Paradise Dynasty

Eating in Paradise

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, December 15, 2016

My first time at Paradise Dynasty was in Singapore six years ago. I saw the posters everywhere, along the walkway to the MRT station and all over ION Orchard, the most happening shopping mall during those days. Photos of bamboo steamer filled with dumplings the colors of the rainbow haunted me. Oh how I love rainbows. And chasing/eating them.

I made plans to have lunch there with a friend almost immediately. We ate our way through the colorful babies, which also doubled as educational materials for her learning toddler. “What color is this dumpling mama is eating?” “Green!” “How about the one Auntie Jin is eating?” “Yellow!” “Orange!” “Red!” He had almost as much fun as we did, even if all he ate was blended chicken and vegetables.

It was not surprising to see the same reception when Paradise Dynasty opened in S Maison. Curious people queued up for the fun experience and there was always a basket or two of rainbow xiao long bao on every table.

During one of my visits I was able to chat with Paradise Group CEO Eldwin Chua who was in town to oversee the opening of his first Manila branch. “We are very excited to be in the Philippines. We have been wanting to bring our brand here for many years, we were just waiting for the right partner and the right location,” shared the young Singaporean businessman.

In the span of 13 years, the Paradise Group has expanded into over 30 restaurants in Singapore and 20 outlets in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and London, with every branch exuding opulence and luxury. When you go, make sure to check out the VIP room with its monstrous dragon sculpture hanging on the wall. It’s like stepping into the lavishness and drama of 1930’s Shanghai, with you feeling like some emperor, ordering and eating up a feast, and then feeling absolutely pleased with yourself when the bill arrives and you realize you are paying ordinary working men prices.

This is exactly the experience Chua wants to offer his diners. “Here at Paradise Dynasty, we want customers to enjoy premium food in fine dining setting without breaking their wallets. We use simple ingredients and find ways to elevate their flavors. We always work to improve and innovate so we can offer gourmet food with exceptional value.”

So what are the five dishes you must try at Paradise Dynasty?

1. The most popular 8-color Dynasty Xiao Long Bao, of course. 

You will be given an eating instruction manual to ensure you get the optimum taste of the

technicolor pouches. No, you cannot just eat them according to your favorite colors. 

You have to follow rules here and eat the dumplings in this sequence: Original, Ginseng, 

Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Crab Roe, Garlic, Szechuan. The two I enjoyed most

were #3 foie gras and #4 black truffle. While I thought this was fun and something 

people should try once in their xiao long bao-eating lives, I am still a purist at heart

 and prefer uncomplicated flavors, which brings me to the second dish.

Rainbow xiao long bao eating manual

1    

2. Original Xiao Long Bao

To be enjoyed simply with vinegar and ginger because the classic way is the best way. Period.

3. Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy 

This dish dates back to a time when seafood was a rare commodity in China. The emperor

wanted crab during a time there was none so the kitchen had to create a dish to satisfy

his craving. The result: egg whites cooked painstakingly under low heat to attain a texture 

similar to that of the crustacean. If this dish made the emperor happy, I believe it should 

make ordinary people like you and me happy, too. Tip: There is a special way to mix

the egg yolk so sit back and let your server do the honors.

4. Stir-Fried Shredded Pork with Chinese Crepes 

Paradise Dynasty’s take on peking duck. Shredded pork stir-fried in black bean and hoisin

sauce until tender, to be paired with scallions and wrapped in thin, soft and chewy pancakes.

5. Radish Pastry

This is THE BEST THING at Paradise Dynasty. Soft and creamy radish strips in an 

incredibly fine and flaky crust that is almost too gorgeous to eat. Do eat it anyway. 

I can come to the restaurant and order nothing else but eight pieces of this golden 

beauty and leave perfectly merry and content.

Paradise Dynasty is located at 2/F S Maison at the Conrad, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City 

Tel: 828-8333

Din Tai Fung Now Open in Manila ♥ ♥ ♥

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle on December 3, 2015

An Explosion of Taste

Din Tai Fung, the xiao long bao institution, opens in Manila

I have been eating Din Tai Fung xiao long bao since I was in the womb. You see, my mom stuffed herself with baskets and baskets of the soupy dumplings when she was pregnant with me. I had to fight the darn things for space in her stomach, which makes me and xiao long bao sort of twins. If you look closely enough, you will notice some resemblance—roundness, cuteness, etc.

I grew up in Taipei enjoying countless meals at Din Tai Fung (DTF). It has become a habit to wait in line, browse through the menu looking at new items to try, and then ordering the exact same dishes each and every time. I find myself going to the place even when I was living in Hong Kong, during trips to Shanghai, and almost everytime I am back in Taipei.

