Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao: Local Taste of International Repute

September 19, 2010 – Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, Greenhills – Rumors of long lines and much clamored entry through the vaunted doors of Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao could not keep me away, and a late night call for reservations revealing a month-long waiting line did me in. Convinced that Sunday lunch would have to be spent at Crytal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, I took it upon myself to ensure a spot for my family by going an hour early from the scheduled 11am service. I must have my Xiao Long Bao fix!

Light-filled, Cream Interiors

The guests were ushered in one at a time and the restaurant was filled to capacity before waiters started to check on diners for their selections. Order taking should have been painless and organized with a system I thought brilliant at first. Each table was provisioned an illustrated menu and a separate checklist with number codes diners reference before making their mark.

Make Your Mark

Famished and barely lucid, I gingerly marked my first order from the inventory and asked for an order of Spicy Chicken La Mian (Php288) while I waited for my family. The noodles looked soggy, but the texture was perfection – tender and firm to the bite. The dish itself was inundated with chiu chow oil which had less heat than it looked. After a long hot day in line, spicy noodles and a glass of Iced Honey Lemon (Php110) was just what I needed.

Ice Honey Lemon

Tender La Mian

Spicy Chicken La Mian

As soon as my party arrived, the rest of my inventory swiftly took to the waiter’s hands and the dishes materialized on our table one after the next.

The Pièce de résistance came first – xiao long bao (Php158) – which also proved to be a source of major disappointment. I have tried this particular dim sum in many local Chinese restaurants and it did not do much to stand out.

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Bao with Chinese Vinegar

Of the five pieces, only one had some soup intact which brushed lightly with Chinese vinegar to give it some bite without overpowering its delicate taste. The rest were barely moist and did not live up to the dish’s reputation. They were horrible as xiao long bao, but made a barely passable, moist pork dumpling.

Fried Pancake with Scallions

Fried Beancurd Skin with Shrimp

We had some Fried Pancake with Scallions (Php98) and Deep-fried Beancurd Skin Rolls with Shrimp (Php135) too – and both offered little to surpass my already lowered expectations. The former was shredded beyond recognition, flaky and salty. The latter tasted extremely salty like the whole meat filling was drenched in salt water before serving – completely overpowering the taste of shrimp. The beancurd skin was soggy from the oil and could have benefited from a few seconds on absorbent paper so as not to lose the crispy texture.

A few dishes we order at every Chinese restaurant to get a solid basis for comparison. We definitely had to make sure we got the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao versions of popular staples – Yang Chow Fried Rice (Php248), Seafood Fried Rice (Php288), Chicken Fillet in Lemon Sauce (Php288), Sauteed Sliced Beef with Broccoli (Php290) and Shredded Beef with Mushroom in Spicy Sauce (Php290).

Seafood Fried Rice

The grains from the rice dishes were clumpy and ended with a pool of oil at the bottom of the dish. Both beef dishes were bland with a hint of Chinese vinegar – which I found off. While the chicken never made it to the table despite being marked for consumption.

The afternoon got really awkward when an extra order of Spicy Chicken La Mian found its way to our table despite our insistence and evidence that we already had it as a first dish. The waiter was soon followed by the captain waiter who argued with us on the fact. I showed the inventory sheet, order slip and recently emptied plate of the first La Mian. My gracious aunt – who did not want to create a scene – offered to have it to go. Left to my own devices, I would have not let the issue go so easily.

By the end of the meal, I came to the conclusion that the restaurant’s very typical interiors matched an equally standard fare that left little to be desired. I refused to be blinded by the hype, and saw the food (and service) for what it was. I’m off to Choi Garden for a rave well-deserved.

There’s Always a Reason to Go Back to Chelsea Market & Cafe

Chelsea Market & Cafe Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter

April 30, 2010 – Chelsea Market & Cafe, Pasig City – Ortigas is a bustle of culinary activity with representation from some of the best restaurants opening one after the next. And rounding off my roster of favorite epicurean haunts is Chelsea Market & Cafe, newly opened at Podium. Thankfully, getting an order of Classic Creamy Fettucine Carbonara with (fabulous) seared egg yolk does not have to be a tiresome drive to Taguig.

Drenched from the evening downpour, I met Bonnapart for dinner at the much anticipated restaurant. It’s the first day of operations and I’m as eager as always to see how the new branch holds up to the original. And I was not disappointed!

The same familiar atmosphere pervades the restaurant – from the eclectic decor lining the shelves, warm tones and comfortable chairs to pleasant and impeccable service. The interior is unpretentious and mildly elegant – mismatched opulent pieces and decadent sconce line mirrored walls to brighten the room. It is at once cheerful, exciting and calming. I feel like I have come home.

I don’t even give Bonnapart much time to decide what he wants when I start going for some favorites. I’ll explore the next time I’m here – I keep telling myself but end up ordering practically the same thing. The waitress comes from the branch in Taguig and gives me a familiar smile.

I suggest some new offerings that I found exceptional for my guest. Creamed Cauliflower with Sweet Figs was refreshingly witty and rare of restaurants in the Philippines. Rich crème fraiche mix with cauliflower, and cut into by playful sweetness from the figs. The sweet, dark syrup swirls into the soup and you find yourself wanting more.

