First Sip: Hui Lau Shan

Summer's here and it seems to be way hotter than before. Thankfully, there are several refreshments to choose from to keep us sane. One new addition to the list is Hui Lau Shan.

Hello, Hui Lau Shan. 

Frequent Hong Kong visitors would be familiar with Hui Lau Shan's inviting yellow signage. Though its cutesy mango illustration may seem like this is brand is just a few years old, it actually has a long history under its belt.

Founded in the 1960s, it started its story by selling Chinese herbal jelly and tea. It wasn't until 1980s though when Hui Lau Shan expanded and offered classic desserts such as pan fried radish, red bean jelly and coconut milk. In 1992, Hui Lau Shan created a new recipe for Mango Sago which became a hit in the urban city. This allowed Hui Lau Shan to redo its branding and focus on its mango items. 

And fast forward to 2019, it finally found a home in Manila. 

Its products are quite identical to one another so it was a bit hard for me to decide on which one to get. But I remember my friend Spoons Around the World mention that he liked Mango & Aloe Jelly in Mango Juice - A3 (PHP95, medium | PHP110, large) so I went for the same drink. 

There were no seats available when I passed by around 3 p.m. but it wasn't an issue as I wanted mine to go. 

Service was pretty fast and I got my drink in 5 minutes or less. 

And it was good! Hui Lau Shan is known to use Guimaras mangoes and since it's summer, the mangoes are at its best. 

Each sip was sweet and refreshing. The aloe jelly added nice texture to the drink and somewhat toned down the mango juice's sweetness. 

For PHP110, serving size was pretty big and mango chunks were generous. 

I'd definitely drop by again and try another drink or two!

Hui Lau Shan is located at 4th Floor, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.