And most recently, in its still-under-construction new home in SM Megamall. Yes, after Taiwan, United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Thailand, the xiao long bao institution is finally opening in Manila!

 Din Tai Fung one week before it opened its doors to the public

Dinner table set up complete with candles. So romantic!

The Moment Group worked very hard for this to happen. Jon Syjuco shared with me how the whole process took two years from the submission of franchise application to the day they finally received the approval. I felt their joy and excitement every step of the way. Eliza Antonino, together with 22 of her staff, trained in Taipei for six months, working the floor, learning Mandarin, immersing in the company’s philosophy and culture, and perfecting the art of xiao long bao-making. If you have peeked through any of the DTF open kitchens around the world, you would understand how incredible the operation is. Everything is performed with precision—kneading, rolling, stuffing, and shaping. Measurements are exact, the weight of the wrapper, the amount of filling, and down to the number of folds. (Trivia: A perfect xiao long bao has 18 folds.) Abba Napa proudly announced that every member of the DTF family is a “Happy OC,” which means obsessive-compulsive, but at the same time, happy to be such perfectionists.

The Moment Group's Abba Napa, Jon Syjuco, and Eliza Antonino

Of course, there is no party without a mobile Bank Bar

Personalized apron for all the guests

 We had to be in proper attire for the kitchen tour, hairnets and face masks included

No one was exempted!

 Our menu consisted of old and new favorites

Taiwanese Kao Fu - my ultimate love!

Spicy pickled cucumber 

Sauteed string beans

The pork xiao long bao came with an instruction manual educating guests on the proper way of eating the little work of art. Dip the dumpling in the soy and vinegar sauce, poke a small hole and suck out the broth, and then enjoy the rest with ginger slivers.

Xiao long bao eating guide

Pour soy sauce and vinegar into the dish with ginger

Eli demonstrating to us the proper way to pick up the dumpling with your chopsticks

But I like to do it my own way, which is to dip the baby in sauce, top with ginger, and let the

 whole thing explode in my mouth, covering it with hot, savory, porky juices. On my own, 

I can finish a basket of ten.

Next up, crab roe xiao long bao!

The crab roe xiao long bao uses our local crab

Eli showed me a group photo of the crustaceans with their glorious fats exposed

The photo still haunts me to this day 

There is also the healthier chicken xiao long bao

And next year, the restaurant will be introducing chicken xiao long bao with…wait for it… 

foie gras! I promise you it will be as rich and decadent as can be.

And then, the most awaited xiao long bao of the night

TRUFFLE XIAO LONG BAO

 I opened it up so I could show you that each dumpling contained one gram of black truffle. 

The earthiness of the truffle combined with the flavorful pork broth was simply ambrosial. 

A culinary orgasm!

But there are more than just dumplings to indulge in at DTF. I highly recommend my staples: Taiwanese kaofu (two orders for myself all the time), seaweed and tofu salad, steamed chicken soup like how your own mama would prepare it at home, addicting fried chicken wings in shrimp paste, and a hearty shrimp fried rice that is already a meal on its own.

 Chicken wings in shrimp paste

 Stir-fried Chinese broccoli and organic kale

I am also very ecstatic to announce that DTF Philippines will be serving dishes that are exclusive to Manila like:

Succulent prawns covered in salted egg yolk

 Crunchy sweet and sour pork

A most tender black pepper beef 

And insanely delicious chocolate lava xiao long bao. 

This new dessert alone makes this branch my favorite in the world.

We were treated to a choco lava and whisky pairing with the award-winning Taiwanese Kavalan.

Sorry, the whisky is not on the menu. :P

Taiwanese staff who arrived early to help with training and preparation. 

Forty more staff flew in from Taipei for the opening day.

I’ve never had a disappointing experience in all the years I have been eating at DTF. Every meal is consistent, reliable, soothing to the soul, and pleasing to the taste buds. And no matter where I am in the world, the steaming bundles of dumpling joy always remind me of home.

Congratulations to The Moment Group and Din Tai Fung Team!

Din Tai Fung: G/F Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City

Tel: +632 997-1935

Din Tai Fung Website

Din Tai Fung Facebook Page

Instagram: @dintaifungph

Hong Kong Eat List

EAT LIST
Where to eat the next time you are in Hong Kong

Published on Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, July 2, 2015


In my iPhone notes I keep a catalog of my favorite restaurants in the cities I frequent. My Hong Kong list has remained the same over the last year (Mott 32, Ronin, Liberty Private Works, Lung King Heen, Tate, Carbone…) until the past weekend when I flew to the gastronomic capital of Asia for a quick trip with the parents. I happily added three new restaurants to the precious list.

