A Trip Down Memory Lane : Chinatown's Best Food
At some point I wonder if Paul and I have met each other when we were kids. Probably we could have been at the same place and at the same time but we were too young to notice anyone else besides our family back then. While recounting our childhood stories, we noticed that we have shared a number of similar memories. Perhaps there have been other opportunities for us to meet but He made it all possible on that fateful night of May 11, 2003 where both of us attended a big group dinner without any idea that right at that moment, we were to meet the one whom we will be spending the rest of our lives with -- we were each other's soulmates.
A couple of weeks back, we got an invite from fellow blogger Richard to have dinner at Chinatown's Best Food. On our way there, I was recounting my past experience of frequenting Chinatown's Best Food when they were still in their old location also along Banawe. The restaurant has came a long way. From a small al fresco eatery to a multiple floor building with aircon, I remember having dinner there with my Gwakong and Gwama (maternal grandparents) and celebrating Angkong's (paternal grandfather) last birthday before he passed away. In my mind, I remembered how much we love their Pata Tim and Birthday Noodles. More than the food, what stayed in my mind were the fun memories that I've shared with my family.
Paul, on the other hand, also recounted a number of moments that his family has shared with his Angkong who lived a few blocks away from Chinatown's Best Food. After visiting him, they will all head over to the restaurant for lunch or dinner.
Thus, walking into the restaurant that night brought back lots of fond memories with our dear grandparents. We were greeted by The Club who were all busy eating and taking photos. They served us a feast at evening but let me share with you a couple of dishes that I would truly recommend:
Chinatown's Best Combination
A great way to start a Chinese lauriat is by having a platter of cold cuts to enjoy. This is one of my favorite part of the meal as I love every single item on the Cold Cuts Platter. The chewy jellyfish, the sweet-salty asado, my favorite century egg and for Chinatown's Best Food, they have a few slices of Japanese maki. All you need is a saucer of hoisin sauce and you're all good!
Crispy Fried Shrimp Dumpling (Php. 98)
Nothing beats munching on deep fried crunchy shrimp dipped in mayonnaise. It's a crowd favorite!
Dried Scallop with Sea Cucumber Seafood Soup
A refreshing soup filled with all the yummy seafoods. They have added in a generous amount of scallops and crabmeat. I enjoyed my soup with a little black vinegar. Yum!
Chinatown's Best Hotpot (Php. 280)
Now here's one main dish that you shouldn't miss out on. This is so good it will make you go for more. Enjoy a wide array for seafood from plump crunchy shrimps, fish fillet, sea cucumber, crabmeat and mushroom. I can imagine my sister enjoying this with a cupful of rice.
Chinatown's Best Fried Chicken (Php. 240)
A popular choice of The Club that night. It's not your average fried chicken, we somehow tasted a hint of ginger and other herbs that they might have added into the marinade. One order gives you 8-10 cuts already. Despite not fond of eating chicken skin, I had to take a small bite to see how crispy it was. The meat was very tender and flavorful that none of us even asked for ketchup or gravy.
Braised Pata Tim (Php. 360)
Now the star of the show -- Braised Pata Tim. Tender pork knuckles cook for hours on Chinatown's Best Food's special broth. It has just the right amount of fat giving us a generous chunk of meat per slice. The sauce was very rich and delicious which I enjoyed with my rice.
Braised Tofu with Black Mushroom (Php. 180)
I have tried a number of tofu dishes in the past but it's rare for me to find tofu as silky as the ones served with this dish. Normally tofu with mushroom has a courser texture thus I was surprise to feel the tofu slide on my tongue. This was a good addition to add a little healthy option to our feast. I had this after enjoying the Pata Tim. :)
Crispy Noodle with Seafood (Php. 180)
I love this dish! How I wish though they have added more seafood sauce as it was a bit difficult to coat my noodles with just a little sauce. Nonetheless, a great dish that I will definitely go back for.
Chinatown's Best Fried Rice (Php. 180)
It's no secret how much I love fried rice. I have tried a lot of fried rice dishes in the past that I can somehow tell which ones are good and which ones you're better off ordering plain rice. I have to say, Chinatown's Fried Rice is worth trying and just to show how much I love it, I showed the photo to Manang, who's a superb cook, and asked her to replicate this dish which she has successfully did. Who would have thought that pork floss would go so well with shrimps, mushroom and delicious fried rice.
Of course, Chinatown's Best is famous for their delicious buffet spread. However, for those who wants to order ala carte, the dishes mentioned above are the ones you should not miss.
