The Foodinista: Chinese Cuisine

Tien Ma's Taiwan Cuisine, Banawe

Thursday, May 04, 2017

Tien Ma's Xiao Long Bao

Banawe has been a favorite go to dining spot of me and my family because of their affordable Dimsums & authentic Taiwanese food.
Whenever there is a newly opened restaurant in Banawe, I'd be one of the first people to now. I enjoy living in this area for its numerous good local restaurants serving authentic Chinese cuisines and many more therefore when I heard Tien Ma opened in Retiro I got so excited cause i'm hearing a lot of good reviews on their Xiao Long Bao!

Xiao Long Bao is my ultimate comfort food. I can even finish more than 20 pieces in one seating Hahaha!

Tien Ma Banawe

Xiao Long Bao P200 (9 pcs.)

First thing that I ordered when I visited would be the Xiao Long Bao. I actually lowered my standards for this cause I had to consider the price range and can't just compare it right away to Din Tai Fung which my my standards of a good XBL.

I'm rating it an 8.5 our of 10.

I wish I could eat those 9 pieces but I had to share it with my boyfriend. LOL.
What made it extraordinary would be the soup which has a home-made feel and authentic taste. But the meat inside was just ordinary. It definitely passed my standards but didn't exceed, not bad if you are just really craving for a cheap and good soup dumpling!

Xiao Long Bao

Avocado Fruit Shake P90
Yey for fruit shakes! I got surprised they were serving Avocados during that day so I knew I just had to order one. I just find the price of the drink too expensive, P90 for a fruit shake, seriously?
It tasted quite blunt too that I even had to add more sugar syrup to make it a little sweeter.

Avocado Shake

Kung Pao Shrimp P199
I wanted something more cause the Xiao Long Bao's weren't that filling. I opted for the Kung Pao Shrimp which also has been a favorite by many! It's nothing extraordinary but I liked that the serving is big. When I go to Chinese Restaurants they usually overload it with sauce instead of the toppings but for this one it's the exact opposite. It is tasty but not unique enough to give me that WOW factor. I just didn't like how there were many unnecessary veggies added that didn't really make it special.

Three Cup Chicken P199
Can't explain how this exactly tasted. The waiter said it's like the Chinese Version that of an Adobo it somehow resembles based on the texture but it tasted quite far from it. It has this sweet, salty and garlicky sauce which reminds me of a milder soy chicken. I loved it! It's also a plus that the serving is big and is already good for 2 people.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience. Craving Satisfied!

Buffet

King One: Eat All You Can Rotary Hot Pot (Tomas Morato) Review

Sunday, May 01, 2016

King One Rotary Hot Pot

King One Rotary Hot Pot I must say has got to be one of my favourite rotary hot pot's in Manila. They have a rotary conveyor belt which transports all ingredients within your reach. There are even Chef's who freshly prepare the ingredients that's being transported on the conveyer belt.

It is located at Tomas Morato though they also have another branch which is at Pasay in Macapagal Boulevard. I have tried both and since this one is the newer branch, I prefer this cause apparently the food tastes better and the ambiance is much better too. I remember eating at Macapagal Branch and it honestly didn't impress me at all! The servers were very slow and they panicked easily when I keep asking for more ingredients to be cooked. The ambiance is also not as nice and the ventilation was disappointing, the place is not so clean as well. This branch is really new and the ambiance is perfect and you won't feel any pressure in ordering and eating fast.

Located on the 2nd Floor

So here's the photo of King One outside. It's very easy to locate and is on the second floor of a building, there's an elevator which will bring you directly to the restaurant or you can walk up using the stairs on the back side area of the building.

King One

Back Entrance

PRICE RANGE

Monday to Friday - Lunch (P558) | Dinner (P658)
Saturday - Lunch (P599) | Dinner (P699)
Sunday & Holidays Lunch & Dinner (P699)
Drink All You Can (P59)

This is an updated Price List as of 2016. They used to be cheaper and i'm not so sure why a sudden increase yet I still keep coming back.

We went here on a weekday lunch. Unfortunately their rotating conveyer belt was closed because there were very few people eating that time so if you want the experience of it, I recommend you go here during dinner time or on a weekend.

They accept reservations and huge events. Make sure to give them a call if you plan on visiting during dinners on weekends. A lot of parties and celebrations are being held here. This is a perfect place for friendly reunions and gatherings!

Forgot to include that they have a service charge so better bring extra cash.

As you can see the place is very neat which I would want to commend. If you can just see their branch in Tomas Morato, there's really a HUGE DIFFERENCE. The spaces between every set of tables is also good which is convenient if you love moving around to get your dipping sauce or drinks.

They also have an area which I wasn't able to take a picture of, the different sauces which you can add and other small ingredients to spice up your soup stock.

While waiting for the soup to be prepared we were asked to fill up a list of ingredients we would want to cook.

