Friday, December 16, 2016

First Bite: Lung Hin

The crazy Manila traffic usually limits my range of where to eat. But when I got invited to attend a scrumptious dinner at Lung Hin, a Cantonese restaurant of Marco Polo Ortigas, I said yes forgetting that there's forever with EDSA. And true enough, it took me long to get to the beautiful hotel. My exhaustion was soon swept away though upon stepping in the classy restaurant on the 44th floor. 
Hello, Lung Hin
I was first greeted by the front hostess who assisted me to the private room reserved for us. While walking through the main dining area, I was impressed by the sophisticated modern Asian interiors. 
I was so worried for being the last one to arrive but I actually came just in time for the signature drink, Earl Grey Tea with Grapes and Peach Flavored Syrup.  
I love that they served the tea in ice form and added a bit more of it in liquid form. It was such a brilliant way to avoid the problem of having the drink being watered down. The whole grapes added a sweet bite to the drink and the syrup made it tolerable for those who are not fans of tea. 
I went overboard though with the sweetener because I was trying to get the perfect action shot. (Note: Don't pour the whole glass of syrup at once. Pour bit by bit and adjust based on your preference.)
First dishes served were the cold appetizers Drunken Chicken and Crystal Duck Terrine
The Drunken Chicken had a delicate and clean flavor that will whet one's appetite. 
The Crystal Duck Terrine, which was a beautiful jelly dome on top of liver pate, was pretty good as well. 
This is a great dish for those who are not very much into liver as the liver taste was very light. 
We were treated to a warm goblet of Chicken Consommé with Chrysanthemum Tofu and Matsutake Mushroom after the two cold appetizers. Just like the first two dishes, this soup had a light taste. But do not let its delicate flavors trick you. It may seem simple given its flavors but it took Lung Hin’s executive chef Raymond Yeung 10 hours to make the consommé or flavored stock or bouillon. Yes, it’s not your ordinary clear soup. Slicing the tofu that thin without breaking is also difficult and it took years of practice to perfect such skill. 
I went to foodie heaven with the Steamed King Prawn with Steamed Egg
The beautiful, smooth and flavorful steamed duck egg tasted just like the penoy that I absolutely love. It may have cheapened the dish by comparing it to street food but it sure belongs to my top ten in terms of taste! I also liked the thin layer of broth on top of the steamed egg and the lovely contrast with the succulent king prawn and blanched asparagus
A huge plate of Deep Fried Lapu Lapu with Sliced Mango and Sweet Chili Sauce was served after and my eyes sparkled like a crow seeing something shiny. 
The crispy fish was covered with delectable sweet chili sauce and topped with mango salsa for additional contrast of flavors. We were told by Chef Raymond that he really likes injecting local ingredients in his dishes to make it more distinct and at the same time utilizing the best ingredients the country has to offer. For this dish, he used our very own sweet mangoes

It was a pretty good dish though it seemed that the sauce was too overwhelming for the beautiful fish. I guess this is why I usually order my lapu lapu steamed. 
Following the traditional Chinese way of eating, we enjoyed Fried Rice with Asparagus and Five Spice Pork last. 

The rice was lightly seasoned with soy sauce and mixed with small chunks of flavorful pork. The others commented that the rice was on the bland side. However, it was Chef Raymond’s way of highlighting the richness of the pork.
We capped our meal with a beautiful set of Homemade Snow Skin Mooncake paired with tea. 
Unlike the traditional mooncake which has a floury coating, this beautiful green mooncake had a mochi-like skin with beautiful design on top. I liked that the white mung bean was not very sweet and that it went very well with tea. 

Overall, I had a lovely time at Lung Hin. Scrumptious dishes paired with beautiful ambiance and spectacular view, what’s not to love? I loved the Steamed King Prawn with Steamed Egg best among the dishes and I would definitely order that again in my next visit. 

Lung Hin is located at 44th Floor, Marco Polo Ortigas, Sapphire Street corner Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.

Lung Hin - Marco Polo Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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