Written by: Tiffany Tolones (IG:@camille_abitofmonica)
Photos by: Mae Ilagan
Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday and you might not have decided where to treat your dad yet. Why not treat him a Dim sum date? Dim Sum is directly translated as “a light touch on the heart.” So in small but flavorful bites, you get touched in the heart.
Like the many things our fathers did for us, no matter how little they are, they matter and they touch our hearts. It is good that in our own little but meaningful ways, we can give back to our dads –even as simple as having a meal together with them.
Dim sum serves as the course appetizer, and it remains the mainstay of traditional Chinese cuisine. It is usually served while the main dishes were prepared in the kitchen. But where can we get the best tasting dim sum in town? Of course, in China Town in Binondo, Manila!
We explored Lucky China Town to present you some of the restaurants you can go to celebrate father’s day with your dad.
Here are some restaurants where you can treat your father a Dim Sum Date:
San Guo La Mien
This restaurant offers classic Chinese dishes to satisfy your cravings. San Guo La Mien likes to keep it simple and classic, serving steamed and fried dumplings on their menu.
For starters, San Guo La Mien offers the two variants of their pork dumplings (steamed and fried) made up of pork and kuchay, a classic take on the traditional Chinese dumplings. You can pair those in the Pancit Bihon, and Chinese Black Gulaman in can for your drink.
San Guo La Mien is located in the first floor of Lucky China Town, facing the alley by the arc.
Tao Yuan
Tao Yuan offers you their Xiao Long Bao, and their Fresh Shrimp Roll in Bean Curd Skin. The Xiao Long Bao dipped in their special soy sauce is the classic combo.
While the Fresh Shrimp Roll in Bean Curd Skin can be eaten with or without the soy sauce. Personally, I prefer the Shrimp Roll bare, so I can indulge the taste and texture of the Bean Curd Skin.
If you like to dine in a traditional Chinese restaurant that caters to large groups of people, Tao Yuan is the way to go.
Tao Yuan is located at the second floor of Lucky China Town.
Chun Yen
Do you want a different take on your dim sum? While Chun Yen offers the usual Meat Wanton in special sauce, they offer you their Tang Bao, a large dim sum almost the size of a large Siopao.
It is made of pork meat and mixed vegetables enclosed in a large wrapper. This specially-made wrapper should be thicker than usual to properly contain the soup and other ingredients inside. You can enjoy this by punching a straw in the Tang Bao and sip the soup inside. What a different take on a dim sum!
Chun Yen is located at the second floor of Lucky China Town.
King Chef
With their newest dumplings on the menu, King Chef offers you their Taro Garlic Siomai and XO Seafood Hofan Balls. Taro Garlic Siomai is a different take on siomai, it has more texture because of the taro and the taste of garlic is evident. You can enjoy it bare or you can dip it on their in-house soy sauce.
The XO Seafood Hofan Balls is easy to eat. The meat is wrapped around hand-made noodles topped with white cream sauce. Hofan is my personal favorite among the two, since the cream sauce tastes like Nido soup. It was like having a dim sum soup without an actual soup.
King Chef also has an executive room for a private dining experience.
King Chef is also located at the second floor of Lucky China Town.
Mann Hann
Mann Hann is the last on our trip at Lucky China Town, but certainly not the least. They offer their own take on Hakaw, its exterior is softer and not watered down by steam. The meat is easy to eat, the color maintains light pink in the white wrapper.
On the other hand, Mann Hann also offers their breaded shrimp roll in sweet and sour sauce –a perfect combination. Soy Tofu has the smoothest texture ever, as if you were tasting taho. It maintains the solid crisp structure while having a soft inside.
Mann Hann is located the first floor of Lucky China Town.
Treating your fathers a meal might not be that big, but the memories you make while celebrating and eating with them is what’s important. Who knows? These little things that you do for your dad actually matter to them the most.
To all fathers who did their best to be the best father for their children, Happy Father’s Day!
What is your most memorable date with your dad? Let us know in the comments below!
