Courtship was an important step in traditional society, and the man would do a harana, or serenade the woman while playing the guitar, in front of her house while she looks out her window.

Noche Buena is the traditional midnight meal (kinda like our version of Thanksgiving) that we have by the end of Christmas Eve to usher in Christmas Day

Po and opo are filler words used to denote respect, and is always affixed to the end of sentences when speaking with elders. It’s not required, but of course you’ll look like a disrespectful asshole if you don’t use it with older people.

History

What can you tell me about the history of your country?

Pre-colonial Philippines was rich and vibrant, and one that would be considered pretty fucking progressive even today – transgender people were welcome, women were of a higher social status than men, among others. 

This all changed when the Spaniards came and tl;dr ruined everything for us. They wiped out our folk religions, literature, songs, legends, epics, and everything good that we had going. Friars abused us physically, sexually, and economically; everyone was forced to convert to Catholicism; early newspapers were shut down; forced labor was imposed; anyone who disagreed with their rule was killed.

After 333 years we were sold to the US for $20 million. Americans gave us the modern education system, a modern government system, a richer literature, religious freedom, and of course, the English language. But they also brought us colonial mentality and materialism, which persists to this day. Americans were also racist towards us and the only reason we have international schools today is because these were actually started up by American soldiers so that their’ kids would have schools that didn’t have native Filipinos in them. 

By WWII, Japan destroyed the Philippines, leaving us to start from scratch. They bombed Manila, raped our women and young girls and made them sex slaves, brutally murdered everybody else who weren’t women and young girls, stole everything from us, and established a puppet government in Manila to bully us further. The only reason they gave us independence was because US had dropped atomic bombs onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and they had no choice but to surrender.

Three colonizers has left us pretty traumatized, something we’ve never truly recovered from to this day. Our political system is shaky, our sense of identity is lost, we’ve never been truly ‘united’ as a nation, and the Catholic penetration has made us a widely conservative, pro-life, anti-LGBT country.

Did your country gain independence from another country? If so, when and how did this happen? See above.

[nakpilhumanistas]

Historia en Progressio: Unfolding the Heart of Metro

PATRICIA YSABELLE S. TAGUIAM

22 FEBRUARY 2020

Most of us have visited or stayed in Metro Manila yet never had the chance to visit various places that are not just rich in history but also known for the timeless beauty it beholds.

Metro Manila is not like the place it was many years ago. Like any other capital cities in Southeast Asia, highways, buildings, condominiums and establishments have emanated along Metro Manila establishing itself as a highly urbanized community.

Many people from different provinces and country congregate here to work, to study and to have fun with family and friends. We have been introduced by our elementary teachers to some of the historical places in Manila, home of Filipino's culture and heritage.

1. Rizal Park

Perhaps most people who have already set foot in Manila have alredy visited Rizal Park. But this historic park located in the heart of the city is best visited, used and enjoyed if people will learn, realize and appreciate its historical value. It is a place where we can find many important heritages of our country.

Before, the name of the place was Bagumbayan which means "new town" in English. This is the place where Dr. Jose Rizal, our National hero was executed by Spanish colonial authorities. It is named after Dr. Jose Rizal to give honor for his great contribution in providing Filipinos' sovereignty. It is also called Luneta Park because of the area's shape which looks like a crescent moon (lunette). The Declaration of Philippines' Independence from Spanish colonization.

Rizal Park is considered as the largest urban park in Asia, and has also been a venue of various attempts to break world records.

The parade of floats for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is anually held every Christmas. Recently, the cities and towns of Metro Manila have begun rotating the hosting of parade. Presidential inaugurations are usually held in the park every June 30, six years starting from 1992.

2. Within Walls: Intramuros

Travel back in time and walk along the historical walls of Intramuros.

Intramuros is a latin word which means "within the walls". It has withstood many disasters, from wars to natural calamities. Visiting this place gives us a glimpse of how people lived during the Spanish era. Spaniards built this in 1521 strategically between Manila Bay and Pasig to keep it contained and serve as Spain's military base in Asia.

In almost every historical Filipino movie, the walls of Intramuros have always been a witness of reminiscing past historical events.

3. EDSA

Among the vast yellow army, sun rised from within. With a hand to grab on, their hearts were in one accord proclaming victory, "laban!"

The Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA, or more popularly, the EDSA Shrine is a small church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila located at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Barangay Ugong Norte, Quezon City. The history of this place and the people who shed their blood, sweat and tears lives on echoing through Filipino history, "never again".

EDSA is featured in the film Bourne Legacy. Portions of the road from Magallanes Interchange to Taft Avenue were featured in a car chase wherein Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner jumps from the Taft Avenue footbridge to a plying bus.

4. Quiapo Church

They say Filipinos are resilient, but where is this resiliency coming from? It's the practice of their faith.

For over four centuries, a historical and iconic miraculous statue of Jesus Christ carrying his Cross has become an emblem of passion, struggle and faith for Filipino Catholics.

The life-size statue of Jesus is enshrined in the famous minor basilica popularly known as the Quiapo Church, located in the Archdiocese of Manila. The statue has survived the blazing fires that destroyed the church twice, two earthquakes, the floods of numerous typhoons and bombings during World War II.

The church which hosts the statue never sleeps. It welcomes devotees early in the morning till late evening. During the day, it holds continuous Masses and Healing Services. During the night, the church shelters poor homeless people. In the early morning, the church is cleaned and again reaches out to the pilgrims and devotees.

Quiapo Church have been a symbol of strong faith embarked in the hearts of every Filipino catholics.

5. Binondo

The center of Chinese life and culture in the Philippines since pre-colonial times, the Chinatown in Binondo, Manila marks the earliest trade relations of pre-Hispanic Filipino natives who dwelt along the Pasig River and Chinese traders who sailed along the South China Sea.

Chinatown in Manila is recognized as the oldest Chinese community in the world, with its restaurants, bazaars, quaint shops, streets and alleyways conveying the atmosphere of “little China”. Nowadays, it incorporates Filipino traditions after centuries of acculturation, that going to the place would mean more than just having a taste of Chinese tradition—it would be a tour into the Tsinoy’s past.

6. Bridging the Past and the Present: Jones Bridge

The bridge itself is more than a bridge, but a monument to Philippine independence.

In 1916, the U.S. government in the Philippines decided to build a new bridge in Manila to replace the Puenta de España (Bridge of Spain), which was damaged by a typhoon. The Jones Bridge is decorated with pylons and statuary and interposed and embellished by graceful bronze candelabra. The bridge is decorated by pylons serving as the basis for the entire group of allegorical statuary representing democracy, justice, gratitude, and progress.

It is currently visited by both local and foreign tourists, witnessing the restoration of this bridge as a symbol of freedom, our forefathers fought for.

Filipinos gave great importance in its Cultural heritage which includes tangible elements of the existing culture of a society like buildings, landscape, monuments and works of art handed over to the present generation by our forefathers. It provides a sense of oneness and belongingness to the members of the society. Its survival is under threat consequent to the busy life pattern and overwhelming social obligations of the present day.  It is the duty of the present generation to keep hold of the present culture firmly and preserve, nurture and protect these historical places to pass on to the coming generation so that it will remain like that for many more generations to come.

[takawtikim]

Paradise Dynasty | The Podium

I’m back in the Paradise of the best XLB that I ever tried. Indulge with their original flavors from Northern and Southern China, It will satisfy your Authentic Chinese dish cravings. This is their second branch, and according to them, it’s their biggest branch after S Maison and SM Aura. It has 3 VIP rooms where you can have your own room with a minimum of 12,000 consumable food.