Half-way through his soup, I order the Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter. These prawns in particular, were tender and had just enough give when you bite into a piece. They are well cooked and retained a delicateness about them. Swimming in beurre noisette infused with parsley, pepperoncini and rendered fat from chorizo, the dish was rich, decadent and unhealthy – just as it should be!

Chelsea Market & Cafe Prawn Gambas in Chorizo-Parsley Butter with Bon

I usually have the Classic Creamy Fettucine Carbonara with seared egg yolk next because I worship it. I love carbonara made from egg yolk more than cream. And I must confess, the bias stems from my own creation of Egg Yolk Carbonara with Prosciutto. Their classic carbonara was truly unique in that an execution topped with seared egg yolk is something I have not seen in any other local restaurant. Mix the egg yolk into the pasta and let the heat cook the yellow creamy mess – what a delight! Instead, we opted for another new creation – Roasted Clam and Sundried Tomato Vongole. The pasta was overcooked and the dish is as unimaginative as the rest you’ll see in any other Italian restaurant offering Vongole.

Chelsea Market & Cafe Roasted Clam and Sundried Tomato Vongole

I offered to order dessert for Bonnapart, which he declined to my relief. I generally love Chelsea’s offerings, but I despise their desserts with the force of life. The cakes are dense, heavy and inelegant. With the exception of a few premium ingredients that make it expensive, the cakes’ quality was akin to that produced by the cheap bakery down the street. I have never enjoyed a dessert from Chelsea and each cake is a bigger failure than the next. Someone needs to know why we fold to introduce air into cake batter, and how to tell when it’s done baking.

Cafe 1771: Justifying Mismatched Decor

Cafe 1771 Whimsy

March 19, 2010 – Cafe 1771, Ortigas Center – Blessed Friday has come, and Cage volunteered to accompany me for the night’s culinary adventure. I’ve seen how intense the dinner crowd can be, but I was not willing to put this off another day.

The waiters were courteous and the evening’s best wishes were quickly followed by a lengthy explanation of the restaurant’s concept. And how could he have not? It was a mash-up of formal and casual decor that was as mismatched as their conceptual attempt at “whimsy.” The restaurant is divided into two sections – step into the “whimsy side” for a more informal dining experience where everything is bright and colors are subdued hues of cream and salmon, or scoot over to the “lounge side” where it is cozier and the walls are lined with books and graphic art words like “Love,” “Friendship” and “Believe.” It was unusually camp and contrived.

Cafe 1771 Lounge

I had no expectations for the “whimsy” side because being called just that was license enough to be garish. The “lounge” was both annoying and hilarious. Furniture is a mismatch of transparent plastic chairs and plush couches. Tables are wobbly and I don’t get the subliminal messaging on the walls.

Cafe 1771 Lounge Shelves

It was a ridiculous recreation of a library with quite the unimaginative collection of books. The novelty of a ’90s Encyclopedia Britannica set wore off in two seconds.

Cafe 1771 Lacquered Salmon

But in the end, I surrendered and let scent of food wafting through the air remind me of my purpose. Order up!

Cafe 1771: A Dish that’s Worth the Wait

Cafe 1771 Lamb

March 19, 2010 – Cafe 1771, Ortigas Center – I’ve eaten it in so many restaurants. I still dislike eating beef and pork, but I’d sneak in a few bites of lamb from a restaurant or two just to see who did it right.

Gamey meat is notoriously difficult to do right. Not seasoned properly, the taste of the meat is overpowering. Not cooked long enough, it can be tough as rag to chew on. I eat lamb on occasion just to see if the chef managed to get it at the right flavor and fall-off-the-bone consistency.

The basic recipe calls for lamb to be cooked a good seven hours with your aromatics and braising liquid, so restaurants have to precook the lamb for dinner service. Where I usually wait 30 minutes for an order of lamb, Cafe 1771 took a full hour. I understood that slow, winey braises take a long time, but an hour waiting was a little too much.

Cage and I had gone through the rest of the food when the lamb shoulder was brought out in a red casserole. Faint gamey smell. Generous amounts of meat and beans. We spooned the stew into our plates as the meat simply would not hold impaled to a fork before it disintegrates enticingly into the pot.

In my mouth, chunks of the lamb shoulder just melted. Though it was a great finish to our meal, preparation took ages. Next time, I’ll order this when I have a whole evening to spare.

Cafe 1771: A Note on too Long a Service

Cafe 1771 Lounge

March 19, 2010 – Cafe 1771, Ortigas Center – A flurry of activity. Disorganized service. Mistaken identities. Mis-seasoned dishes. Incredulously long wait. Gotta love a newly opened restaurant.

One thing fastfood veterans like McDonald’s and Jollibee have in the bag is their ability to replicate themselves seamlessly with little to no downtime. Like clockwork, each newly opened branch sport crew that operate with scary efficiency and possessed of a thorough knowledge of their product offerings. I hate the greasy food, but I have got to give them props for something. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the classier restaurants take months to adjust after initially opening to the public. Art takes time(?).

Cafe 1771 was no different. It’s been 45 minutes since we placed our order, and I’m two seconds away from throwing a fit.