You see, my folks are not huge fans of western food, especially those that look like miniature artworks on a plate. Their idea of a good meal consists of roasted meats (plenty of them and preferably served with innards), braised abalone, sea cucumber, shad fish, and a thick almond cream with egg white for dessert. So when I announced that we will be celebrating Father’s Day at Serge et le Phoque, disappointment was written all over their faces.

Serge et le Phoque

The French restaurant was located right beside the Wanchai Market. We walked past it a couple of times before we finally found the entrance (tip: look for the row of colorful chairs). Mom kind of freaked out when she was told the restroom was outside at the parking lot next door, but as soon as we were seated and served the first dish of crispy white bait with seaweed flakes, I knew I made the right decision. Chef Frédéric Peneau, formerly of Le Chateaubriand, and Chef Christophe Pelé, formerly of La Bigarrade in Paris, served a fun and unpretentious 7-course menu starting with a frozen ceviche of oyster with coconut milk and fresh raspberry, followed by tasty frog legs in tamarind sauce. It was my first time to have yellowtail sashimi with peanuts and fresh peach, and what a revelation! 

Yellowtail sashimi, peach, peanuts, sea grape, black garlic, squid ink

Grilled scallop was served on a velvety cauliflower puree and sprinkled with matcha powder, the almost-raw-the-way-I-like-it mackerel was complemented with smoked eggplant topped with seaweed and sesame seeds, and my favorite course, the pigeon, was cooked so masterfully with its skin all crisped up yet its meat remained red, moist and tender. The gamey bird was served with blackberries and in a pool of sauce made with its own liver. Killer. 

French pigeon, beetroot, blackberry, pigeon liver sauce

Serge et le Phoque surprised us dish after dish after dish, but nothing could have prepared me for the desserts. The unassuming pot of lemon cream blew me away. It was the lightest in texture, like clouds, but packed a punch of tangy, citrusy, milky flavors. The painfully plain-looking chocolate tart was the smoothest, deepest dark chocolate dessert, and it was playfully sprinkled with you’d never guess - kiamoy crumbles!!! It was a perfect meal from start to finish, and my only complaint was the kitchen forgot my request to write a Happy Father’s Day greeting on the dessert, although I could see from my dad’s face and bulging stomach that he had a fantastic one.

Dark chocolate tart 

The next day I brought the parents to have something they both love – Cantonese cuisine. Seventh Son Restaurant is the successful attempt by the seventh son (surprise, surprise!) of the famous Fook Lam Moon family to branch out on his own.

Seventh Son Restaurant

It was comforting to be back in a traditional chinese restaurant setting with tasteful, no-frills interiors and good old charsiu – no iberico pork or ultra chic bathrooms, which I both adore, by the way. We enjoyed barbecued pork and a plate of honey glazed chicken liver before we moved on to two of the most exquisite dimsum dishes I’ve had in a while - steamed fish tripe and steamed tofu skin roll stuffed with roast duck and vegetables.

Steamed tofu skin roll stuffed with roast duck and vegetables

The goose web was cooked expertly with Japanese tofu and crisp vegetables in a rich and tasty thick brown sauce. The signature stuffed crab was pregnant with generous chunks of crab meat sautéed with sweet onions. 

Stuffed crab

I drooled over other tables’ orders of whole suckling pigs and made a mental note to come back with a bigger group, there was only so much three people with huge appetites could eat. Our desserts of malay sponge cake, almond cream with egg white, and walnut soup were among the best we’ve had. Every dish at Seventh Son was carefully prepared, the ingredients fresh, and the service exemplary. The parents were delighted. So was I.

Suckling pig

Yat Lok’s roast goose proved to be the biggest surprise of the trip. I wasn’t expecting much from the tiny Hong Kong style eatery. We arrived before noon and were seated immediately.

Colorful chopsticks at Yat Lok and my HK style milk tea

Sexy roast geese hung from the open kitchen, and beside it were buckets of used plastic spoons and chopsticks ready for dishwashing. If you do not mind this view, hurried service, cramped and communal seating, a meal at Yat Lok is a must.

Sexy geese

 My roast goose and charsiu rice combo

I don’t care if you order it with rice or noodles, just order the drumstick, not the breast part, not the chasiu nor roast pork, just the roast goose leg with skin that glistens, and meat that is flavorful and succulent and almost falls off the bone. Go early to avoid the queue that was forming when we left with happy bellies at half past noon.

Yat Lok at 12:30pm

Serge et le Phoque is located at 3 Wanchai Road, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 5465 2000.

Seventh Son is at the 5th and 6th floors of Kwan Chart Tower, 6 Tonnochy Road, Wanchai. Tel: +852 2892 2888.

Yat Lok is at 34-36 Stanley Street, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2524 3882.