I love their modern Chinese vibe interior, they have a lot of tables that can accommodate around 70-80pax.

Let’s Takaw Tikim!

Let’s start with these colorful XLB. Note that they have an order of eating it.

Original 

Ginseng3. Foie Gras4. Black Truffle

Cheesy 

Crab Roe

Garlic

Szechuan

Pan-Fried Shanghai Pork Bun. I thought I will never like it because it looks like siopao but this is my favorite from this set of food that they served. the meat inside is very juicy and flavorful.

Grouper with Fine Nuts and Fruits. One of the chef’s recommendations. It is cooked in a sweet and sour sauce and the fish is perfectly deep-fried.

Szechuan Crispy Chicken.It looked very spicy at first but it doesn’t taste spicy for me. I tried to eat the chili but it tastes more spices for me.

Grouper with Tofu in Mapo Tofu.

Shanghai Style Braised Pork Belly.It is super soft, the pork fat is life gelatin.

Custard Lava Bun

[cnfhumss12a-blog]

BinondHoe

By Alfred Keegan S. Bernardo                  

   It’s really ironic that I was born without an ounce of Chinese blood but all the things I prefer are Chinese. The food, history and of course, the guys. And when I heard that we were tasked to go to Binondo for a writing activity, you bet that my little chinito loving heart was internally screaming in excitement.

    Our expedition for hot chinito guys, I mean for an authentic chinese experience rather started along the busy sidewalks of Vito Cruz on one Tuesday afternoon as me and my friends Dana, Emiliane, Lianne, and Trisha waited for our ride which was provided by our opulent friend Trisha. As the big black SUV arrived we quickly hopped in and much to our surprise Tita Jasmine (Trisha’s mom) was by the passenger seat and cheerfully said that she would be accompanying us all throughout our whole Binondo Escapade as our tour guide which I was very grateful to her for.  The trip took about 30 minutes with the usual Manila Traffic. Our vehicle passed through different eskenitas and shortcuts to expedite our trip and save time which actually worked because we arrived at Binondo sooner than we expected.

   Binondo is the oldest Chinatown in the world and has been standing for 425 years strong. From far away it almost seems like a mixture of modern high rise condominiums and old baroque style buildings that reminded me of the buildings in old Europe There were also oriental style buildings with red roofs that resembled Buddhist temples. This urban sprawl was teeming with Chinese owned businesses, authentic Hokkien restaurants, and various kinds of vendors selling all kinds of goods and produce. But I’ve heard that there are also Traditional Chinese Drugstores selling illegal animal parts, shops that sell all types of charms and bracelets, and of course, cute chinito guys that you can take home to your parents.

  The driver dropped us off at Quentin Paredes street and which I’ve noticed had banks scattered all around throughout the area. BDO, EastWest, BPI, you name it and they’re all here literally a few meters from each other. But then I remembered that Binondo was once the Financial and Banking district before Makati and Ortigas we’re even established and so that explains the prevalence of banks and different financial institutions along Quentin Paredes.

Our ride dropped us off at the entrance of one tiny street. Carvajal was definitely a street that had a lot of stories to tell. With its orange-tiled pathway with specs of white and diversity of the vendors, you’d think that it was a wet market on the street.

    As we walked along Carvajal, there were different scents and sights all around but the most overpowering came from one particular fruit, the durian. The smell was obnoxious as it wafted all around and to our noses which I wasn’t really happy about. Aside from Durian, the fruit stalls also had pineapples, papayas, bananas, mangoes and other varieties of fruits. The vibrant colors of the fruits almost created a sort of a mural of tropical colors of yellow, green and red. The street also had vendors that sold all kinds of seafood in baby blue buckets with cardboard squares where their prices were written on. Snails, eels, sea cucumbers and different types of fishes were being sold all along Carvajal. It was hard to not be impressed by the variety and selection of produce and products sold along one measly narrow street.

    Among the stalls and vendors was a wooden door with glass windows that offered you a sneak peak inside one of  Binondo’s hidden gems which was Quik-Snack.  

    As we opened the door we were greeted with the aroma of spices and different scents that we could not quite distinguish. Quik- Snack is the restaurant if you want to be served with the most authentic and tastiest Hokkien food in all of Manila. But surprisingly the design and decor of the restaurant was not quite, er Chinese per sé. It had plain white tiled floors that were squeaky clean and the wall on the upper half was a cream colored white while the bottom half was made of exposed brick. It almost seemed like one of those restaurants from the spanish colonial era that was misplaced in the middle of Chinatown.

     The restaurant had a variety of dishes to offer us. From noodles to soups and appetizers you can see that there’s a wide array of ingredients that they use and they even had vegetarian options!  There were some recognizable dishes such as Lumpiang Shanghai, Chopsuey and Leche Flan but there were also some Hokkien Dishes such as Kuchay-ah, Stir-Fried Mi Noodles and Oyster Cakes. The prices ranged from 150 to 300 pesos depending on what the main ingredient is. Tita Jasmine suggested that we try the Iced Coffee with Ice cream since it is one of their best sellers so I opted to order one for myself and Dana decided to get one too since we both love and adore coffee. It took us quite a bit of time to choose what to order but eventually after some questions I’ve decided to get the Stir Fried Mi Noodles that had Pork and Shrimp. My friends decided to order noodles as well but in different variants with different ingredients.

    While waiting for our food to be served I was curious to know about the history of Quik-Snack so I asked the cashier who was a middle aged guy with a receding hairline and he told me about the owners of the restaurant which was actually from Cebu and and they moved to Manila in the 60’s where they established Quik-Snack and it was passed on from the owner’s grandson in the 80’s and he was still managing it up till today which was quite fascinating since the restaurant had different generations of management.

     After about 10 minutes our dishes were served to us and surprisingly they all looked quite appetizing and unique. The first one to be served was Emiliane’s dish which were long thin white noodles served on a bowl with a broth that was almost clear and hers had different toppings such as spring onions, leeks and parsley which was quite an attractive garnish. Me, Dana and Trisha ordered the same dish but with different ingredients. Trisha’s noodles had chicken and Dana’s had Beef Sate Sauce. But I’d like to think that my order looked the most sumptuous with the different colored toppings that were on top of the noodles. The pink juicy shrimp, crunchy green cabbage, perfectly sautéd pork and crispy bits of garlic.

    As i took my first bite of the dish, I was greeted with a strong savory taste that instantly impressed me. The combination of the different textures and tastes of the toppings with the well-cooked noodles and savory sauce created this symphony of flavors and textures in my mouth that was almost too good to be true. I did not hesitate to tell the whole table on how good the noodles were and everybody seemed to agree with me. The oyster cakes that Tita Jasmine ordered were also good. The contrast of the eggs and oysters with a bit of ketchup was just the bomb dot com and it paired well with everyone’s noodles. As we were in the middle of our feast our Iced Coffees arrived and boy did they look good. Two of my favorite things in one? And as we expected it was the perfect dessert/drink that complimented all the dishes we ate perfectly.

    The best part of the lunch? Tita Jasmine paid for everything and I wanted to protest and tell her that we’ll pay but she told us that it was her treat and we just could not argue with her because who doesn’t want a free meal right? After Tita Jasmine paid for our meal, we left Quik-Snack with full bellies and satisfied cravings for a full on authentic Hokkien meal.

