READ PREVIOUS PAGE: [Part 1] 14 oldest Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila from 1866 onwards
8. SaLido Restaurant
Since 1945
This coffee shop was opened in the aftermath of World War II by Benjamin King aka King Sy Dyak on Tomas Alonzo Street. It was named Lido, the Hokkien term for “the beautiful capital city”. What made it different from other eateries in Binondo was that it was like a gentleman’s club, where businessmen from around the area socialized and discussed business over cups of its famous brewed coffee. When the original location was demolished and the restaurant moved its current location on Ongpin Street, the name was changed to SaLido. To woo back the regulars, it started making them personalized coffee mugs. Former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is among those who are fond of this restaurant.
Must try: Aside from the coffee (PHP65), try the oven-roasted pork asado (PHP235 for one-foruth kilo). Unlike other asado dishes, SaLido’s has a pinkish tender meat, good layer of fat and golden brown skin as it doesn’t use food coloring. There’s also the three cups chicken (chicken cooked in sesame oil, ginger and rice wine, PHP285), chami (fried thick noodles, PHP190) and steamed fish fillet (Php280).
Hot foodie tip: They are also popular for their breakfast, which includes everything from omelets, pancakes, Filipino breakfast meals and dimsums (only until 9:30am). The kitchen here has been known to accommodate the requests of guests such as using small chili peppers instead of bell pepper in the omelette.
Get here: 839 Ongpin Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila; +63 2 5213333, +63 2 5595491. Daily 6am to 9pm.
9. The Original Savory Escolta
Since 1950
Brothers Mariano, Vicente, Tony and Jose Ting started this restaurant on Escolta Street. Their golden crispy fried chicken drew in the crowd and made them famous. They then expanded the menu to include other panciteria favorites such as sweet and sour fish and miki bihon. Years later, the brothers moved the restaurant to its current location on Plaza Moraga, at the foot of Jones Bridge. By then public figures such as Ninoy Aquino would be seen regularly dining here. Even if Savory has expanded malls, the family will not close down the place that started it all.
Must try: Many of their original recipes are still available such as the fried chicken (PHP174 for half order), pancit canton (PHP195), Pata tim (braised pork, PHP480) and fried rice (PHP130). As for the rest of the menu, it is the same mix of Filipino and Chinese favorites you will find in most other panciteria such as lengua (braised pigs tongue, PHP350), bihon guisado (fried bihon, PHP195) and cameron rebosado (stuffed shrimp, PHP280).
Hot foodie tip: They are probably the only panciteria that serves roast turkey (PHP3,500 for 5kg). If you want to try it, you need to tell them three to five days in advance.
Get here: 201 Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila; +63 2 2418782, +63 2 2421443. Daily 9am-12mn.
10. Sun Wah
Since 1955
In order to open his own restaurant, Benjamin Leung first worked as a waiter at Panceteria Antigua and learn the ins and outs of managing a restaurant. When he was confident enough, he left Antigua to open Sun Wah on Florentino Torres Street. Since it was located near a number of publishing houses, his initial customers were news reporters. They helped spread the word about Sun Wah. In 1996 the restaurant caught fire. It was so serious that four of Sun Wah’s cooks sustained third degree burns. Even so, Mr. Leung made the decision to reopen within a month, lest people think that they had closed down permanently. In an attempt to keep away further misfortune, they renamed the restaurant Wah Sun. But tragedy struck again when Mr. Leung was fatally shot in front of his restaurant in 2000 in an attempted robbery. This led his daughter Kathy to succeed him as head of the restaurant. Among the changes she has initiated has been to expand the air-conditioned dining area on the second floor. As an added attraction, she has installed a mini-zoo on the second floor to show off her collection of exotic animals such as a monitor lizard and a Burmese python. She has also recently made a move to go back to the restaurant original name Sun Wah.
Must try: As with any panciteria, it still has all-time favorites such as pinsec frito (fried wonton skins, PHP188), isda sarsa blanca (fish in white sauce, PHP228), and pancit canton (PHP167). They also have dishes unique to them such as chuleta de gallinas (chicken fillet steak, PHP158) and torta cornegrejo (crab omelet, PHP268).
Hot foodie tip: Food writer Claude Tayag also noted that there are number of Cantonese dishes that have been indigenized but we have accepted as Chinese. Among them is the chow patzing (stir-fried vegetables and mushrooms with sea cucumber, PHP139), fried milk bihon (dry toasted bihon with milk sauce, PHP258) and pat mi ha (batter fried shrimp in spicy sauce, PHP478). Prices may be expensive, but Kathy insists on keeping it that way to maintain quality. She says customers will know it when the restaurant start cutting corners.
Get there: 747 Florentino Torres St, Sta Cruz, Manila; +63 2 7336718, +63 2 7341160. Daily 7:30am to 11pm.
11. Sincerity
Since 1956
It was the dream of Uy Mo Koan and Uy Lim Bee to open a restaurant in Manila that specializes in cuisine from the city of Xiamen. They were able to open one with only PHP600 as capital. They chose a small location along Carvajal Street in Binondo and named their restaurant Sincerity. After a fire destroyed their first branch, they moved to their current location over at Nueva Street (now known as Yuchengco). They became known for their inexpensive but tasty Hokkien dishes such as oyster cake and ngo hiong (kikiam). They also became known for their daily selection of home-style dishes such as spinach stir fried with pork, fried hasa hasa and fried pork chop. In recent years, management has been taking steps to upgrade and streamline their operations. Like a few other panciterias, they have now begun opening branches in malls.