It's nice to know that Chinatown's Best continues to improve through the years and just like my parents and grandparents, I can't wait to bring my future children to enjoy Chinatown's Best someday. That would be four generations of happy clients. :)
* photo credit: Paul Ang
Chinatown's Best is located at 589 Banawe street corner Don Manuel Aggregado street, Quezon City. Call them at 712-4249 / 740-8649 / 711-1444 / 559-9368.
A couple of weeks back, we got an invite from fellow blogger Richard to have dinner at Chinatown's Best Food. On our way there, I was recounting my past experience of frequenting Chinatown's Best Food when they were still in their old location also along Banawe. The restaurant has came a long way. From a small al fresco eatery to a multiple floor building with aircon, I remember having dinner there with my Gwakong and Gwama (maternal grandparents) and celebrating Angkong's (paternal grandfather) last birthday before he passed away. In my mind, I remembered how much we love their Pata Tim and Birthday Noodles. More than the food, what stayed in my mind were the fun memories that I've shared with my family.
Paul, on the other hand, also recounted a number of moments that his family has shared with his Angkong who lived a few blocks away from Chinatown's Best Food. After visiting him, they will all head over to the restaurant for lunch or dinner.
Thus, walking into the restaurant that night brought back lots of fond memories with our dear grandparents. We were greeted by The Club who were all busy eating and taking photos. They served us a feast at evening but let me share with you a couple of dishes that I would truly recommend:
Chinatown's Best Combination
A great way to start a Chinese lauriat is by having a platter of cold cuts to enjoy. This is one of my favorite part of the meal as I love every single item on the Cold Cuts Platter. The chewy jellyfish, the sweet-salty asado, my favorite century egg and for Chinatown's Best Food, they have a few slices of Japanese maki. All you need is a saucer of hoisin sauce and you're all good!
Crispy Fried Shrimp Dumpling (Php. 98)
Nothing beats munching on deep fried crunchy shrimp dipped in mayonnaise. It's a crowd favorite!
Dried Scallop with Sea Cucumber Seafood Soup
A refreshing soup filled with all the yummy seafoods. They have added in a generous amount of scallops and crabmeat. I enjoyed my soup with a little black vinegar. Yum!
Chinatown's Best Hotpot (Php. 280)
Now here's one main dish that you shouldn't miss out on. This is so good it will make you go for more. Enjoy a wide array for seafood from plump crunchy shrimps, fish fillet, sea cucumber, crabmeat and mushroom. I can imagine my sister enjoying this with a cupful of rice.
Chinatown's Best Fried Chicken (Php. 240)
A popular choice of The Club that night. It's not your average fried chicken, we somehow tasted a hint of ginger and other herbs that they might have added into the marinade. One order gives you 8-10 cuts already. Despite not fond of eating chicken skin, I had to take a small bite to see how crispy it was. The meat was very tender and flavorful that none of us even asked for ketchup or gravy.
Braised Pata Tim (Php. 360)
Now the star of the show -- Braised Pata Tim. Tender pork knuckles cook for hours on Chinatown's Best Food's special broth. It has just the right amount of fat giving us a generous chunk of meat per slice. The sauce was very rich and delicious which I enjoyed with my rice.
Braised Tofu with Black Mushroom (Php. 180)
I have tried a number of tofu dishes in the past but it's rare for me to find tofu as silky as the ones served with this dish. Normally tofu with mushroom has a courser texture thus I was surprise to feel the tofu slide on my tongue. This was a good addition to add a little healthy option to our feast. I had this after enjoying the Pata Tim. :)
Crispy Noodle with Seafood (Php. 180)
I love this dish! How I wish though they have added more seafood sauce as it was a bit difficult to coat my noodles with just a little sauce. Nonetheless, a great dish that I will definitely go back for.
Chinatown's Best Fried Rice (Php. 180)
It's no secret how much I love fried rice. I have tried a lot of fried rice dishes in the past that I can somehow tell which ones are good and which ones you're better off ordering plain rice. I have to say, Chinatown's Fried Rice is worth trying and just to show how much I love it, I showed the photo to Manang, who's a superb cook, and asked her to replicate this dish which she has successfully did. Who would have thought that pork floss would go so well with shrimps, mushroom and delicious fried rice.
Of course, Chinatown's Best is famous for their delicious buffet spread. However, for those who wants to order ala carte, the dishes mentioned above are the ones you should not miss.
It's nice to know that Chinatown's Best continues to improve through the years and just like my parents and grandparents, I can't wait to bring my future children to enjoy Chinatown's Best someday. That would be four generations of happy clients. :)
* photo credit: Paul Ang
Chinatown's Best is located at 589 Banawe street corner Don Manuel Aggregado street, Quezon City. Call them at 712-4249 / 740-8649 / 711-1444 / 559-9368.