     We turned left to the other end of Carvajal towards Ongpin which was the main artery or passageway of Binondo. We went to check out the flagship store of Eng Bee Tin one of the most popular brands of Chinese treats and delicacies. As we approached the facade of the building you can already tell that it’s gonna be an explosion of yellow, red and purple and boy I was not wrong. Everything in the store was either yellow and red. The red pineapples hanging by the ceiling, red dragon statues by the entrance the shiny foiled yellow walls that were almost blinding. As we were checking the stuff up in the second floor we came across a barrel man. If you don’t know what the barrel man is, it’s a wooden carving of a man inside a barrel. Sounds innocent right? But what you don’t know is that you can remove the barrel and a surprise will be springing into life. Let’s just say that it’s big, long and hard as wood .

    We traversed through Ongpin and we specifically stopped at this one store that was selling different types of Chinese snacks and drinks that I could not recognize since all the labels were in Mandarin. The store also had keychains and bracelets made up of different colored stones. There were also these weird paper like stacks that had white paper and red chinese characters drawn on them. Trisha told me that these were sort of offered to your dead ancestors and when you burn them, it serves as their money in the afterlife which was quite an interesting story and showed how much the Chinese respected their ancestors. As I glanced over at the counter I saw Tita Jasmine buying several circular containers that had dark wrinkly circles in them which I guess was dried fruit and to our surprise she handed one to each of us which shookt me to the core because she’s just so nice and generous.

  As we left the store stepped back into Ongpin something caught my eye. On the opposite side of the road was a tall Chinese guy that seemed to be in the middle of a phone call. He was definitely taller than 6 feet and had a good physique (yikes!). He had small thin eyes, an average sized nose and lips that looked so juicy. He didn’t have the sharpest features but whatever he had going on with his face was working. All of his features were sort of symmetrical and balanced everything out. He was neither too thin nor too fat he was in-between with a lil bit of muscle definition. I literally can’t even remember how I memorized his looks but I did. But well, I couldn’t really do anything about it so I just mustered all my willpower and moved on along to our next destination.

  Walking along the streets of Binondo didn’t really scare or bother me since I was with a group but also since the locals are not really sketchy so I didn’t have to worry about snatchers and holdapers which were usually present all around Manila. As we traversed through Ongpin, we arrived at an intersection where we transferred to another street named Sabino Padilla Street. It was lined with stores on both the sides of the street selling various things from charms to traditional Chinese medicine that were sold in strange looking pharmacies.

    On the way back to Trisha’s place, we passed by this Noodle and Siopao restaurant named Ling nam where they serve the freshest and tastiest siopaos in the whole of Manila. Tita Jasmine got about 8 pieces of Siopao and no doubt that she’ll probably give each one of us a piece. The inside of the restaurant was quite steamy and humid probably because of the steamer that’s used to cook the siopao and other dumplings. The steamy atmosphere created this veil of mystery that have the restaurant an almost ethereal feel which was cool to be honest.

    Trisha’s place was just by the end of Ongpin near the Carriedo LRT Station. It was almost sunset as we were walking along Ongpin towards Trisha’s place. The dwindling orange light shone all throughout and Ongpin and to the rest of Binondo giving the area a timeless glow. It was an eventful day indeed. We had class and headed to Binondo for a one-of-a-kind experience and boy did we get one (for free). From the diverse and authentic food to the cute chinitos just waiting to be discovered, and to those hidden charm shops and traditional pharmacies it was like any other ordinary day in Binondo but for us it was a feast for the eyes, ears and mouth (literally). We didn’t get a Chinito boyfriend but that’s okay because we got a wholesome experience in BinondHoe. Gallery: https://cnfhumss12a.tumblr.com/tagged/Keegan

[jandrada96]

Are you looking for a hotel for your short stay in Metro Manila? Are you looking for a decent, clean and affordable hotel that is near Makati or Ortigas Business District? You might want to check out GARV’S Boutique Hotel along Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel is located along Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City

GARV’S Boutique Hotel is located in front of the Mandaluyong Medical Center.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel is located in front of the Mandaluyong Medical Center.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel offers no-frills accommodation that is perfect for your short business trips in Metro Manila. It is also great for backpackers who are looking for halfway stay during their stopover in Metro Manila before heading to their final destinations.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel has modern industrial minimalist design. The combination of white and gray with a touch of green gives a tranquil and simple yet sophisticated atmosphere.

Garv’s Boutique Hotel offers no-frills accommodation at reasonable prices.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel has twelve (12) rooms. Below are their room rates:

  GARV’S Boutique Hotel Room Rates

A promo rate of Php 1,199 nett per night for a Deluxe Standard Room is ongoing until April 30, 2018. For bookings, call +632-637-8839 or email garvsboutiquehotel@gmail.com. They also have a Facebook Page and an Instagram account.

I stayed in a Deluxe Standard Room with a queen size bed. The room smelled clean. Air conditioning was great. The sheets and towels were fresh. The toilet was spotless and a Guest Kit was provided compliments of the hotel.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Guest Kit contains a small bar of soap, a sachet of shampoo and conditioner, a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush.

In case you need extra, you can purchase one for Php 50.00 or you can visit Watsons Health and Beauty Store which is right next to Chowking.

Me blogging while watching a Filipino movie airing on ABS CBN TV Plus

The room has free wifi, a landline and a flat TV with ABS CBN TV Plus. Also, I got to fly my drone on the roof deck which to me is perfect for small gatherings.

Me flying my drone on GARV’S Boutique Hotel’s roof deck

Below is a short video clip that I prepared and posted on my Facebook Page featuring GARV’S Boutique Hotel.

To watch in high definition, view the Youtube post below:

The hotel does not have room service and a cafe. However, there are nearby restaurants to choose from.

Chowking- Chinese/ Filipino Fast Food, open 24 hours

Jollibee- Fast Food with Filipino Flavors, open from 6 AM to 11 PM

Greenwich- Pizza Restaurant, open from 7 AM to 10 PM

R&J Bulalohan- Filipino Restaurant, open 24 hours

Nerry’s Grill- Restaurant, open from 12 AM to 11:30 PM

Cusina Negrense- Filipino Restaurant, open from 11AM to 11PM

Jelly Belly’s Restaurant- open from 8 AM to 12 AM

Chowking, open 24 hours, is located across GARV’s Boutique Hotel

Or, you can ride a public utility jeepney to Forum Robinsons Mall located at No. 30 EDSA corner Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City, open daily from 10 AM to 9 PM. Fare is Php 8.00.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel has accommodating and attentive staff

Moreover, GARV’S Boutique Hotel also offers dorm accommodation for long-staying guests at Php 2,500 per person per month.

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Dormitory Accommodation for Php 2500 per person per month

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Dormitory Accommodation for Php 2500 per person per month

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Dormitory Accommodation for Php 2500 per person per month

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Dormitory Accommodation for Php 2500 per person per month

GARV’S Boutique Hotel Dormitory Accommodation for Php 2500 per person per month

By the way, there is a spa on the ground floor. I did not get to try it but will do on my next staycation at GARV’S Boutique Hotel.

Banahaw Heals Spa is located on the ground floor, next to the Reception Area, of the GARV’S Boutique Hotel (Photo taken from Banahaw Heals Spa- Boni Avenue Facebook Page)

So the next time you visit Metro Manila, try GARV’S Boutique Hotel. Signing out for now. Peace!

