Summer Palace

Summer Palace is one of those restaurants I've been dreaming to eat at but have not yet gone to because of my seemingly endless budget constraint. But since it was my sister's birthday and my older brother's paying, I finally got the chance to try this place out.

This restaurant is undeniably upscale. The place exuded a very intimidating atmosphere, and most of the people who are dining here look rich and, well, intimidating. Talk about feeling so out of place. 

Outside, you can see a hallway complete with flood lights and etched glass walls. 

And, inside, the place looked very clean and posh. 

There's also plenty to see...

... including this dining area here.

Overall, I'd say that this is probably one of the prettiest dining areas I've been to, and it's spacious too. But the place can sometimes be full, so I suggest making a reservation before going here. 

Anyway, after we were led to our table by their very efficient and friendly waiters, we were handed their menu, which contained an extensive list of Chinese dishes. I did give some recommendations on what to have, but my brother did all the ordering. As usual, just like in any Chinese restaurant, we started with the free peanuts before we made our orders.

Garlic and Chili Peanuts (Complimentary)

These, of course, tasted like Happy Peanuts.

The waiters served the dim sum next, which were, by the way, so lovely to look at. These dumplings were absolutely gorgeous! 

Steamed Pork Siomai with Shrimps (P 189.00)

The first dim sum we my siblings sampled is the Pork Siomai with Shrimps. I wasn't able to taste these tempting dumplings as I am allergic to shrimps. But the shrimps looked so plump and tasty, I almost ate one. Good thing I was able to prevent myself from doing so (although I had to withstand the unbearable pangs of jealousy I felt from looking at my siblings devour these tiny portions of happiness). 

Steamed Scallop Dumplings (P 178.50)

I did bring antihistamines though. However, I was reserving my dose of Claritin for the Scallop Dumplings, which, as I presumed, also had shrimps in it. There were only three pieces served so we only had one each, which I think was not enough because these were so delicious. Every bite of the chewy scallop made my heart skip a beat. It was love at first bite!

Steamed Siolong Pao (P 157.50)

But we saved the best for last - the Siolong Pao. This is by far the soupiest, tastiest, and most delicate Siolong Pao (Xiao Long Bao) I have ever tasted to date. The wrapper of these meticulously folded dumplings was so thin it literally melts in the mouth. And the soup inside is just pure delight. It's indescribable.  Plus, at P 157.50, it's definitely a steal!

"Yang Zhou" Fried Rice (P 370.00)

After wiping out all the dumplings on our table, we had the main course next. My brother ordered a small bowl of "Yang Zhou" Fried Rice albeit my insistence to pick something else interesting and "very Chinese" from the menu. I didn't really like this rice dish, but I had to compromise as, apart from the fact that my brother's paying, his aversion to "very Chinese" food is non-negotiable.

Surprisingly, this was not a bad choice after all. Although I think this is still inferior to Fookien Fried Rice, this is far superior to the fast food versions of "Yang Chow" Fried Rice. It is also worth noting that the serving size is huge.The small size is enough to feed four hungry people.

Sweet and Sour Pork (P 535.00)

The Sweet and Sour Pork was next. The dish was very pretty to look. However, I was expecting this to be ordinary as I have never been impressed with Sweet and Sour Pork before, but boy I was wrong! This is the crispiest and tastiest Sweet and Sour Pork I have ever tried. It's crunchy from the inside out. Everything in this dish is perfect - the breading, the meat, the sauce, heck even the garnish is to die for! It's unbelievable! This has instantly become another one of my favorites (maybe even on top of the Siolong Pao). 

Deep-fried Pork Spareribs in Spicy Salt (P 380.00)

We also tried the Deep-fried Pork Spareribs in Spicy Salt. It was not spectacular, really. It was good, but not something to rave about. Maybe I expected more out of it because the Sweet and Sour Pork was scrumptious, but this one's just okay. We weren't able to finish this anymore as we were so full already, and there's just too much food on the table. The serving sizes are really that big.

After tasting everything we've ordered, my brother didn't want to have dessert anymore, so we left the place and took away all the leftovers. However, one thing is for sure. We enjoyed our meal here and, though a return visit would not be an option anytime soon (because of the prices), we'd surely be back. The dishes here are fantastic and the service is stellar. Also, considering the serving sizes, the dishes aren't that expensive. This is a place that's worth visiting. Give it a try, and you won't regret it.

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 5/5

Food - 5/5

Service - 5/5

Value - 4/5

TOTAL - 4.75/5  

Summer Palace, EDSA Shangri-La Hotel

(02) 633 8888

G/F EDSA Shangri-la Hotel, 1 Garden Way
Wack Wack, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila

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H.K. Choi by Choi Garden

    
I had a fairly fast and traffic-free trip from the province back to Manila on a cold and rainy Sunday night and because I had some time to spare, I decided to get off at Megamall to have a well-deserved dinner.

