After a day trip to Tagaytay (this is a city that's an hour's drive from Manila but that day's traffic was exceptionally crazy, it took us 4hrs to drive back home), we were all starving from the drive and wanted some dinner. In Manila's Chinatown, it is not unusual for people not to book, unless you're expecting 100 guests. Most of the time, you have to wait for 10-15mins and they'll have a table ready for you. Yes, it just takes us less than an hour to order, to be served, eat and then leave. No kidding.
So what did we have for our first dinner of the year? At Tao Yuan's. A few night's ago, Mom took us to this same place, except that we had their hot pot (yup, you cook your own food but it was good). This time around, we ordered from their a la carte menu. To my surprise, they actually specialize in Malaysian-Singaporean dishes so this is actually NOT a Chinese restaurant but South-East Asian. Hmm....
Below is their version of Tong Po Pork, that is, Braised Pork Belly with Man Tao (steamed white buns). For me, this is the best braised pork I've eaten outside. The soy sauce was just right and it's not too salty or too sweet like the other Filipino altered Chinese tong-po dishes I've had almost my entire life. Eaten with the man tao is just a touch of sheer genius. You can also eat this with rice but the experience will be different.
This is their version of Fried Fish with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Instead of pineapples, they used ripe and green mangoes to contrast archieve the sweet and sour tastes of the sauce. All in all, it's not bad.
Fried Ho Fan with Chinese Sweet Sausage. Just average and not too salty.
Apart from the braised pork, this is my next favorite dish of the night: Hainanese Chicken. There is this great debate about whether Hainanese Chicken was invented in Malaysia or Singapore but I have to say that here in Chinatown, come to Tao Yuan for the best Hainanese Chicken. The chicken pieces are flavorsome and juicy with a very silky texture. You can eat this without the sauces.
So what did we have for our first dinner of the year? At Tao Yuan's. A few night's ago, Mom took us to this same place, except that we had their hot pot (yup, you cook your own food but it was good). This time around, we ordered from their a la carte menu. To my surprise, they actually specialize in Malaysian-Singaporean dishes so this is actually NOT a Chinese restaurant but South-East Asian. Hmm....
Below is their version of Tong Po Pork, that is, Braised Pork Belly with Man Tao (steamed white buns). For me, this is the best braised pork I've eaten outside. The soy sauce was just right and it's not too salty or too sweet like the other Filipino altered Chinese tong-po dishes I've had almost my entire life. Eaten with the man tao is just a touch of sheer genius. You can also eat this with rice but the experience will be different.
This is their version of Fried Fish with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Instead of pineapples, they used ripe and green mangoes to contrast archieve the sweet and sour tastes of the sauce. All in all, it's not bad.
Fried Ho Fan with Chinese Sweet Sausage. Just average and not too salty.
Apart from the braised pork, this is my next favorite dish of the night: Hainanese Chicken. There is this great debate about whether Hainanese Chicken was invented in Malaysia or Singapore but I have to say that here in Chinatown, come to Tao Yuan for the best Hainanese Chicken. The chicken pieces are flavorsome and juicy with a very silky texture. You can eat this without the sauces.
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