  GARVS BOUTIQUE HOTEL | AFFORDABLE DECENT NO-FRILLS ACCOMMODATION Are you looking for a hotel for your short stay in Metro Manila? Are you looking for a decent, clean and affordable hotel that is near Makati or Ortigas Business District?

[touristguidebuzz]

Get a Taste of What Hong Kong Has to Offer at Lung Hin

Out of Town Blog Get a Taste of What Hong Kong Has to Offer at Lung Hin

Taste authentic and traditional Cantonese dishes with a twist

Be ready to excite your senses with Cantonese dishes as Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s Lung Hin introduces an exciting new menu that will bring a new flavorful experience. Diners will be transported to Hong Kong through the fine art of Cantonese cuisine cooking with their well-trained Chinese chefs.

Lung Hin Restaurant

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila (hotel info) takes center stage with Lung Hin, a Cantonese restaurant located at the hotel’s 44th level. Lung Him features contemporary Chinese flare by offering authentic and traditional Cantonese food as well as fresh seafood prepared and made by its very own Hong Kong chefs.

This restaurant has been recognized around the world as it receives the award for being one of the most outstanding Chinese restaurants outside of China during the 16th China Hotel Industry Golden Horse Awards Gala, organized by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce. This award is known as the “Oscar” of the food industry and symbolizes the highest recognition in the food and culinary industry.

While Lung Hin delights the guests through their authentic and traditional dishes presented in a contemporary style and exemplary service, guests can also feast their eyes on their tasteful interiors and wonderful food creations. The restaurant’s Chinese Executive Chef, Lai Cheuk Kou, also known as Chef Terry, introduces a new selection of authentic Cantonese dishes together with the classics and their new a la carte menu.

With his 36 years of experience as being the Executive Chef of well-known restaurants and hotels around China and Hong Kong, he carefully screened all the dishes to provide only the best ones that can please the palates while bringing fine and authentic experience at every taste.

Peking Duck with Osmanthus Flower Jelly on Potato Chip

Experience new dishes with exciting twists such as the Peking Duck with Osmanthus Flower Jelly on Potato Chip, Baked Prawns with Cheese and Avocado, and the Chilled Dragon Fruits with Mango Mix. Experience a different take on dim sum with their Steamed Mushroom Buns and Steamed Vegetarian Dumplings.

Indulge in Cantonese delicacies that the new menu additions also offer authentic dishes such as the Braised Japanese Sea Cucumber with Canadian Wild Rice and the Mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall Soup.

Lung Hin Dim Sum

The staples of Lung Hin are still available. Seafood favorites such as the Three-Flavoured Prawns, Steamed Garoupa with Cordyceps Flower in Supreme Soy Sauce, and the Steamed Live Lobster with Garlic are must-tries. Classic dim sums also include Steamed Scallop Dumplings and the Steamed Shrimp Dumplings.

Crisply Roast Suckling Pig can be enjoyed in whole, half or single order, or you may also opt for their Lung Hin Signature Roasted Barbecue Pork or the savory Wok-Fried Wagyu Beef and Crispy Avocado Roll with Goose Liver. Delight your taste buds with their popular Signature Salt-Baked Chicken or the Deep-Fried Hong Kong Pigeon.

Chef Terry Lai

Steamed Live Lobster with Garlic

What sets Lung Hin apart from other Chinese restaurants in the metro is their complete dining experience. Their expansive layout, sleek interiors, breathtaking view, exceptional service, and mouthwatering dishes are truly top-notch. Be delighted and be welcomed by their restaurant manager, Eric Lim Hoi San.

Hailing from Malaysia, Eric brought his 25 years of experience from working with international luxury five-star hotels to Manila. He has always been working in the Chinese Restaurant operations and has a great contribution to the hotels and restaurants he worked with.

Mini Buddha Jump Over the Wall Soup

To know more about Lung Hin as well as the signature dining outlets of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila (book online), you may visit http://bit.ly/2urgLJf.

You may also follow the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award Winner on their Facebook at http://bit.ly/2uORg7j or on their Twitter or Instagram @MarcoPoloManila.

Also Read:

Delish Munches at Cafe Pronto at Marco Polo in Ortigas, Manila

List of Best Ortigas Center Luxury Hotels

Get a Taste of What Hong Kong Has to Offer at Lung Hin Melo Villareal

[chingdeeportfolio]

Experience an Authentic Hong Kong Specialty at Marco Polo Manila’s Lung Hin

Golden Goose: A classic staple in Chinese cuisine

Coming from an authentic recipe in Guangdong Province, the famous and golden goose is coming to Lung Hin, giving a taste straight from Hong Kong.

With award-winning guest chef Billy Cheong coming to the Philippines to share his recipe, the premium goose is prepared and marinated frozen overnight. As it thaws the next day, the sauce, which consists of seasonings and five spices, are applied by hand to ensure that the full flavor sinks to the goose. It is then hanged for ten (10) hours for drying, before it is roasted to perfection, with divinely tender and flavorful flesh, and crispy skin. This classic trademark of the traditional cuisine truly brings quality at every bite.

Chef Billy Cheong has 40 years of cuisine expertise, recognized globally, and has founded. He is the pioneer to bring Michelin-starred restaurant, Kam’s Roast Goose’s, to the Star Cruises in 2014, and to other Hong Kong restaurants—Crystal Jade, Ye Shanghai, and Tim Ho Wan.

Guests can enjoy this golden dish, for a la carte orders, half or whole. A set menu is also available with a line-up of other authentic dishes such as Steamed Garoupa with Shredded Pork and Shredded Mushroom Ancient Style, Fried Shrimp and Vermicelli in XO Sauce, and Stir-fried Seasonal Hong Kong Vegetables with Garlic.

Enjoy and experience authentic Cantonese cuisine, with its finest flavors at Lung Hin, one of the signature outlets of the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award winner, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, located at level 44 of the hotel. 

To know more about the hotel, visit www.marcopolohotels.com. Follow the Hotel on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

[thehungrychef]

Yesterday's Chinese New Year 🎊 celebration at @marcopolomanila Lung Hin Cantonese Restaurant. 😋 Lung Hin is definitely one of my fave Chinese restaus in the Metro. 😍 Tossing our "Yu Sheng" for a prosperous and bountiful New Year. 😃 Lo Hei!!! 🎉 Lo Hei!!! 🎉 (at Lung Hin, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila)

[thehungrykat1]

Seasonal Tastes at The Westin Manila Offers Special Opening Promotion

The Westin brand is finally back in the Philippines with a spanking new hotel located in the bustling Ortigas business and commercial district. Filipinos fondly remember the Westin Philippine Plaza as one of the premiere hotels in the country until it changed names and management in 2006. Now, Westin is truly back for good as The Westin Manila opened its doors last month with an exciting opening promotion for its buffet lunch and dinners at Seasonal Tastes. Aside from the regular discount to be given to diners, followers and readers of The Hungry Kat can get a further 20% discount by using the special promo code KAT20! I’ll tell you more about this later on.

The Westin Manila is a 303-room wellness-inspired premium hotel with services and programs thoughtfully designed with each guest's well-being in mind. You can find it along San Miguel Avenue corner Lourdes Street, just walking distance to Shangri-La Plaza Mall and SM Megamall. The Westin Manila offers a holistic approach to hospitality, with each of the six pillars of the Westin brand thoughtfully developed to help you Sleep Well, Eat Well, Feel Well, Move Well, Work Well, and Play Well.