Must try: They are most famous for there fried chicken (PHP150 for a half order), but many also come here for their generously stuffed oyster omelet (PHP140). The late food writer Doreen Fernandez also sang praises for their kekiam (meat roll wrapped in leaf lard, PHP50/roll). She says it is set apart with its large bits of chopped pork and accompanied by pickled radish and a spicy sauce.
Hot foodie tip: She also enjoyed the duck misua which has fine noodle, chunks of tender duck meat and a xibut flavored broth.
Get here: 497 Yuchengco St, Binondo, Manila; +63 2 2419991, +63 2 2419992. Mon–Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 9am-2pm
12. Marquina aka Lam Dynasty
Since the 1950s
This restaurant used to be located on Marquina Street in Binondo (which was how it got its name). It was unique for two reasons: First, the restaurant built its reputation on a dish created here in the Philippines instead of something brought over from China. It was the owner’s crab rice that drew people to his restaurant and eventually the joint developed a reputation for fine seafood. Second, the decor was unique. Instead of the typical red and gold Chinese restaurant interiors popular at that time, the owner stuck to a nautical theme, complete with wood paneling and brass lanterns. The restaurant was sold to another group in the mid-1960s and expanded to Makati. By the 1980s the original Marquina closed down. Four years ago, one of the sons of the original Marquina founder started a new restaurant called Lam Dynasty. He seems intent to introduce to a new generation his father’s original recipes.
Must try: The current owner admits that the dishes he is offering is a mix of Chinese Filipino dishes rather than authentic Chinese. That is certainly the case with dishes like salmon steak (PHP350), lechon kawali (PHP220) and crispy pata (PHP450). Try the original crab rice (PHP200) or crab meat lomi (PHP200) and crab meat soup (PHP200).
Hot foodie tip: There are also Lam’s special crab, crab sotanghon and crab steamed with ginger and onion (prices vary according to season). They also offer a wide array of seafood dish such as chili shrimp (PHP240), fish fillet ampalaya (PHP220) and sting ray fish tausi (PHP200).
Get here: M/L Pacific Center, 460 Quintin Paredes St, Binondo, Manila; +63 2 3537404. Daily 9am-9pm.
13. Shantung Restaurant
Since 1958
Shantung was started by Joseph Chang Men-Chi who, with his friend, fled Shandong, China, because of the Chinese revolution.* Their first venture was a three-table eatery along Benavidez Street in Binondo. When business prospered, Shantung expanded to a bigger space on Echague (Carlos Palanca Street today) in Quiapo. Because of its proximity to Malacañan Palace, a lot of famous political personalities were guests, among them President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos. After a fire hit the Quiapo branch, they moved to its current location along West Avenue in Quezon City.
Must try: Regulars swear by their signature fried crispy chicken (PHP200) and the dumplings (steamed, PHP130). They also offer their own take on panciteria classics such as pata tim (PHP490), beef ampalaya (PHP165) and pancit canton (PHP150).
Hot foodie tip: They offer a selection of dishes that are not available elsewhere, like shredded pork with bamboo shoots (PHP145), pork in pechay sauce (PHP145) and sea cucumber in brown sauce (PHP210).
Get here: 96 West Ave, Bgy Philam Homes, Quezon City; +63 2 9284409, +63 2 9261957. Daily 10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm.
[CORRECTION Jan 28, 2014: The original report mentioned that the restaurant was started by an Ilocana named Hermingilda Chang who learned to cook from her Chinese husband.]
14. Quik Snack
Since 1967
Originally from Cebu, Pilar Lim was already in her 60s when her son-in-law persuaded her to open a restaurant in Manila. Taking on the challenge she started by offering classic Tsinoy fares like fresh lumpia, oyster cake and kiampong. Married to an Indonesian, William Tijoe, she then started to add dishes like the Indonesian Tauhu. When she began introducing her own satay sauce to dishes such as fried noodles and stir-fried kangkong, people really began taking notice of this small eatery. By the 1980s, though, Mrs Lim began turning over the management of the restaurant to her grandson Edwin. She has also imparted to the kitchen staff many of her recipes including her satay sauce. Regulars swears that the food still taste as if she had prepared it herself.
Must try: Even if the name of the restaurant implies that Quik Snack might be a fast food, diners will be happy to known that everything is cooked to order here. Their bestseller is the fresh lumpia (PHP45). According to writer Chona Trinidad, the secret is the use of hoti or dried powdered seaweed to give an altogether different taste. Otber classic Tsinoy fare that are popular here are the oyster cake (PHP180) and rellenong hipon (PHP80).
Hot foodie tip: Since Lim was a devout Buddhist, you can find a few vegetarian friendly dish such as vege lomi (PHP110). As for her satay sauce? You can find it in dishes like sate beef kangkong (PHP85) and sate mi guisado (PHP 135). To end your meal, you might want to try the iced coffee with coffee jelly (PHP85).
Get here: 637–639 Carvajal St, Binondo, Manila; +63 2 2429572, +63 2 2429589. Mon-Sat 9am-6:30pm.
READ PREVIOUS PAGE: [Part 1] 14 oldest Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila from 1866 onwards
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