Unfortunately, because it’s a Sunday evening and many families were dining out that day, almost all of my favorite restaurants in Megamall were chock-full of diners, so I decided to go to the Megamall Atrium as I believe there are fewer people around this area. Here, I stumbled across a restaurant called H.K. Choi.

AMBIANCE AND ENVIRONMENT

I was instantly lured to eat here as the signage says Choi Garden - a now favorite restaurant of mine. I didn't really bring a lot of cash that time but, knowing that this restaurant is being run by the same owners of Choi Garden, I didn’t anymore mind the price, shut my eyes close, and went in right away regardless of what awaits me inside.

The interior's set-up is quite similar to its mother company, minus the hanging Chinese lanterns, the grand tunnel-like entrance, and the dominant red hues inside.

Also, unlike in Choi Garden, there’s not a lot of people when I went in and the place was very quiet.

Interestingly, they have these hanging lamps, which are rotating on their own.

And while there may have been some signs of deterioration in this place, it was evident that the management pays so much attention to the cleanliness of the store. In fact, as can be seen in the photo above, the floor was very clean and well-mopped.

Having said all of that, I think that, overall, this establishment looked very warm and inviting, especially for a restaurant located in a mall.  

FOOD AND DRINKS

Satisfied with the place, I ordered a lot of food but first, they welcomed me with this free house tea, which was okay but not really my cup of tea.

I thought of ordering one variant of dim sum, two kinds of rice toppings, and one for dessert and I swear I really felt the need to go to confession right after this meal - I really am a glutton!

Sio Long Pao (P 95.00)

For dim sum, I had their Sio Long Pao. This was served steaming hot and I guess it had to be eaten really hot as it can get too dry and gummy if it’s left to cool for a while. Compared to Choi Palace's Xiao Long Bao, the wrapper of this dim sum is a bit thick and gummy. Nonetheless, the soup inside was superb. This was gone in a flash.

Braised Beef Brisket Rice (P 195.00)

I took a risk and ordered something that is not recommended, which was the Braised Beef Brisket Rice. This was okay but not stellar. What’s good is that there was a hint of ginger in the sauce and the beef was super tender. However, though it was pleasant, it can get too salty if eaten without rice. I am not a fan of this dish but it was okay.

Roast Layer Pork & Soy Chicken (P 210.00)

Since I know I can’t consume an entire platter of cold cut combination, I just had a rice topping with two cold cut variants from that set. By the way, there were 4 slices of pork in this dish but, because I got too excited to eat this, I mistakenly ate the first slice without noticing that I haven’t taken a photo of the dish yet.

Soy Chicken

The soy chicken did not disappoint as expected. It was as good as the ones from Choi Garden. The meat was tender and it was very juicy and flavorful. 

Roast Layer Pork

I was, however, slightly disappointed with the Roast Layer Pork. It was alright because the taste was still spot on and the skin was really very crispy. However, the meat was not as tender and is a little tough and chewy. It’s still good though but not the best one I’ve tasted.

Free Soup

Every rice topping order comes with a free bowl of soup, which was a good value to me. This one's delicious. I have a hunch that this is somewhat similar to the Chinese Egg Drop Soup with the beaten eggs floating on the soup’s surface but I can't be too sure. 

Buchi (P 65.00)

This one’s tasty too. It’s so big, I can’t stuff the entire thing in my mouth. I really enjoyed eating this. It’s not too sweet but it can be a little filling. 

SERVICE AND SATISFACTION

Good food coupled with excellent service is what most diners are looking for in a restaurant and I think this establishment has both of these qualities. Servers here are very attentive, responsive, and professional (except for a few of them who are chitchatting during business hours). Service was also very fast - there was almost no wait time here. Ten minutes was all I needed to have everything served hot and complete. 

VALUE FOR MONEY

Overall, there is good value for money here. I didn’t really think that the price of the food here is at all affordable, but it is. The serving size is big and the food was enjoyable. For everything that I ordered, which, of course, wasn’t all consumed, I only paid more than P 500.00 and that’s a meal for two or three. For a quick and quality meal while in the mall, I’d definitely recommend this restaurant.

TOTAL SCORES

Ambiance - 4/5

Food - 4/5

Service - 4/5

Value - 4/5

TOTAL - 4/5

   
H.K. Choi by Choi Garden
(02) 470 4233
2nd Level SM Megamall Atrium
EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave.
Mandaluyong, Metro-Manila

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I accompanied a friend of mine in buying this special soap from Lush MOA, and we ended up feeling hungry after all the travelling, searching, and walking around the mall. We decided to have dinner in a fast food chain but, unfortunately, all of them were full.