The Hungry Kat was invited to experience Westin’s Eat Well program last Friday so it was a great opportunity to try the newest hotel buffet in the city. Seasonal Tastes is Westin Manila’s all-day dining restaurant on the hotel’s mezzanine floor.

The bright and spacious restaurant comes with plenty of seating options. You can sit near the windows facing the busy streets below, or choose one of the tables closer to the live interactive buffet kitchen serving signature global cuisines and local comforts. They also have a private dining room for those intimate occasions.

Helmed by Executive Chef Rej Casanova, Seasonal Tastes lets diners explore the different specialty dishes from East to West. As an opening promotion, Westin Manila is offering their daily Lunch Buffet at only P1,990 nett per person from its regular rate of P2,350 nett per person.

It’s Seafood Night at Seasonal Tastes on Friday and Saturday as they offer the Seafood Dinner Buffet at only P3,000 nett per person from its regular rate of P3,200 nett. But that’s not all, because The Hungry Kat is giving its readers a special 20% discount on top of the lunch and dinner promo rates just by mentioning the code KAT20 when you make your reservations. The same 20% discount can also be applied on a la carte orders. This special promotion is only available until June 30, 2023.

So what can you find at the Seafood Dinner Buffet? Let’s start at the Cheese and Charcuterie Station which offers a variety of hams and cheese cuts together with breads and dips.

The Make Your Own Salad Station offers a healthier way to start your journey. These leafy greens and vegetables come with several dressings to choose from.

There’s also a sushi and sashimi station nearby where you can grab a few slices of Tuna Sashimi paired with some maki rolls. Make sure to get some wasabi and light soy sauce for your plate.

Now let’s go to the main buffet table where our adventure truly begins. You can find assorted dimsum here including siopao, siomai, dumplings, and others.

There are several Asian Dishes on display here like the Sweet Chili Emperor Fish and the Seafood Hokkien Noodles. These Chinese cuisine seafood specialties will surely tickle your taste buds.

The local favorite Beef Caldereta is also featured at the Asian Station. Seafood Night brings out a lot more than just seafood as diners will really enjoy the exciting mix of dishes and cuisines.

For those who want rice to go with their dishes, you can choose from the Seafood Fried Rice or the Mixed Paella which both offer complete meals by themselves.

Another Japanese treat is also on display here as the Mixed Tempura comes with a combination of shrimp and vegetable tempura. I always look for tempura whenever I go to a hotel buffet and Seasonal Tastes does not disappoint with their crunchy ebi tempura.

From Asia, it’s now time to head West as we explore the different Western Dishes on the buffet table. The Baked Salmon is a very creamy seafood dish offering tender salmon cuts baked to cheesy perfection. Other seafood options include the Pollock on Cream Sauce and the Cioppino which is an Italian-American fish stew.

Popular meaty items such as the Beef Salisbury and the Herb Roasted Pork Belly create the perfect surf and turf combinations for your plate.

Over at the Carving Stations, the Baked Emperor Fish proudly sits on its throne as diners can enjoy all these beautiful seafood offerings.

The main attraction at the carving station is the Slow Roasted US Beef Short Plate. Ask the server for a slice or two and have it seared according to your preferred doneness. Add some roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes plus a touch of gravy to complete your plate of beefy goodness.

The highlight of the Seafood Dinner Buffet is, of course, the seafood! There are several Fresh Seafood Stations all throughout the buffet area where you can find the freshest crab legs, curacha, prawns, mussels, clams, squid, and more.

At the Asian station, you can ask the chefs to use these seafood ingredients for your Singaporean Laksa, Clear Chicken Soup, or Signature Biang Biang Nian noodles.

Better yet, simply fill your plate with all the seafood that you like and ask the chef to cook it in glorious garlic and butter. There are several other ways of enjoying your fresh seafood like having it cooked in chili garlic or simply having it grilled. There’s plenty of time to explore and enjoy all these possibilities during the Seafood Dinner Buffet.

Don’t forget about desserts because the Dessert Station comes with a lot of sweet and tempting items. Take a look at these mini cakes, chocolate chip cookies, donuts, leche flan, and S’mores Brownies topped with chocoalte “seafood.”

There’s also halo halo, ice cream, fruits, and a crepe station that prepares your freshly made crepes on the spot. Top it with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup to complete your adventure.

Executive Chef Rej Casanova also presented a sample of other specialty dishes which you can expect to find at Seasonal Tastes. He also explained Westin’s Eat Well program and how he and his team tries to make healthier versions of each dish with ingredients responsibly and sustainably sourced. The hotel’s Lobby Lounge actually has its own Eat Well menu. Chef Rej is the best man for the job as he recently won a plant-based dish competition held by the Marriott Group for Asia Pacific.

Seasonal Tastes at The Westin Manila is sure to be the next big hotel dining destination, especially for those living or working in the Ortigas area. Book your tables now while the hotel is not so full yet, and make sure to take advantage of  The Hungry Kat’s promotional code KAT20 to get an extra 20% discount at Seasonal Tastes. See you there!

The Westin Manila

San Miguel Avenue corner Lourdes Drive, Ortigas Center

8256-2020

www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mnlwp-the-westin-manila-sonata-place

www.facebook.com/westinmanilahotel

[thehungrykat1]

NIU by Vikings Opens Second Branch at The Podium

It took almost four years, but NIU by Vikings has finally opened a second branch that is much closer for those living in the northern part of Metro Manila. While Vikings Luxury Buffet has continued its conquest of the entire country with several new branches from Pampanga to Metro Manila and all the way down to Davao, its more sophisticated and elegant brother has been content with its base in SM Aura Premier ever since it opened in late 2014. That changed last August 14, 2018 when NIU by Vikings finally opened its second branch at the busy central business district of Ortigas, even bringing with them their signature award-winning Binusog na Lechon.

You can find the new sparkling branch of NIU by Vikings at the fifth level of The Podium Mall in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong. The Hungry Kat was invited to visit this new dining destination last week but since I am still recovering from my recent hospital procedure, my blog partner had to go on his own to sample all those amazing dishes that Vikings luxury buffet is known for. He says it’s a tough job but he will gladly do it for me.

The main difference between NIU and Vikings is that NIU offers an even classier and more elegant setting that feels like dining inside a hotel rather than just at another restaurant. It offers a wide selection of cuisines that ranges from Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Italian. Expect a truly evolved dining experience as you feast on these distinctly appetizing dishes from all over the globe. I can spot Richie, aka The Pickiest Eater in the World getting ready with his first of many rounds at the buffet.

“NIU” actually means nine in the Viking language and is a significant number in Norse mythology. The restaurant also has nine different stations with a variety of meals from appetizers to main courses and desserts. You can have a romantic dinner buffet here with your special someone or gather the entire family for a luxury feast of epic proportions.

It may not look so at the entrance, but NIU by Vikings Podium is a huge restaurant that can handle big groups and more. They also have two semi-private dining rooms that offer a great view of the busy streets of Ortigas below. I fondly remember all the times I have enjoyed my lunch or dinner at NIU in SM Aura Premiere (Read: Niu by Vikings Celebrates 1st Anniversary with “Niu” Dishes) so I am really excited to dine at their Podium branch soon.

The buffet lineup at NIU is so long that it is quite hard deciding where to start. That is always my problem when I visit NIU or any Vikings luxury buffet restaurant. I usually head straight to my favorites like tempura and hakao, but guests can start their battle at the appetizers station which offer cold seafood, salads, cheeses, hams, and other bite-sized items.

