The Binondo Food Massacre : Northern Style Dumplings

One advantage to being an Online Filipino Worker is you can up and go anytime as long as skeds are manageable.

Yesterday, I went out with my 2 besties and we headed out to Binondo, Manila (Manila's Chinatown) for a DIY Binondo food trip.  My friend had prepared a looong list of yum stopovers.  I was quite doubtful whether we'd even have the digestive space to eat from all of those establishments.  I've been detoxing for 2 weeks now and I wasn't too hot at the idea of swallowing an assortment of food.  However, this was our christmas party, new year's party, valentines date and bday party for 1 bestie all rolled into 1: I was antsy to spend the day with the best friends.  The food is a side bonus.

Anyway, with all the relaxed conversation and walking between the eating, all we got to go to were only 4 establishments.  So this'll be the 1st article about it.  I expect more.  I didn't expect to blog about it so I didn't document at all (Boo.) .  Missing names and streets (Boo again.)   to follow.

First we had Northern style dumplings at 2 joints.

We were the 1st customers at Tasty Restaurant near the Binondo Church.  The place was quite nice and neat for a Chinatown restaurant.  We ordered dumplings and a pork dish similar to pata tim.  I also ordered seaweed.  Too sweet for my taste, but yum under regular circumstances.

We passed by Carvajal Street to get to Yuchengco Street.  Carvajal is narrow street, just a tiny opening in the grand scheme of Chinatown things, but it will attract your attention because it is indeed a very busy street.  It should be a must-visit place for all foodies who cook.  The fresh Chinese ingredients were all there in Carvajal.  Fruits, veggies, seafood and assorted Chinese ingredients were there.  I got an eye-full of sea cucumbers and sea weeds.  I wonder what ingredients I'll see next time.  Cooking foodies, before you go to Carvajal, research your recipes with sea cucumber and sea weeds so you're prepared to pick the ingredients you want to take home next time.

I also bought kiwi and strawberries at affordable prices from Carvajal.  And when I got home, it was only then that I observed how big and pretty and firm the strawberries were.  The next morning, I ate only 2 strawberries for breakfast.  It was yum. (Yup, it was that big.)

We'll be returning to Carvajal for Quick Snack's noodles, also at that same street so I'll definitely be back.  We didn't eat at Quick Snack even if it was on our list because we were full.

I really wanted to sample the Northern style food first, and I wanted to savor the food before I got too full.

My friend noted that 1 restaurant mostly had Northern style food so off we trooped to Yuchengco Street.  At the window of the Dong Bei Restaurant, you will be welcomed to the sight of a cook preparing the shallot dumplings and lovingly pressing the dumpling dough.  Looked yummy.  There we tried the dumplings again.  Plus we ordered the shallot and pork pancakes.  Yum.  The dip was delicious.  It's similar to lumpia vinegar-soy dip but not too sour or salty or spicy, or oily.  I can't describe it, only that it tasted just right.  They had other rice dishes but we were not interested since we were full.

By then we were interested with what tea they were serving.  The staff said it was oolong.  I liked the tea because it was aromatic but not strong.  It was the type you can chug the whole day instead of water.  The kind staff then offered they were also selling bags of it.  My bestfriend bought a bag from them for only P100.  The staff were also kind enough to give us instructions.  The P100 bag is well worth it.  They placed it in a big ziplock bag, and gave us an extra container if we wanted to share among ourselves.

Overall, this restaurant isn't as snazzy-looking as Tasty, but the price, taste of food and staff service are excellent.

- more next time-