We searched high and low for an establishment with at least enough space for us two and, after almost half an hour of walking, we chanced upon Eat Well! Delicious Kitchen, which only had two tables occupied. I knew that this friend of mine isn't really the type who enjoys eating in upscale places, but I was extremely hungry, so I pledged to pay for the meal just to fill my already grumbling tummy fast. With that proposition, it didn't take long for us to step in the restaurant and make our order.

I wonder why this restaurant is not getting much attention from people. How could they not notice this establishment when it looks very pretty? I usually review the interiors of the restaurants I write about in my blog, but this time, I had to really emphasize how attractive the exterior design of this restaurant is.

And who wouldn't be drawn inside the restaurant with a food display like this? This reminded me of the Siu Mei establishments in Hong Kong.

Anyway, as soon as we were seated, I did all the ordering. I was on a tight budget, so I picked budget-friendly meals.

Special Cold Platter (P 325.00)

My first order was their "special" cold platter, which is a "must-order" whenever I dine in a Chinese restaurant while I'm short on cash (as it's a really cheap way of enjoying many variants of food). I didn't really know what's so special about this dish, but I noticed that everything on the platter was relatively Cantonese, except the Hainanese Chicken. I guess this makes this "special" as most cold cut platters either include roast duck or soy chicken. 

The personal favorite of my friend was the Hainanese Chicken, which went so well with their special Chinese sauce. Mine was the Lechon Macau, which was also very good and is probably a worthy contender for the best Lechon Macau title. Unfortunately, the Char Siu was not up to my standards. It was a bit bland and had this overpowering sesame oil flavor. The jellyfish and century egg were both okay, too.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (P 205)

My friend isn't Chinese and isn't really a fan of Chinese food, so I just ordered their Yang Chow Fried Rice to be safe. It was such a small serving of rice, but I can't say I was disappointed though as there were lots of shrimp bits on the rice, which my friend gobbled up with gusto (I am allergic to shrimps). If I haven't tasted Summer Palace's Yang Zhou Fried Rice, I would say that this is probably among the best.

Sweet and Sour Pork (P 260.00)

The serving size of the food was not really that big and we wanted some more dishes, so we went ahead and ordered their Sweet and Sour Pork, which was a common order among the only two groups of diners in the restaurant. The presentation of this Sweet and Sour Pork version wasn't the most stunning I've seen, but I was surprised at how sumptuous this dish is.

There is certainly a reason for ordering this dish in Eat Well. This version was very crispy, and the sauce tasted strangely similar to Summer Palace's. It's a cheaper version, I would say, of the best Sweet and Sour Pork in town from Summer Palace. It was lip-smacking good, and it definitely tasted more than its price.

I was really, really happy with our meal in Eat Well! Delicious Kitchen. Apart from the absolutely delicious food, I spent no more than P 800.00 for this meal. There was also no service charge, and the prices were tax-inclusive. This was probably one of the best accident meals I've ever had, and I would surely be back for more. Maybe, I'd try their other branches next time. 

FINAL SCORES

Ambiance - 4/5

Food - 5/5

Service - 4/5

Value - 5/5

TOTAL - 4.5/5  

Eat Well! Delicious Kitchen

(02) 822 5837

G/F North Wing, Pacific Drive, SM Mall of Asia
Manila Bay Reclamation Area, Pasay, Metro Manila

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Choi Palace Seafood & Shark's Fin Restaurant

I accompanied my sister to the Department of Foreign Affairs a couple of days ago and, because it took her a lot of time to finish applying for her passport, we ended up feeling a little hungry. To make matters worse, traffic that time was extremely heavy. Hence, realizing that it would take us some more time before we actually get home, we decided to have dinner somewhere. 

I originally wanted to eat in Greenhills but, seeing the heavy traffic around the area, I decided to head to Eastwood instead, partly because it’s closer to our house, but mostly because I really wanted to eat at Choi Palace in Eastwood Mall.

AMBIANCE AND ENVIRONMENT

I’ve read plenty of positive reviews about this restaurant since it opened early this year and I have actually wanted to eat here many weeks before finally being able to try this place out. True enough, this restaurant did not disappoint.

Like its sister restaurant, Choi Garden, we saw some aquariums outside the dining hall for the live seafood.

There were lobsters and other live sea creatures in the tank.

But I wonder why this poor sea mantis is trapped in a plastic bottle.

We went inside and saw this popular Choi Palace sign, which has been photographed countless times already by other bloggers. It looks very elegant.

And finally, the very nice interior!

Everything’s still relatively new here, so I found the place very appealing. It’s close to those fine dining restaurants in other upscale areas. It’s a pretty decent place to have a warm and cozy dinner with family and friends.

FOOD AND DRINKS

Now, onto the food! I did all the ordering because, believe it or not, I’ve already memorized what I’m going to order here even before this accidental dinner date.

I ordered my favorite, Fookien Fried Rice, two servings of dim sum, a Cold Cut Combination platter, and, for dessert, I asked for the Egg Tart. 