Make sure to get a plate of their Baked Oysters which is loaded with lots and lots of melted cheese. They also have breads, soups, and other interesting items to start your buffet.

The Japanese Station is also a good place to start with its extensive sushi and sashimi selection. Enjoy all the salmon and tuna sashimi you like, or get some of their more unique creations like the barbecue roll, dynamite roll, California maki, and many more.

But the first item I usually get at the buffet is their crunchy Tempura. One thing I really appreciate when dining at NIU by Vikings is that the tempura does not usually run out, unlike in other buffets where you might have to wait in line for the tempura to be refilled. 

Those who like Shawarma can make their own servings at the shawarma station which actually features an automatic chopping machine. If you don’t feel like making your own shawarma, then just ask the servers to prepare one for you. That is another advantage when dining at NIU, you can ask the servers to deliver items to your table instead of getting them at the buffet. Now that is true luxury.

Spanish cuisine is also represented at NIU by Vikings with the Paella Valencia that comes loaded with seafood toppings. There’s also the Italian Station which features a couple of pizzas including the Spicy All Meat Pizza.

The Pasta Station is another tummy-filling area where you can ask the chefs to prepare carbonara, bolognese, spaghetti, and other specialties. During dinners and weekends, NIU has more premium items on the buffet that are not available during their weekday lunch service, like the Foie Gras Ravioli with its decadent duck liver. 

Head over to the Chinese Station and have fun choosing from all the dimsum items on the table. When I get to visit here, I will definitely grab all the Hakao I can handle. The other dimsum all look interesting like the Xiao Long Bao, Pork and Shrimp Siomai, Phoenix Dumplings, and others.

These Penguin Chocolate Buns are just so cute! They are filled with yummy and gooey chocolate inside so these will be great for appetizers or dessert. The Chicken Custard Buns are also delightful so kids will love these items as well.

They also have some Filipino dishes including the Grilled Pork Liempo, Chicken Inasal, and Lechon Kawali. These favorites are always appreciated in any occasion.

Several Chinese dishes are also available so make sure to get the Steamed Suahe, Ginger Onion Crab, and Szechuan BBQ Fish. Aside from these, you can find a roasting section featuring Roasted Duck, Asado, Sausages, and more.

But the highlight at NIU by Vikings would definitely be their Carving Station that offers a plethora of meats and savory dishes that will truly make your mouth water.

The Rib Eye Steak is the centerpiece of this station and rightfully so. Ask the chef for a slice or two and he will cook it on the spot according to your preferred doneness. When you are finished eating this glorious beef, ask for some meaty servings of the Angus Chuck Eye steak and Angus Belly.

Another can’t-miss dish is the award-winning Binusog na Lechon which you can find at all Vikings, Four Seasons Buffet & Hotpot, and NIU restaurants. This stuffed lechon belly was an awardee at the 2015 Philippine Culinary Cup and thankfully Vikings has included it in their buffet ever since. Other items you can find at the carving station are the Stuffed Turkey, Beef Ribs, and Leg of Lamb.

Just as in any Vikings restaurant, drinks and beverages are already included in the buffet, so you can find a wide selection of juices and sodas including tea, coffee, fruit shake, beers, wines, and even sake.

What makes NIU more interesting is that they also offer several signature cocktails like the Acapulco Drift, Cloud 9, and the Classic Margarita. Yes, you can have as many glasses as you want, so the celebration never ends.

Make sure to leave room for dessert because there are so many sweet options to choose from. Head over to the Dessert Bar for their cheesecakes, chocolate mousse, fruit salad, coffee jelly, and more.

Kids and adults will enjoy getting their donuts and topping it off with candies, brownies, cookies, ice cream or whatever combination they want. Bibingka and puto bumbong is also available for an early taste of Christmas. The Death by Chocolate is one cake that will really delight all the chocolate lovers.

For those with birthdays coming soon, you can avail of NIU by Vikings’ Birthday Promo where you can get a FREE buffet on your birthday just by bringing along one other paying customer. Just like at Vikings, they will serenade the birthday celebrants with a special song and their own birthday cake.

The rates for NIU by Vikings at The Podium are P938 (+5% service charge) for Weekday Lunch and P1,438 (+5% service charge) for Dinners and Weekends plus Holidays. But here’s a special opening treat! From August 21 to September 2, 2018, all guests who will make prior reservations on their landline 845-4647 will get 15% discount upon dining. Better yet, if you have a Vikings Reward Card, members and their companions will get 20% discount upon dining. Now those are the perfect reasons to visit NIU by Vikings this week so you can enjoy this grand buffet celebration at these fantastic rates.

NIU by Vikings

5/F The Podium Mall, 18 ADB Ave, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong 

845-4647 / (0917) 854-2888 / (0939) 901-8888

www.niu.ph

www.facebook.com/niuthepodium

[thehungrykat1]

Lung Hin and Café Pronto Feature Fresh and Indulgent Flavors All Quarter Long

Marco Polo Ortigas, Manila continues the legacy of presenting delectable and filling dining curations as Lung Hin and Café Pronto offers its seasonal selections, all available until the end of September 2021. Award-winning authentic Cantonese restaurant Lung Hin presents its Hong Kong Chef’s Recommendations, as well as its Gem Set Menus that showcase the season’s choice ingredients. Guests may look forward to enjoying Steamed Angus Beef Ribs with Black Pepper Sauce, Deep-fried Hong Kong Pigeon with Golden Garlic, and Stir-fried Diced Beef Tenderloin with Garlic as part of the Hong Kong Chef’s Recommendations Menu. On the other hand, gourmands who wish to dine with a complete, convenient array of Cantonese staples may opt for the Diamond or Sapphire Gem Set Menus, available at P2,688++ and P1,588++ per person. The Diamond Set Menu includes a dim sum trio of Steamed Shrimp Dumpling with Gold Leaf, Chilled Marinated Jelly Fish, and Roasted Pork Belly, Pan-fried Australian Wagyu Beef with Black Pepper, and Stir-fried Garoupa Fillet with Vegetables in XO Sauce. The Sapphire Set Menu includes Lung Hin’s Braised Hot and Sour Seafood Soup, Stir-fried Prawn with Asparagus in XO Sauce, and Deep-fried Spareribs with Olive and Honey Sauce.

Café Pronto is giving chocolate lovers a real treat with its featured cake for the quarter, the Mississippi Mud Pie. Inspired by the traditional American dessert, Café Pronto’s version boasts an earthy depth from the cocoa accentuated by different textures of crust, sponge, crème. All this contributes to a crescendo of chocolate that bursts in one’s mouth with every forkful. The Mississippi Mud Pie is available in-shop and for advanced orders through Café Pronto, located on the ground floor lobby of the hotel.

Share the season’s good tidings with Lung Hin’s Celestial Treasures. To foster the spirit of unity, Lung Hin showcases traditional premium mooncakes in celebration of the auspicious Mid-Autumn Festival season. This holiday is the second most celebrated event in the Chinese lunar calendar, which is when families and friends come together to share their blessings with one another. Lung Hin’s first-class mooncakes are available individually at P828; in boxes of 4 at P2,958. and boxes of 6 at P3,988. For guests who wish to extend these presents in commemorative packaging for the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lung Hin recommends the Limited Edition Box of Four at P3,128 or the Limited Edition Box of 6 at P4,128. This year’s featured flavors are red bean with double egg yolks, red lotus with double egg yolks, white lotus with double egg yolks, and mixed nuts. The restaurant accepts advanced orders beginning July 26, with limited-time savings of 15% applicable on orders of at least 20 Boxes of 4 or Boxes of 6. For more information about Marco Polo Ortigas, Manila and its dining promotions, please contact (632) 7720-7777 or email restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com.

