Pinoy Food & Other Cuisine :: Food PhotoBlog and Events |

After hearing Sunday mass at the San Lorenzo Ruiz church in Binondo, Manila, one can hie off to nearby Ongpin Street for a meal at the many eateries Manila’s Chinatown is famous for. A week before the [tag]Chinese lunar new year[/tag] which falls on February 18 this year, the place is full of shoppers preparing for the upcoming festivities. The traditional tikoy, or glutinous rice cake, is the most sellable item, as it is a popular gift and signifies ample provision and prosperity for the coming year.

Chuan Kee along Ongpin Street is a fast-food outlet cum deli run by the same family that owns the famous hopia maker, Eng Bee Tin. It is unpretentious and cafeteria-like, serving traditional [tag]Chinese dishes[/tag] and snacks.

The place was packed, even after the usual lunch hour on a Sunday. Service is fast, however, and the queue was manageable. We had the house siopao or dumpling with pork and salted egg filling, together with Maki, a thick soy sauce-flavored soup with scraps of either pork, beef or fish. We also ordered some siomai dimsum or ground pork and shrimp steamed in a rice wrapper.

The food was tasty but unremarkable. The Fish Maki was actually made of fishballs and not fillets of fish, as it looked to me at first.

Prices are reasonable, with Beef Maki at P70.00 and Fish Maki at P65.00. Siopao and siomai are P38.00 an order. Servings are smallish though, and not as hot as they should be. There is no air-con and seats are plain plastic stools, so be prepared for some discomfort. Overall, a good enough place for a quick bite. But for a more fulfilling gastronomic experience, one has to wander deeper into the heart of Chinatown.

Tags: Restaurant and Eating Places