Unfortunately, the waiter told us that the Egg Tart was not available at that time, which was very sad. They suggested other dessert options but I really wanted to try the Egg Tart, so I just told them that we’re going to pass on dessert. 

Garlic Nuts (Complimentary)

As usual, they served garlic nuts before our order and they were fine. It’s really good to nibble on something before the meals are served.

House Tea (Complimentary)

They also served tea, which was really good. It tasted like tea-flavored water and it was not offensive at all. Plus, it’s unlimited, which is just perfect! I guess I and my sister drank more tea than water during this meal because the tea was just superb (at least for us). This is just among the very few kinds of tea I’ve enjoyed in my life.

Sioa Long Pao (P 120.00)

I think this one’s properly spelled as Xiao Long Pao, as I’ve read in other articles, but it’s really weird how Choi restaurants would have different spellings of this dish in their menu. Maybe it’s just a typographical error or maybe it’s because these dumplings are really different from each other.

Anyway, I think this version of the Xiao Long Pao is better than H.K. Choi’s. Its wrapper is not thick and gummy and it is  more delicate. The soup inside is as delicious as that of H.K. Choi’s but I think there is  more pork meat here. This has become a new favorite of my sister.

Chicken Feet with Taosi Sauce (P 95.00)

This is my sister’s all-time favorite dish, so it’s a must to order this while dining with her in a Chinese restaurant. She doesn’t really care what sauce it has, be it spicy, salty, or sweet, and this one’s just right for her.

I actually enjoyed this more than Choi Garden’s because this one’s more tender and the meat just literally slips off the chicken feet bone. It was so good, I and my sister had an argument on who eats the last piece! Fortunately, being the good brother that I am, I just sliced the foot into two and gave her the bigger piece.

Lechon Cold Cut Combination (P 450.00)

This was actually not included in the menu but when I asked the manager if they have a combination of cold cuts, he offered this dish to us.

Now, let’s evaluate what’s included in the dish one by one, starting with the Lechon.

Lechon Macau

This one’s the highlight of the evening - the ultimate reason why this place now belongs to my roster of favorite restaurants. This was heavenly! If I am to die and be sent to Lechon Heaven, I’d like to have this around me to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and even snack on whenever I feel hungry! It was that good. I’d go as far as saying that this is the best Lechon Macau I’ve ever tasted in my life.

The meat was very tender, it was lean, and the skin was to die for. It had a distinct crispiness that stays even if it gets a little cold. It was so crispy, I thought I was eating freshly-made Chicharon with a thin layer of fat. Yum!

Char Siu (Chinese Barbecued Pork)

The Char Siu, however, was not as good. This was okay but I think Choi Garden’s Char Siu is superior to this. Anyhow, I think many Filipinos would love this because it tasted close to Tocino.

Century Egg

On a lighter note, the century egg was pretty good. I wonder who supplies their century egg. It was very pleasant and it didn't have that harsh metallic flavor.

Jellyfish

The jellyfish was fine and I guess at par with Choi Garden’s. 

Soy Chicken

Unfortunately, the soy chicken wasn’t really our type. We were wondering why we didn’t like this much because we still thought that the flavor of the meat was really good and the sauce was delicious as well. Hence, to solve this mystery, I had another slice of the chicken and after eating the big chunk, I concluded that the reason we’re not enjoying it much is that the meat was too hard. It needs more tenderizing.

We hardly touched this one and brought it home. The next day, I had this reheated and ate this for breakfast. Thence, I realized that it was not really bad after all.

Fookien Fried Rice (P 320.00)

For the rice meal, we had the Fookien Fried Rice. This remains to be my favorite specialty rice dish. It was as good as Choi Garden’s. 

Overall, the food here was superb but I am still a little sad that I wasn’t able to try the Egg Tart. I hope they’d have that on stock next time.

SERVICE AND SATISFACTION

More than the cozy and relaxed atmosphere inside and the excellent food, the service here was also outstanding. There was not a single time that we asked for anything. Everything seemed automatic. The waiters would pour in some more tea into our cup whenever we’d consume at least half of the tea, water was served without even asking for it, and the waiters even replaced our plate before we started with our main course. Also, just like in Choi Garden, it only took them 10 to 15 minutes to complete our order. This is a service that’s really worth tipping for.

VALUE OF MONEY

The food was not really cheap but it was worth every peso we paid for.  I couldn’t say anything bad about this place at all. I’d definitely recommend this place to anyone.

FINAL SCORES:

Ambiance - 5/5

Food - 5/5

Service - 5/5

Value - 4/5

TOTAL -  4.75

Choi Palace Seafood & Shark's Fin Restaurant
(63 2) 706 7807, (63 2) 480 2157
3rd Level, Eastwood Mall, Orchard Road
Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City

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