[thehungrykat1]

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila Launches Fantastic Promotions For Its 6th Anniversary

One thing I really miss doing this year, aside from dining out, is going on exciting staycations which I used to do frequently at the metro’s top hotels and resorts. Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is one of those five-star hotels that I often visit for its luxurious accommodations and signature dining establishments. On its sixth anniversary, Marco Polo Manila is offering its limited-time Anniversary Promotions from July 8 to 13 for future accommodations and restaurant dining that guests may enjoy. 

I have been a loyal guest of Marco Polo Manila ever since it opened in 2014 (Read: Forbes Five Star Staycation at Marco Polo Ortigas). Starting today until July 13, 2020, guests looking forward to safe, convenient, and memorable stays may reserve accommodations at 50% off the listed Best Available Rates. Within this six-day reservation period, guests can book advanced stays for dates until December 30, 2020. Available stay dates remain subject to the advice of the national government given prevailing conditions.

Guests reserving this Anniversary Promotion may also enjoy a 20% discount on all available restaurants and in-room dining services during their stay. Depending on room availability, check-out time may also be extended until 2:00 PM. This offer applies to reservations on Superior, Deluxe, and Premier rooms only and may be booked via marcopolohotels.com or via (632) 7720 7777.

I truly miss those refreshing afternoon dips on their swimming pool followed by a relaxing nap inside my room. The four-time recipient of the esteemed Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award is pleased to share that it is compliant with the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travels Protocols, making sure that the health and safety of its guests, associates, and partners remain at the heart of each interaction and policy.

As an added treat, dining guests are in for a spectacle of flavors until July 30, 2020. Three of the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s lead chefs are showcasing a total of six signature dishes that excite the palate and engage the senses. For a limited time, Cucina’s Chef Andrea Donazzan, Lung Hin’s Chef Ken Leung, and Executive Pastry Chef Francisco Arizala come together to present their “spotlight creations.”

Cucina’s chef de cuisine Andrea Donazzan embraces his and the restaurant’s Italian roots with his creative interpretations of the classics: Eggplant Parmigiana and Cannelloni with Spinach, Ricotta, and Bechamel Sauce.

On the other hand, Executive Chinese Chef Ken Leung of Lung Hin demonstrates his expertise in balancing the intricacies of Cantonese cuisine with his Pan Fried Lotus Root Cake with Minced Pork & Shrimp, and Chilled Drunken Chicken in Shao Xing Wine. Dessert fans will be delighted with Chef Francisco Arizala’s sweet and eye-catching confections: the Choco-nut Cake with Caramelized Tablea Crunch, and the Mixed Berries Charlotte with White Chocolate Bavarian Cream.

These gourmet signature dishes are available at P679++ and may be enjoyed for dine-in, takeaway, or pick-up. Advanced orders may be placed via (632) 7720 7777 or through Marco Polo Ortigas Manila’s official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/marcopoloortigasmanila). For more information about the Hotel’s promotions for its sixth anniversary, please visit marcopolohotels.com or email manila@marcopolohotels.com.

[thehungrykat1]

Marco Polo Manila’s Cucina and Lung Hin Reopen on June 15 - Just in Time for Father’s Day

Here’s some great news to bring back a sense of normalcy in these trying times. Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is pleased to share that all-day restaurant Cucina and authentic Cantonese landmark Lung Hin will open its doors to the public beginning June 15, 2020. In compliance with the guidelines for restaurant operations, Cucina and Lung Hin encourages advanced bookings through Restaurant Reservations via (632) 7720 7777 prior to guests’ arrival. Restaurant sanitation protocols have also been reinforced to ensure more frequent disinfection, and social distancing is observed. Sanitation stations have also been installed in all public areas of the hotel to compliment available lavatory and hand-washing areas for guests.

This news is also just in time for Father’s Day! Now, guests may choose whether to enjoy a sumptuous Father’s Day meal in the hotel’s dining destinations, or bring home choice dishes for the celebration. For Father’s Day Weekend on June 20 to 21, Cucina offers a five-course set menu for P1200 per person, featuring new dishes developed by the dedicated restaurant culinary team. Guests may choose either the Burrata Cheese platter or the Prawn Cocktail to begin the meal, or the Baked Barramundi or the Filetto di Manzo (Angus Beef Tenderloin with foie gras, creamed potatoes, stewed shallots, and fresh truffle) for the main course.

At Lung Hin, Executive Chinese Chef Ken Leung also presents a curated set menu for Father’s Day Weekend. This selection, available at P1200 per person, features Deep Fried Squid with Mashed Salted Egg, Crispy Roasted Chicken, and Steamed Vegetarian Treasure in Inari Bag. Aside from the special menus in Cucina and Lung Hin for Father’s Day Weekend, guests may also choose from the available items of the restaurants’ respective a la carte menus.

Café Pronto is also releasing its Salted Chocolate Moist Cake which proves to be a true chocolate lover’s delight. Made of distinct layers of sponge, biscuit, and mousse, each bite will make any celebration all the sweeter. Guests may add short messages of gratitude and appreciation for Dad when placing their orders with the Café Pronto team via (632) 7720 7777 or via Facebook direct message.

It is said that challenges often pave the way for innovation and creativity. At Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, the health and safety of guests remain of utmost priority. The hotel is humbled to re-open its doors for dining customers at Cucina and Lung Hin, where guests can enjoy their treasured flavours in a safe and hygiene-compliant environment. For more information about Marco Polo Ortigas Manila or to book tables for Father’s Day Weekend, please call (+632) 7720 7777 or email manila@marcopolohotels.com.

[thehungrykat1]

Welcome the Year of the Earth Pig at Xin Tian Di in Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

The Chinese New Year is fast approaching and February 5, 2019 officially marks the start of the Year of the Earth Pig. Xin Tian Di, one of the restaurants that I always visit for their authetic Cantonese cuisine, highlights a decadent Chinese feast this week until the Chinese New Year with a choice of elegant set and a la carte menus, plus a traditional Yu Sheng or Prosperity Salad Toss that is said to bring good fortune and wealth for the upcoming year.

Xin Tian Di is the signature Chinese restaurant of Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria located on the fourth floor. The Hungry Kat was invited to join a festive Chinese New Year lunch last Friday featuring their auspicious set menus that can be availed by groups of four up to ten guests. What better way to celebrate the lucky Year of the Pig than with a joyous gathering with family and friends over a bountiful Cantonese lunch and dinner.

Xin Tian Di is an elegant and classy venue that offers an authentic selection of Cantonese cuisine from dimsum and fresh seafood to their signature Roasted Duck. My favorite here is actually their Dim Sum Unlimited lunch buffet which offers over 55 dim sum items to choose from. This is also where I dine whenever I stay at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria or Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria (Read: Comfortable City Staycation at Crowne Plaza Manila’s Club Room).

The restaurant also has several private VIP dining rooms that can seat from 6 to more than 20 guests, depending on the occasion.

