Chinese Gluttony

I was playing Cafe World in Starbucks Binondo when Punch told me that they are already in our meeting place. “At last”, I thought.

Today, we meet not for work but because we will dine at the famous Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant.

Earlier in the office, Punch ( my Boss and the Birthday Boy) invited me to accompany them in Binondo as he will be celebratinghis twentieth-something birthday there. He also wanted me to try the oyster cake. I got so intrigued about it upon hearing the name, so I said “okay, I’ll give i a try”.

On the way to Sincerity, we meet up with some of or officemates as well as our former colleague Mommy Shiela, who is fresh from India. This is the first time I’ll be checking Sincerity and I really don’t expect as much as one would expect from a restaurant named Presidents that can be found in Binondo too (which by the way I would be visiting sometime soon).

I entered this simple cafe and wondered what’s up for me. Mommy Shiela took charge of ordering food and I was amazed that she ordered a total of ten dishes for all of us:

Duck Noodle Soup Php 100

I don’t really like eating any duck delicacies not because I love Donald Duck so much but because when I was a kid my grandfather asked me to try it and my tummy starts to ache and I was down for a week. This soup is not pleasing to the eye unlike other soups I’ve had in the past, just check its color. There’s nothing special about this soup – tastes like normal chicken soup with misua. Nonetheless, one can note the tenderness of the duck.

Kiampong Special Php 35

I was expecting that we will order my favorite Yangchow rice but my hopes were gone when they ordered Kiampong. Afte4 having spoonful of it, I CAN’T STOP myself from splurging. The brown rice was not at all sticky like the normal Kiampong I have tried. Well then, I think I can forget about my Yangchow whenever I drop by Sincerity.

Ngo Hiong Php 50 per piece

Ngo Hiong is somewhat like then kikiam which we have come to know, only, it is not your ordinary favorite fishbolan’s kikiam. This one is fried to perfection and is served with atchara. That’s one wondeful imx of taste and texture.

Chopsuey Php 180

I am a BIG fan of Chopsuey. This one is my favorite among the batch since it was served with vegetables with superlative freshness and not overcooked. I just hope that they plan on using larger and fresh prawns and not hibi.

Beef Broccoli Php 200

This one is another favorite. The veggies were not overly cooked, plus, a very generous serving of broccoli  would please any fan of leafy greens like yours truly.

Special Ma Chang

This is the famous rice dish that a Chinese restaurant can offer. Though it doesn’t smell that nice, I tried this one and was able to find out that it has some chicken, pork and mushroom which is noticeably bitter.

Fried Oyster Cake Php 180

When Punch told me that we’ll eat Oyster cake I thought ‘gross’ – I was thinking of a normal chiffon cake with icing and all, topped with oyster meat. But as gross as that would get, my imagination fails me. The oyster cake was cooked like an omelet. Expect it to be a bit gooey. It tastes like a normal oyster minus the vinegar that usual comes with it.

Sincerity Chicken Php 300

I think I almost ate 6 out of the 10 pieces of this lightly buttered fried chicken with crispy skin on the outside and tender meat on the inside. It is indeed the best fried chicken in Binondo. So far.

Sate Pork Chami Php 90 & Sate Beef Chami Php 110

These two dishes were the least-favorited among the others on the table as they were almost left untouched. They were pepared the same wa except for the pork and beef toppings. I did not like the Chami because it tastes like a chemically-laden noodles, like you are eating some noodles plus a cough syrup.

With all the dishes we ordered (and got us stuffed), I have been for sure amazed. It took them less than 20 minutes to be able to serve all ten dishes on our table. The staff has also been really friendly and accommodating. And the best part, they offer free house tea to help us digest all that good food.

The New Chef in Town!

There’s a new chef in town and I’m talking about Chef Robert located in Banawe.

My good friend Robert Tan, and owner of this new restaurant, told me that they serve cheesecake with coconut milk (gata), so I hurriedly stumbled upon this place to try this dessert which I’m such a big, big fan of. I love everything cheese cake, and adding some coconut milk to flare up the flavor would be a great idea, I thought.

It is hard getting there if you don’t know the vicinity of the place or will just commute. (Thanks to Robert, by the way, who was kind enough to send a sketch of the place.)

Here’s how you can get to Chef Robert:
From UST I rode an FX going to Banawe, then crossed the street going to McDonald’s. I rode a jeep and dropped off at Sogo, when you see this famous landmark, you’ll know you’re near Chef Robert.

An adorable and oversize fur ball slash stuffed bear welcomed us to this homey place. The place is a bit small which made the ambiance very cozy.

I checked the menu and my God, I really want to try everything on it. But of course I only have a room for some specials so here’s what I tried:

Soup: Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup Php 35

I really enjoyed this one, every spoonful of this creamy soup brings back my childhood memory. As a kid, my grandmother prepared pumpkin soup for me because she knows that this is the only vegetable that I’d eat without whining! Beware, this pumpkin soup has some weed in it that gives me an instant high — I’m talking about thyme, brother.

Appetizer: Wasabi Prawns

Wasabi Prawns Php 165

This one got into my list because I’m also a fan of shrimp. When it was served, I thought, “Wow, this must be a cousin of my dear tempura”. The prawns are lightly covered with butter and is really fresh, I tried the wasabi sauce that comes with it and it tasted like chewing on cough lozenges, or strepsils, minus the cough syrup taste, of course. Why? Because as I dunk the golden prawns in the tangy wasabi dip, it kind of soothes and clears my breathing.

Entree: Thai Green Chicken Curry and Yellow Fish Curry

Thai Green Curry Php 145

The serving of both is really generous. The Thai green curry has loads of juicy chicken fillet with slices of egg plant in a bowl of green curry, while the Yellow fish curry will load you with juicy dory fillet with fancy cut potatoes and carrots, all of these suspended in a bowl of thick, yellow curry.

I thought that it’s a bit salty but when i tried the curry with the rice that is served with it, it neutralized the saltiness, revealed the real curry flavor, then spice came kicking in.

Yellow Fish Curry Php 145

Dessert: Coconut and Mango Cheese Cake

For the finale, I ordered this interesting cheesecake. Imagine cheesecake with coconut milk, such a fusion for a well-known dessert, the cheese cake is moist, however I find the mango topping a bit dry. I can taste the creamy goodness of the coconut milk in every bite. I do recommend people to try this one.

Coconut Milk and Mango Cheese Cake Php 125

With the exceptional customer service, wonderful food, and free Wi-Fi, I will definitely come back to Chef Robert hungry for more!

Chef Robert
Unit D 847, Banawe St cor Linaw St Quezon City
+6327409330
http://www.facebook.com/chef.robert.banawe

-Current Promotion-

The Chef Robert Frequency Card

-  for every Php 200 purchase, client receives 1 point which entitles them to a freebie.  Promo Ends:  November 30, 2009

Soup It Up

-  add Php 35 and get a soup of the day for every salad, pasta and main course you ordered.

Tea Chilin

-  add Php 25 and get a glass of ice tea for every salad, pasta and main course you ordered.

Caffeine Addict

-  add Php 5 and get a refill of your Cafe Americano order.