Archive for January 3rd, 2010

03
Jan
10

ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE YEAR (PART 2)

we had some Chinese eats where else but in…

Did you notice the first letter N in the road sign?  It’s been there since God knows when, but no one exerts effort to correct it. Was it done intentionally to draw attention?  The little OC in me always kicks in whenever I see this in oNgpin, can someone enlighten me?  :D  

After my generous balikbayang-biyanan bought his Chinese medicine for arthritis (read : I have no idea what snake-bone-capsules can do to arthralgia or joint pains), we went straight to a food place to fill in our hungry tummies..

Upon seeing the first floor of the resto so packed because it was noon time, we headed to its second floor and occupied an 8-seater round table.  After few minutes, our orders came…

We passed on dimsum and dumplings and opted for thick Chinese soup and that complimentary house tea.

 

CRAB MEAT and SWEET CORN THICK SOUP, PhP 220+ for regular, PhP 357+ for medium, PhP 600+ for large order.  Since it was a lunch treat of my dad-in-law, I never had a chance to secure the receipt. 

Our benefactor (a.k.a dad-in-law) asked the waiter if they’re using artificial crab sticks or the real thing in their crab meat soup, and the waiter was honest enough to reply it’s really crab meat; thus the order.  As expected, it was satisfying!  I always love Chinese soup for its consistency more than taste.

Next to arrive on our table…

FRIED HOFAN with BEEF and SOY SAUCE.  This reminds me of Little Asia’s version (along Tomas Morato) but this resto’s hofan is oilier than the others. Although I have to admit I like the satay flavor of the entire dish! :D   And did I tell you that the beef strips are sooo tender and yummy?

Then came…stuffed CHEF’S SPECIALTIES!

TOFU (left).  I’m not sure who among us ordered this, but it’s absolutely delicious! ’twas so sublime with a surprise stuffing of mushroom and I think pork bits.

According to my in-law, there’s a resto in California that only serves dishes made of tofu! Can imagine how versatile and healthy this soya is?  FYI, if post-operative patients have no renal problems (read :BUN, Crea, Ammonia levels =normal), we recommend soya, tofu, taho intake to enhance wound healing other than vitamin C and Zinc (oops, am I too medical now?)

FRIED SEAFOOD ROLL (right). My wife, Tina ordered these rolls. They’re crunchy outside with stuffing of  bits of what esle but seafoods and some carrots in thin mayo somewhat like a seafood salad inside.  I like it but would not order on our next visit just to try other dishes  for it’s not the plate you’ll crave for over and over.

Gabby had a glass of iced tea and three of us had black gulaman, bottomless. :D

No one among us was interested in yang chow or other fried rice last weekend so we only had few cups of plain rice (honestly, i only had half a cup)  with our last plate…

MANDARIN CHICKEN.  It’s similar to Lemon Chicken but pineapples and oranges with sesame seeds were used instead of lemons to glaze the crispy coated chicken. 

I know President along Onpin Street itself, is far better than President Tea House located in Salazar Street, Binondo but the latter is more affordable which offers casual dining while the former has the finest of everything.  We may have dined at the cheaper resto nevertheless, it was indeed one beautiful Saturday lunch with the family! 

:D Have you tried President and/or President Tea House in Ongpin ? 

:D Have you tasted BINONDO in MAKATI  ?

:D I’ll try to bring my family soon to WAI YING, which I heard is also c0-owned by the people behind President.

:D   Do you know that the year of the TIGER will officially usher on Valentine’s Day that falls on a Sunday?

:D   Kita-kitz  sa Ongpin and dare to wear red on V-day to CHASE THOSE DRAGONS  once more ? 

:) Let’s see.

————-

PS :  You may click the last photo on the right to make it bigger and view 2 beggars with kids following my balikbayang-biyanan in green asking for some coins. Ugh! When can we be more than third world ?

03
Jan
10

ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE YEAR (PART 1)

with less traffic and while everyone was still enjoying the holiday spirit, we went here….

Tina, Gabby and I with my in-laws — docBibs (my wife’s sister) and Daddy Larry (who’s on vacation here from San Leandro, Ca)  roamed almost the entire Chinatown in search for good food and best buys. You might be thinking that my family was in the spending mode and I’ve already disregarded my annual wish to save, save and save (so help me, God!) as early as the second day of twenty ten but we just accompanied my dad-in-law to buy himself Chinese medicine for arthritis that he heard (not from me, definitely) from his friends who have been using such.  He also had a taste of what Manila has been since he left it decades ago.

We got the snake-bone-in-capsules (read : I am not yet prescribing and am not aware of effects) in this drugstore across DONG BEI (where the freshest kuchay dumplings are and I am so recommending!) in Yuchengco Street, at the back of Binondo Church..

 A walk through Binondo and Ongpin Streets in Manila is always amusing…

For a healthy start, here’s a cart full of veggies found usually in sidewalks…Cauliflower sells for PhP 40 per kilo, sarap sa chopsuey!

or fibrous and vitamin-rich, fresh fruits;  they’re very round too! perfect to attract prosperity for New Year!

Are you fascinated with chestnuts roasting on an open fire ?

Tina and I asked the manong about cooking kastanyas.  The small and black pebbles which are warmed in oil prevent the chestnuts to stick together during roasting and sugar is added to make everything sweeter.  Entire roasting lasts for about half an hour before they sell it for PhP 120/kg.   We bought 2 kilos. :D

This altar of a cross with Chinese incense sticks and sampaguita leis with red ribbons (not the bakeshop but for good luck!) never fails to draw attention veneration. Imagine Catholicism and a bit Chinese beliefs unite to strengthen a community!

Gabby wasn’t complaining of our walk from Binondo all the way to Ongpin. He even managed to grin when my generous balikbayang-biyanan bought 2 boxes of  tikoy or glutinous rice from a stall vendor who also sells dried seafoods. See those huge packs of hibe (dried shrimps)?  It made me crave for ginisang monggo.

 

Among those Oriental charms and ornaments we saw in Ongpin…

I fell in love with this…

It’s a smiling-fiberglass-Buddha in jade color that stands more than 2 feet.  I like it’s almost perfectly round stout belly that believed to bring best luck when rubbed.  :D   It’s affordable at PhP 4,800. And if only we have extra budget for unnecessary things, we’ve brought it home in a blink.  :P  

Our Daddy Larry didn’t buy a Buddha statue but two cats and a tiger (2010 is a Tiger year).  He also didn’t forget to buy my lovely mom-in-law who was left with their kids in Ca, a little surprise pasalubong…

Gold loop earrings as big as a peso coin that weigh almost 3 grams; I’m sure my mom-in-law will be delighted. :D

Now, what’s this blog  a trip to Binondo and Ongpin without eating Chinese ?

  –that will be on my next post!  :D

:D What do you like best in Ongpin and Binondo?  

:D Is there anything you hate about Manila Chinatown?




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