09 January 2012

midnight adventure: Emperor's Dimsum and Teahouse

This entry marks the end of the backlog of blog entries I have for 2011. Start the year right by getting rid of the old stuff, right? :)

I shall begin with our midnight adventure last September 30, 2011. Oh, I guess this is one of our anniversary dates since it was on the 30th. We usually go out and celebrate our monthly anniversaries by discovering new food. Anyway, it was a midnight adventure because we had this at around 12:30 am. We were hungry, and looking for a non-fast food restaurant that was still open at that time. If I remember correctly, I was craving for some hot rice and a real, unprocessed, dish to go with it. Since we were in the Greenhills area, we decided to take a look at Emperor's Dimsum and Teahouse, and ended up having a filling midnight snack.

The food attendants served hot tea and pickled vegetables, which were oh-so-good, while we were looking at their menu. I've always loved how they automatically serve hot tea after sitting. The pickled vegetables I've only noticed now, but maybe it's because I've always been excited when ordering xiao long bao from this restaurant. I guess I finally took notice of it when Gus started eating it, and I'm glad I finally paid attention. The pickled vegetables were really good! A good way to start your eating adventure!

Pickled Vegetables
(free of charge)

House Tea

After looking through their menu, we ordered a serving of xiao long bao. We always, always, order at least one serving of dimsum whenever we go Chinese because we both love dimsum, and because the xiao long bao in this restaurant is also one of my favorites. It's the first xiao long bao I've tasted here in Manila that closely resembled the one I fell in love with in China four years back. It wasn't dry, and the inside was really soupy. Soup-filled! If I'm not mistaken, xiao long bao is known for the soup inside. Most of the xiao long baos I've tasted here in Manila fail in that aspect, but not Emperor's. You will definitely feel and taste the soup inside. The filling is also good. Not too little, not too much, and the taste compliments the soup. A serving has six, big, soup-filled pieces, all for the low price of P98. Trivia: Around two-three years back, it was only P88/serving. :)

Xiao Long Bao with Red Vinegar Sauce
(P98)

After ordering our dimsum appetizer, we were finally able to decide which main courses to get. Gus wasn't that hungry so he got a serving of Fish Fillet in Beancurd Sauce Rice Topping. He found the dish really good,  he finished it in such a short while, even if he wasn't that hungry. He asked me to try it and even if I wasn't in the mood for fish that night, I found this dish really good too. Not too salty, not too bland, and with just the right mix of fish fillet and vegetables, which were NOT soggy. 

Fish Fillet in Beancurd Sauce Rice Topping
(P160)

If he got seafood, I got pork. To be honest, I was choosing among a number of dishes. Dishes that ranged from noodle and rice, dry and wet, chicken, beef, pork, and seafood, but in the end, the name of this dish caught my attention so I ended up getting it. I ordered the Steamed Pork Spareribs in Lotus Leaves. Thankfully, this dish was so good, I didn't regret getting it. Even if it was steamed, the spareribs was so full of flavor, it was a joy nibbling on it. Just a little of it made me eat so much rice! I found the presentation interesting too. It was so fun eating this dish. 



Steamed Pork Spareribs in Lotus Leaves
(P160)

Overall, our Emperor's Dimsum and Teahouse experience was great. The food was good, the service was good, and the price was very good. We only spent around P420 for all these delicious and filling dishes, and we had no problem with the service. The staff was quick and efficient, and they were very attentive to our needs despite the hour.

Price Range: P150-200/person

5 out of 5 for Emperor's Dimsum and Teahouse

Emperor's Dimsum and Teahouse
202 Wilson St. cor. T. Guevarra St., Brgy. Addition Hills
San Juan, Metro Manila
Philippines
Phone Number: (63 2) 726 5138

Contact details courtesy of: http://www.munchpunch.com/9876/emperors-dimsum-tea-house-san-juan
Photos courtesy of Gregory Yu.

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