Lugang Café is perhaps one of your best choices if you would like to indulge in a luxurious Chinese feast.
Lugang Café is perhaps one of
your best choices if you would like to indulge in a luxurious Chinese feast.
It was a good thing that Chinese New Year is a non-working holiday in the Philippines, thus, giving us a welcome break in the middle of the work week.
Ushering in the Year of the Earth Pig
We wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year in a festive manner so we decided to have lunch at Lugang Café at Glorietta 2. Lugang Cafe is one of the restaurants that we have had our eyes on for a very long time, so we took the opportunity to try it when we had the chance to do so.
We went to the restaurant a
little past lunch time but, as can be expected, there were still a lot of
people outside Lugang Café waiting for their turn to get a table.
When it was finally our turn, we
were led to a big corner table. We flipped through the menu as soon as it
was handed to us but we could not immediately decide on which to get because we
were quite unfamiliar with most of the food items in the lineup. We wanted to
taste almost everything but, in the end, we had to make up our minds on what to order.
For dimsum, we ordered Steamed
Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai Xiao Long Bao (Php298). We also got Roasted Pork
Belly (Php 380), Taiwanese Omelet with Preserved Turnip Bits (Php 220), Spicy
Garlic Fish in Clay Pot (Php 360), and Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded
Pork (Php 380). For dessert, we ordered Milked Custard with Mango (Php 190)
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| Steamed Pork and Shrimp Shiao Mai |
We also received free Steamed
Pork Xiao Long Bao (Php 258) because, as our server told us, our orders were
more than a thousand pesos.
Here’s what to expect from Lugang Café’s offerings:
1. Exquisite Xiaolongbao
Xiaolongbao (or Xiao Long Bao) is
a type of bun that is traditionally cooked by steaming it in a bamboo basket (xiaolong). It is
also known as “soup dumpling” because it is filled with hot broth so it must be
eaten with caution.
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| Pork Xiao Long Bao |
Having previously liked Paradise
Dynasty’s Xiao Long Bao, we were actually quite curious to find out what the
Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai had in store for us so we gave it a try ahead
of the other dishes. It was delicious and bursting with flavors. Our server
pronounced it as “siomai” but it was very different from what we would expect
siomai to be. It was not a compact ball of pork and shrimp. As a matter of
fact, the filling was slightly loose and the meat was not finely-ground.
The Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao
Mai was served with a mildly sour dipping sauce. This Xiao Long Bao is no doubt
good. For me, it is best eaten on its own as an appetizer, and not so much with steamed
rice.
As for the Steamed Pork Xiao Long
Bao, well, it was how we imagined it to be – delicate, meaty, and filled with
flavorful broth. Like the Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai, it is best eaten
on its own rather that with rice.
2. Scrumptious main dishes
Among the dishes that we ordered at Lugang Cafe, we found the crispy pork belly noteworthy and unforgettable. These are made of thinly-sliced pork and fried just right to give it a soft crunch. The meat is packed with flavors which made it enjoyable to eat. We liked this so much that we just had to order another serving.
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| Crispy Pork Belly |
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| Sizzling Spicy Garlic Fish in Clay Pot |
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| Taiwanese Omelet with Preserved Turnip |
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| Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork |
3. Impeccable service and reasonable price
Service was fast and efficient, as one would expect from a first-rate restaurant. The servers were very courteous, accommodating, and very attentive.
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| Milked Custard with Mango |
All in all, we were very
impressed with Lugang Café and we can’t wait to be back to try its other dishes.
Lugang Café is also located at the following addresses:
Lugang Café is also located at the following addresses:
- Fifth Floor, SM Aura Premier, C5 Road Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
- Second Floor, The Block, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
- Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
- Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
- Ground Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
- Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Ermita, Manila
- O Square Greenhills, Ortigas Avenue Corner Wilson Street, Greenhills, San Juan City
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wow so yummm foods.Thanks for sharing with us
ReplyDeleteHaven't had xiao long bao in a long time and reading your post made me crave for some. If we are ready to travel, we will try this restaurant. Chinese food is the best!
ReplyDeleteMMM I want golden fried rice and mango custard. This weekend we have family vacation, I cant wait to dine out and try new tasty food.
ReplyDeleteAll of this food looks absolutely amazing! I would love to enjoy a nice, big meal with all of it. Of course, I'd share with friends!
ReplyDeleteOh yum, all of this food looks delicious. I just love Chinese food.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are making me hungry. I will have to check this place out.
ReplyDeleteLugang Café sounds pretty amazing. I would love to check them out.
ReplyDeleteThe food looks incredible. All those folds and twists to make it look beautiful! A work of art.
ReplyDeleteOh my family would absolutely love all of this. Most especially, the Xiao Long Bao
ReplyDeleteEverything looks nice here, especially the crispy pork belly and Steamed Pork and Shrimp Shiao Mai.
ReplyDeleteWe were thinking these days of trying new places to eat. Chinese is our family favorite and this Lugang Cafe sounds perfect!
ReplyDeleteYyyyyooooooo....how do I get their crispy pork belly quickly? I like how it appears!
ReplyDeleteI do love Chinese food but can't find a good restaurant near me. This food all sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHoly wow! I would stuff my face with all of that! It all looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like quite an experience. We have no where like this near me.
ReplyDeleteWow, that looks like a wonderful experience. All that food looks so amazing. I'd love to try it.
ReplyDeleteThis food not only looks delicious- it looks beautiful as well. I’ve never had dim sum but I would love to try it sometime. Happy year of the pig guys!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks delicious! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious, especially the omelette with preserved turnips. The milk custard with mango looks it was the perfect finish. You definitively enjoyed a very tasty celebration.
ReplyDeleteWe love Chinese food and this is making me drool. I bet they're all delicious! -LYNNDEE
ReplyDeleteI have never been to any of these cities but these dishes looks really yummy
ReplyDeleteIt looks you had a delicious Chinese New Year celebration meal! Having a delicious meal cost less than what you expected is a nice surprise.
ReplyDeleteThese food photos are incredible. The milked custard and pork belly dishes look to be my favorites of these menu options!
ReplyDeleteNow THIS is Chinese food! I want it all!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Chinese food! I would also love to experience the Chinese New Year when visiting China one day! These photos make me hungry!
ReplyDeleteFood looks delicious love that fish and omelet and bun. so yum. Looks like you guys had fun there.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really delish. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing ❤️
ReplyDeleteThis looks really delish. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing ❤️
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite food in one spot. Happy Chinese NY!
ReplyDeleteLike the way that you take pictures of the food and I would love to taste them soon. - Knycx journeying
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds like a wonderful place to visit and you guys looked like you had an amazing time there. All those dishes are quite delicious as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat place to visit and celebrate. The bao sounds delicious and so do the other dishes.
ReplyDeleteLugang Cafe has been one of my favorite restaurants. It's also memorable to me. There's so many things that happened when I dined in this restaurant several times.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this place but of course I would want to try! That mango custard looks really delicious!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! These foods looks scrumptious! Makes me crave at the middle of the night. lol
ReplyDelete