NO LEFT OVERS. NO TAKE OUTS. So make sure to order first what you think you can fully consume. Don't be overwhelmed with what you can see. Everything looks good and smells good, but it's better to be safe than sorry! Anyway, they really serve quite fast, so waiting time should be the least of your concerns.

I also got busy mixing up my own dipping sauce. I had mine with lots of garlic and the Satay Sauce which brings in all the flavor and some kick to my Shabu Shabu. Choices would be garlic, onion spring, chili and the satay. This is served in every table automatically.

Special Sauce

Drink / Beverage Station

They have very few type of drinks. Iced Tea, Lemonade, Mango Juice, Water and Coffee. Wish they had more varieties to choose from.

SOUP TIME. We ordered one Satay Soup and one Regular Soup for our soup stock. Make sure to order the Satay One too cause adding Satay Sauce on the Regular Soup doesn't really taste nice. Hindi na lumalabas yung lasa and the goodness of the satay when it's just mixed. They don't give Satay Soup Refills anymore. So sad :(

They also have the Curry but haven't tried it cause my friends don't like curry, they also have the Szechuan Soup which is the spicy one.

Crab Sticks, Dumplings, Siomai

There are lambs slices, premium cuts of U.S. Beef, and many more. One order also comes with 1 free side dish so I ordered the Yang Chow Fried Rice and it's even refillable.

Golden Mushroom Beef Roll

THIS IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE. I remember ordering it for around 4 to 5 times. Can't get enough of their Golden Mushrooms. Next fave is the MOZZARELLA BALLS. My boyfriend loves it too. One ingredient would take 2 to 3 minute cooking time, it's not really that long.

The variety of ingredients they have is so huge so if you can give everything a try! But as for me I already know what I want so I just keep ordering those instead.

Family Enjoying their Hot Pot

My Boyfriend Cooking For Me :D

The conveyer belt is turned off, so sad. I understand though that they won't bother opening it if there were only few customers dining. We can order the ingredients anyway.

Overall, it's a nice experience to be back at one of my favourite hot pots in Manila. I consider it as a comfort food na that I always look for when I crave for it or when I'm just hungry haha!

Tip: If you're lucky, you can avail their promos and deals on voucher websites:

Link: http://www.metrodeal.com/deals/Metro_Manila/KingOne-Rotary-Hotpot/869738676

Buffet

Buffet 101: Robinsons Magnolia Review

Tuesday, March 01, 2016

buffet 101

My family and I went to Buffet 101 to celebrate my Mom's birthday.

We decided to go there during dinner time and we actually did not reserve any seats prior to going in. Good thing there were a lot of slots available so we were able to dine here without having to line up and wait for our turn - we went on a weekday by the way!

Entrance

This restaurant has a 5 star hotel vibes. Everything is so neat and properly labeled. Everything smells good too and the cuisines were categorized accordingly. I am very picky when it comes to buffet restaurants cause I know I'll be paying a hefty amount which means it should not be a waste of money. I think 101 Buffet exceeded my expectations so I am recommending this to everyone I know.

The birthday celebrant can dine for free with a requirement in bringing 3 people to dine-in. It's my mom's birthday we only paid for three people technically! Nakasave kami!

The place is well lit and the servers were properly dressed it feels like I'm eating in a 5 star hotel. Talk about classy!

They even have this fancy chandelier!

COMFY SEATS. This is an important factor I usually look for buffets - comfy seats, cause once you get full and you have to adjust your seating position - literally in food coma - you should have a proper support for your bloated tummy. I remember feeling so bloated after eating I really had to have to slouch a little, hay sarap!

101 buffet offers various cuisines from Japanese, Chinese, Italian, American, Filipino and other fusions.

My favorite part is their SOUP and Chinese cuisine section!

Here you have the dimsums and the different types of savoury balls.

Chinese Cuisine Stations

Ladies! Do not wear heels when eating in buffet restaurants. It's a big NO-NO!

It's just disappointing that the refilling of the main course takes time.

Sushi Station

For the sushi lovers out there!

Check out what I got on my plate!

PLATE 1

PLATE 2

PLATE 3

OMG! I love the fresh shrimps! They're high quality and authentic.

There is also a wide range of different kind of fresh, baked and confectionary desserts to choose from. This is my favorite part! Enjoyed their chocolate fondu!

cakes

Their desserts are to die for. What I really love about their desserts is that it's well thought of. Some buffet restaurants doesn't give much effort on the dessert and it's really sad cause it should be the perfect ender for every buffet. It's what I always look forward savoriness from the main course. I like that they have a wide variety of desserts to choose from, a lot of sweet concoctions and fresh fruits!

Can you believe it? The station even has rare fruits like Dragon Fruit and Kiwi, That's a big thumbs up!

I would also like to commend the great customer services. The staff are well trained and very energetic and would even serve you the food items that requires fresh preparations!

Aside from that, if you'll be coming with a birthday celebrant, tell the staff ahead of time so they can prepare a surprise!