FOOD THOUGHTS: The Court Is Now Open!

With its soft opening last November 19, the Dragon Court is a restaurant that serves only authentic Chinese dishes.  Having an extensive menu to chose from, you will definitely find something that you are familiar with and wanting to try out.

Located at the ground floor of Manila Prince Hotel, sister company of the iconic Manila Hotel, the Dragon Court aims to be the go-to place of not only by the local Chinese community but also foodies of all types – Filipino and foreigner alike.  With dishes that are well prepared and crafted, you will definitely have quality, if not the Number 1, Chinese dining experience every time you set foot inside this luxuriously designed restaurant.  The restaurant is well named for it bears dragon murals framed in gold and brightly polished wood that simply speaks of style and elegance.

The restaurant also has rooms that could serve small groups should one wish to be away from the main dining crowd.  The whole restaurant is capable of hosting a group of 150pax comfortably, main dining area plus function rooms.  It also has a comfortable waiting area should one wishes to stay while waiting for their companion.  One of the rooms has a complete view of the pool that the hotel has which gave it added beauty on a sunny day or even at night.

The restaurant opened its doors to the public with a dragon and Foo dogs dance, a Chinese tradition said to bring luck and prosperity to any starting business.  Seeing this spectacle in November is a delight since the New Year Lunar cycle is still months away.

Welcoming the invited media were the Resident Manager Mr. Chris Orta and CEO of the Manila Hotel, Atty. Joey Lina, along with resident chef, Chef Sun Bing.  Chef Sun Bing was the person responsible in setting the standard in Manila Hotel’s Red Jade Restaurant, so expect his culinary expertise here as well and every dish served will be of quality and good taste.  Should you have any health concern, just let the attending  staff know and definitely they will do something for you, such was my experience with them since I have an allergy to crustaceans.  But let me assure you that you have nothing to worry about it for they do make sure that everything is well prepared and cleaned that when I tried their Cheese Shrimp Ball, my allergy didn’t kicked in.  This is the 2^nd food place that I have encountered which my allergy didn’t set in.  it only speaks of the way food is prepared.  Kudos to the team!

Pork Siomai

Hakaw

We, the invited media, were treated to various dishes both new and familiar to the palate.  Starters were dim sums of Hakaw and Siomai, two favorites of any local food lover.  It was followed by Eight Treasure Diced Winter Melon Soup.  It was a clear soup with eight notable ingredients, it has shrimp of course.  When I informed them of my condition, what they did was gave me a bowl of my own with scallops in it instead of shrimp bits.  It was a delightful dish not only in terms of flavor but also with how it was prepared.  The winter melon was soft yet firm ( I have an idea as to how it was made) and the soup was really light, as expected from a clear broth, yet rich in flavor.  From there, the food experience soared to heights as expected from the company of Manila Hotel.

Cheese Shrimp Ball (yummy cheese delight!)

Out of the 10 dishes served that day, the following truly caught my palate in attention.  The Stew Vegetarian Eggplant was something of an intrigue for me for the way it was prepared plus the fact that there is a mild heat coming from it (Setzuan inspired perhaps). I love this dish! The Grouper with Egg White was a simple yet complex dish.  Simple for there was no brouhaha to it.  Complex because you have to have every bit of the dish components in each bite to truly experiences the beauty of this dish.  The fish was soft.  The egg white was salty.  The bachoy was crunchy.  Individually it was a so-so dish.  All components in one bite and the so-so thought get thrown out of the window and it becomes a wonder in each bite.  Flavor comes from the egg white and the grouper, while contrast in texture between the fish and the vegetable gives it further dimension.  Trust me when I say that the Cheese Shrimp Ball is one good food companion during your usual TV or game binge.  It has the crunch, softness and cheesy goodness that you will definitely love! (It actually beats the hell out of your shrimp topped pizza.)  Actually, I take back what I said about it being your best food companion in a TV or game watching binge for you will definitely forget what you are watching and focus on enjoying what you are eating.  That string of cheese whenever you take a bite is simply heaven!  I hope there is a to-go box for this in the future.

Stew Vegetarian Eggplant

Grouper with Egg White

Crispy Fried Chicken Hongkong Style

What is new with fried chicken?  Chicken fried without any coating is nothing new.  Some may even think of it as chicken your grandma use to make (those born in the late 70’s and early 80’s know what I am talking of).  Well let me burst your thought bubble for this Crispy Fried Chicken Hongkong Style is something to try out.  The chicken was basked in a light but rich marinate, making the flavor be absorbed by the meat without losing the chicken flavor (this is a hunch but if my tongue is right, then how I said it is the way it was prep).  The skin is deep in color with a touch of redness to it and the meat is simply juicy white.  A classic in chicken presentation and preparation!  Juicy, delicious, tender and not greasy!

The Baked Taro Fried Rice was also a delight.  Yes it is carbs over carbs (taro + rice) but honestly you don’t feel the weight of the carbs as you take a spoonful of it.  To be exact, it was a good match with the eggplant stew (hint!).  Though it reminded me with a rice concoction that I have encountered from another Chinese restaurant but this one is worth your palate.  So you can try it out and skip the usual Yang Chow that you normally order.  You will not be disappointed.  To be exact, it is like a full meal by itself plus it is beautifully presented to you for it has a baked (?) top that hides the treasure underneath. And did I say that there is a touch of creaminess to this rice dish?  You really have to try it out and find the treasure underneath that beautiful golden crust.

Baked Taro Fried Rice

Baked Mango Tapioca Pudding

I am a mango and pudding person and capping this dining experience with their version of a mango tapioca dessert was a good dining ender.  Normal mango tapioca dessert calls for it to be chilled.  This one is way too different from the norm.  The Baked Mango Tapioca Pudding is truly setting the bar high in terms of Chinese desserts. It was a baked creamy and sweet goodness (a bit too sweet for me but for most Filipino’s it would be a delight since Pinoys has a sweet tooth by nature)in every scoop that you make and a sure sign of bounty being wish on all those who have partaken the banquet so to speak.

What we have tried that day was simply a sampling of what Chef Sun Bing has in store in the kitchen of Dragon Court, so you can expect more to tickle your food curiosity and win your selective tongue over.  Come over and try out real good Chinese dishes without the Filipino tongue dictating how it should be.  Be a true food lover and savor the moment in Dragon Court!  Call now and they are open for any inquiries and reservation (5328-2222).