I’ve eaten at King Chef Chinese Restaurant in both the Quezon City and Lucky Chinatown branches but I’ve always felt my short order meals were superior to their banquet food.
A couple of weeks ago, a group of us were invited to try out King Chef Chinese Restaurant in their Lucky Chinatown branch. Let’s see if they can change my views.
The Baked Seafood Apple took me by surprise, it was not a dish I thought King Chef could create. Whole Fuji apples are hollowed out and filled with a coconut milk and seafood mixture then baked until cooked. The seafood mix had pieces of squid, shrimp and fish in addition to taro and mushrooms. The mixture is sweet and creamy and really filling.
Shark’s Fin with Chicken Soup. I’ve have not ordered shark’s fin for a number of years already but if it’s served at a lauriat or other event, I just eat it lest it go to more waste if they throw it out. They used native chicken to create the stock so its sweeter and more flavorful and actually can stand on its own without the added textures of the shark’s fin. The soup is healthy and soothing, something Chinese cuisine really excels in creating.
Crystal Prawn Balls. A classic Chinese dish with sauteed prawns shaped into a ball. Eat a piece with leeks, coriander and a salty shrimp paste. This is one of Irene’s favorite Chinese dishes, one thing she has difficulty making at home.
Garlic Burst Spareribs. Tender pieces of pork spareribs with little fat and nice meat to bone ratio. Well marinated and cooked just right with garlic flavor in each bite enhancing the experience.
Braised Bamboo Pith with 2 Kinds Mushroom. Not the most photogenic of dishes but it is on the healthy side. Bamboo pit pieces are stuffed with enoki mushrooms with black mushrooms on the side with lettuce layered underneath. The dish is glazed in a savory oyster sauce but can easily made suitable for vegetarians by using a vegetarian oyster sauce. Healthy and delicious dish.
Stuffed Eggplant in Japanese Sauce. Pieces of eggplant are stuffed with a shrimp ball like mixture then a sweet/salty sauce is poured over it. It really felt like eating a shrimp ball with just a little eggplant taste and texture added to it.
French Beans with Salted Egg. This dish just screams for plain rice to lessen the richness. Crisp pieces of beans are coated in a creamy salted egg sauce that is the perfect balance of indulgent and healthy.
Satay Seafood Sotanghon in Hot Pot. I have good memories of this dish from their very first restaurant called Cantonese Soup Kitchen. This was one dish we never failed to order when we ate there. The dish is comforting with fresh seafood pieces simmered with sotanghon in a mildly spicy satay sauce.
Fruit Burst. They seem to like using the word burst in their menu as this is the 2nd dish with it. I like things bursting in my mouth, be it flavors or juices but it better be on the cold side, no need to unnecessarily burn myself. This is a simple and fresh dessert with watermelon, melon and mango balls in a refreshing citrus base with the added surprise of jelly balls.
King Chef Chinese Restaurant can produce dishes fit for a king that are plated artfully, great tasting and even healthy. It seems it was just a matter of ordering the right things.
King Chef Chinese Restaurant
2/F Lucky Chinatown Mall Reigna Regente St. cor. Dela Reina St. Binondo, Manila Contact No.: (02) 720-9062/ (02) 720-8594Facebook: King Chef Lucky Chinatown Mall
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