Long before these Chinese restaurants in Banawe, there was a "Chinatown in Manila" known to be brimming with tea houses, serving traditional, no-frills, and delicious Chinese fare.
Here, you can find the original Chinese restaurants of Manila packed with loyal patrons patiently waiting for their dimsum, noodles, and congee. A cup of tea on one hand, a newspaper on the other, and a Chinese feast laid on the table- it's the usual daily grind in the heart of chinatown.
Truth be told, it had been years since I last ate at a Hap Chan. Our family used to frequent their Tomas Mapua branch when I was young, since we just live nearby. However, with many Chinese restaurants opening here and there, competition seemed to overshadow the once iconic tea house.
Recently, we had a late lunch at Hap Chan Seafood Restaurant in Harbour Square, CCP Complex. We were served with classic Chinese dishes, a few dimsum items, and some of their best-selling desserts.
Classic Dishes
You can never go wrong with the Sauteed Beef with Broccoli Flower (P280)- tender slices of beef, surrounded by fresh and crunchy broccoli, cooked the Hap Chan way.
Another classic staple, the Sweet & Sour Pork (P270) features meaty chunks of crispy battered pork, cooked in a sweet and tangy sauce. I prefer my sweet and sour sauce bold and rich, so I found this too light in terms of flavor. Nevertheless, I like that the pork was cooked perfectly- crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside.
To complete the meat dishes, Hap Chan's Crispy Fried Chicken (P245/half) was served with some crunchy prawn crackers on the side. Although it may look simple, the chicken was very moist and tender with a nice crunch from the thin layer of skin.
All these dishes were paired with Hap Chan's classic Yang Chow Fried Rice (P270).
Since it was a father's day weekend when we visited, we got to try Hap Chan's Father's Day special of Golden Salted Egg Chicken (P295). I have tried salted egg prawns from other Chinese restaurants, but Hap Chan came out with a chicken version this time. While I like a little crunch on my chicken, flavor-wise it did not disappoint.
Dimsum
One of our favorite food is dimsum, and we're glad we got a teaser of Hap Chan's dimsum items.
Hakaw (P120)
We learned that Hap Chan's hakaw are made with a special ingredient from Hong Kong which makes
them unique and tasty.
Shrimp Siomai (P95)
One of our favorite food is dimsum, and we're glad we got a teaser of Hap Chan's dimsum items.
Hakaw (P120)
We learned that Hap Chan's hakaw are made with a special ingredient from Hong Kong which makes
them unique and tasty.
Shrimp Siomai (P95)
These pork and shrimp siomai weren't bad either. They were very meaty and has minimal fat compared to other dimsum restaurants.
Desserts/Drinks
Mango Sago (P80) and Chilled Taho with Mango & Sago (P60)
Both desserts were good, but our personal favorite was the sweet and creamy mango sago. The chilled taho was an upside down mango jello filled with milk and sago.
Soya Milk (P45)
Tel num: 403-5905/403-5906
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hapchanofficial
Website: www.hapchan.com.ph
Soya Milk (P45)
I was surprised to know that Hap Chan also serves soya milk which they make from scratch.
It was nice to finally revisit Hap Chan and be reintroduced to some of its specialty dishes. It was our first time to dine at their Harbour Square branch, and though the place was somewhere we don't frequent much, it was refreshing to have a breathtaking view of Manila Bay while enjoying a sumptuous Chinese feast.
Hap Chan is also celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year! To give back, Hap Chan is raffling off tons of prizes like gift certificates, iPads, iPhones, a trip to Hong Kong, and a brand new Toyota Vios as the grand prize. See poster for more details:
Hap Chan Seafood Restaurant
Unit 1101 G/F Harbour Square CCP Complex Pasay CityTel num: 403-5905/403-5906
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/hapchanofficial
Website: www.hapchan.com.ph
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