Tuesday, February 19, 2019

First Bite: East Ocean

Chinese cuisine is no stranger with us Filipinos. We were exposed to several of its dishes ever since we could eat solid food. But only a few could be named worthy to be called great. And recently, several taste makers claim that a ginormous Chinese restaurant at the golden Entertainment City is a real deal.

Hello, East Ocean.

This multi-level Chinese restaurant has been the talk of town since it opened. With several private rooms and massive luxurious dining hall, it is no surprise why this is favored by socialites. 
R's parents decided to treat everyone to dinner here after our Pangulasian trip since it's just a few minutes away from the airport.
I was impressed with the grandeur of the lobby which has a huge Chinese New Year display. 
We headed up to the dining hall at the second floor and to my surprise, it was a sea of guests in red. It made sense when we realized that we visited on Chinese New Year. (We were the only table wearing blue and white as we had a photo shoot at Pangulasian before flying back home.)
We started off with Buddha Jumps over the Wall soup (PHP1,700/bowl) which comes with shark's fin, abalone and mushroom among many. 
Do not let the clear broth fool you as each spoonful is packed with umami. I also loved that each mouthful gives me various textures. It is probably the best Buddha Jumps over the Wall soup I've had to date. 
A plate full of Crabs was served next and it was quite forgettable. But if you are fond of crabs, do request for black vinegar for extra flavor. But if I were you, I'd skip this one. 
Huge plates of glistening Roast Goose were placed on our table as we try to get every bit of crab meat. Served with plum sauce, it was an instant crowd favorite. It would have been more enjoyable though if the skin was a tad more crisp. 
Salted Egg Prawns took the spotlight too as soon as it was served. Its gigantic size sure is eye catching and it being heavily coated in salted egg sauce made it one rich dish. However, I found it to be quite different from the other salted egg prawns I've had before. I can't seem to pinpoint what makes this one different but I didn't fall in love with East Ocean's version.
They say that one way to find out if a Chinese restaurant serves good food is through its Sweet and Sour Pork. And East Ocean's flavorful battered pork won the hearts (and tummies) of my companions. This is also one safe dish to order when with picky eaters. 
And true to Chinese way of eating, we had Clay Pot Rice as our last dish. Fluffy rice drizzled with light yet sweet sauce and topped with all sorts of meats and bokchoy, it was the perfect dish to cap our meal and make sure we were full to the brim!
At the brink of food coma, we still opted to have taro and sago for dessert. After all, there is always room for sweets!

Despite the busy night, service was prompt and we got our food in just a couple of minutes. The place also didn't feel crowded as there's ample space in between tables. 

Overall, it was a pleasant dinner. Though meals could be expensive (we spent about PHP40,000 for our meal), make sure to order Buddha Jump over the Wall. It's definitely worth every penny!

East Ocean Palace Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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