For the Lunar New Year, Xin Tian Di is offering several set menus with different combinations of luck and fortune. The “Wealthy Menu,” which is offered at P12,888++ for four persons, starts off with a Great Glory Yu Sheng or Prosperity Salmon Salad with Jellyfish.

The Yu Sheng is a traditional Teochew-style raw fish salad that usually consists of raw fish mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments including oil, vinegar and sugar. In Chinese history, fishermen along the coast of Guangzhou traditionally celebrated Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, by feasting on their catches. Each ingredient of the Yu Sheng has its own meaning and symbolism and every item is poured over the plate before the fun part begins.

Chef Peter Yeung, Executive Chef of Xin Tian Di, demonstrated how each of the ingredients are mixed into the bowl and what they mean, which are mostly symbols of wealth. 

The Prosperity Toss is actually an interactive course because the diners are encouraged to participate by tossing all of the items high up into the air. Yu Sheng implies an “abundance of wealth and long life” and the tossing action signifies tossing up good fortune, which is why it is popular with businessmen and Chinese in general during the New Year.

The result is somewhat messy but that is all part of the ritual. They say the higher the toss, the bigger the wealth, so we don’t mind the mess. Guests can now eat the Yu Sheng salad itself, even from the table, and it is actually quite good. The fresh tuna slices are similar to sashimi but with a salad dressing. The Yu Sheng salad (P988++) can also be brought home or shared at gatherings by ordering from the hotel two days in advance until February 15, 2019.

For those that want a more simple appetizer, they can choose to have the Cold Cuts Combination of Chinese & Japanese Style instead of the Great Glory Yu Sheng. This platter combines favorite appetizers from Japanese and Chinese cuisines including California maki, salmon sushi, roast chicken, barbecue pork, jellyfish, century egg, and more.

This is followed by the Eight Treasure Fish Maw with Shredded Sea Abalone Soup. This hearty bowl is full of delectable ingredients to get you ready for the main dishes up ahead.

The Deep Fried Stuffed U.S. Scallop with Wasabi Salad Dressing is one of my favorite items in the Wealthy Menu. The big pieces of stuffed scallops are richly coated with a light wasabi dressing. This is paired with sautéed brocolli to complete the beautiful dish.

Next is the Steamed Codfish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce, a light and refreshing seafood dish that is both healthy and delicious.

The highlight of the set would be the Roasted Duck in Plum Sauce. This big plate comes with a whole roasted duck that is perfectly cooked with its juicy and flavorful portions. Some restaurants serve the duck two ways with the skin and the meat offered separately, but I actually like it better this way so I can savour the roasted duck in its entirely.

The roasted duck actually goes well with the Fried Organic Rice with Veal and Asparagus in XO Sauce. The fried rice is a good way to cap off the main dishes and everyone will surely be filled after this dish.

For desserts, the Wealthy Menu offers the Taro Pearl with Coconut Cream which is a unique way of serving this favorite. The set ends with the Pan-Fried Sweet Glutinous Rice Cake or tikoy which is a staple whenever the Chinese New Year arrives.

Each set menu also includes a box of the Koi Fish Nian Gao which is elegantly encased in a box of red and gold. This is also available for takeaway as luxurious gifts to friends and family. Each box contains two elegant Koi Fish Nian Gao (P1,188++) and is available until February 15, 2019

Prosperity, luck and happiness abound at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria as the two sister hotels usher in the Year of the Earth Pig with its festive décor at the hotel lobby. At the Crowne Plaza lobby, a prosperity tree with red and gold angpao envelopes and Chinese lanterns attract positive energy into the property. Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Manila Galleria will herald the Lunar New Year with a Lion and Dragon Dance on February 4 starting at 7:00pm. At the Crowne Plaza lobby, an eye-dotting ceremony followed by the exchanging of gifts signify the two hotels’ kick-off to the auspicious celebration.

Here’s another cute item to bring home! The adorable Pink Piggy Buns filled with luscious lotus cream and egg yolk are also available to share with loved ones in the Year of the Earth Pig for P288++ until February 15. So if you want to make the coming Chinese New Year truly special, head over to Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and take advantage of their promotions and offerings. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

Ortigas Avenue corner Asian Development Bank Avenue, Quezon City

633-7222

www.crowneplaza.com/galleriamanila

www.facebook.com/crowneplazamanila

[thehungrykat1]

The Golden Goose Returns at Lung Hin in Marco Polo Manila

Hong Kong may not be the best place to visit these days, so I really miss eating at my favorite roast goose restaurants like Yat Lok and others. Fortunately, I don’t have to travel far because Lung Hin in Marco Polo Ortigas Manila brings back its premium roasted goose to start the Chinese new year on a delicious note.

The Legend Returns as Lung Hin offers their juicy and succulent Roasted Goose for a limited time only. Lung Hin is a contemporary Chinese restaurant located on the 44th floor of the Marco Polo Ortigas offering traditional and authentic Cantonese food prepared by its very own Hong Kong chefs. This is where the family celebrated our Chinese New Year lunch last January 25 where we ordered their premium roasted goose. A few days later, The Hungry Kat was back here again for even more of this treasured specialty.

We started our feast with some dimsum appetizers like the Steamed Seafood Dumplings with Caviar. These light dumplings are given a salty kick by the caviar embellishments.

Another dimsum starter was the Deep-Fried Shrimp Dumplings with Mayonnaise. I like these crunchy bite-sized shrimp poppers, especially when dipped in sweet mayonnaise.

The main attraction for this afternoon’s lunch was the Hong Kong Golden Roasted Goose and we wasted no time in attacking it. This is a more premium dish when compared to the roasted duck, because the goose is a bit bigger and fattier.

The golden roasted goose was cooked perfectly, resulting in a crisp skin and succulent meat. This is a classic treasured recipe passed on from generations of Guangdong chefs. You can taste the authentic Cantonese flavors with every juicy bite.

Roasted goose may be more expensive than roasted duck, but it really is more flavorful and delicious. Only a few restaurants serve roasted goose in the Philippines, and even fewer can cook it the proper way. Lung Hin takes pride in its authentic Cantonese traditions so you can really get a taste of Hong Kong and China whenever you dine here.

We also had a few more of Lung Hin’s specialties to go along with our roasted goose. The Braised Fish Lips with Dried Scallop Soup is a hearty bowl of premium seafood items that we enjoyed.

Next was the Poached Garoupa with Wild Mushroom in Fish Stock. I really love eating lapu-lapu so this was one of my favorites that day. Instead of the usual soy-based sauce, this one comes with a lighter and cleaner taste.

These Steamed Whole Japanese Fresh Scallop with Minced Garlic in XO Sauce were also a big hit. Just look at the size of these scallops. Each shell comes with a juicy piece of giant scallop doused in garlic XO sauce to highlight its flavors even further.

Rounding up our main courses was the Steamed Stuffed Vegetarian Treasure in Inari Bag together with the Lung Hin Fried Rice with Seafood and Dried Scallop. These last two items made sure that we all went home fully satisfied.

But we still saved room for dessert as we ended with the Chilled Mango Sago with Coconut Milk. The Premium Roasted Golden Goose is available at Lung Hin only until February 3, 2020, so this may be your last chance to experience this classic treasure without having to fly to China. Call them up now and book your tables!

Lung Hin

44/F Marco Polo Ortigas, Meralco Avenue & Sapphire St., Ortigas Center, Pasig City

8720-7777 loc 6621

www.marcopolohotels.com

www.facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila