Mandarin Tea Garden's Ma Chang and Fried Seafood Rolls

Finding new items to try at restaurants you frequent is always an exciting prospect. It almost feels like discovering a new foodie spot altogether. Hence, E and I make it a point to explore new items or old items that we haven't tried before on the menu whenever dining out. Such is the case with Mandarin Tea Garden when we dined recently.

Ma Chang is a recipe that traces its roots to China. However, this dish might appeal to Filipinos because this is a rice-base delicacy, which quickly reminded me of Pastil. The distinctive difference with Pastil, though, is that the rice is sticky and chunky in texture. There is also a subtle salty flavor coming from the rice itself, as well as the chunks of pork, tofu, mushroom, and garlic. It is a rich flavor in a small package, indeed.

Meanwhile, this Fried Seafood Roll is another pleasantly surprising dish. On my previous trips, I've sampled the Steamed Seafood Roll version but decided to give the fried version a try. The roll of seafoods consisting of crab sticks, fish, and shrimps are coated with a light batter that is deep fried to make the exterior turn brown and crunchy. It also comes with its own garlic mayo dip.

If you are looking for something new to try at Mandarin Tea Garden or up for an Asian Fusion cuisine experiment, you need to take note of these two dishes.

Have you tried these dishes at Mandarin Tea Garden? Check this link to find a branch near you.

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Mandarin Tea Garden's Halo-Halo Lugaw

Rainy season has finally come around. And while I am not excited about it, there are plenty of ways to get consolation from the non-stop rain. For instance, getting this comfort food goodness at Mandarin Tea Garden has made rainy nights feel much better. Lugaw is basically rice porridge that Filipinos have come to associate with homemade cooking. I am guilty of craving for such dishes whenever the temperature drops so I made my way to the nearest Mandarin Tea Garden branch when stuck in the rain one night and ordered the Halo-Halo Lugaw.

This rice porridge is a meal in and of itself because it comes with a variety of toppings, thus the name Halo-Halo. Lugaw, or rice porridge, is a true blue comfort food for Filipinos. It is basically rice cooked in broth for several minutes and seasoned. You can customize the toppings and meat included in this dish according to your preference. But in the case of the Halo-Halo Lugaw, you can get the following toppings: pork asado, siomai, chicken, and bola bola.

Mandarin Tea Garden has branches in Malvar, Duterte St., NCCC Mall, NCCC Centro, Gaisano Mall, and SM City Davao.

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Food Shots from Mandarin Tea Garden

Mandarin Tea Garden is an affordable yet high quality Chinese restaurant that I've been to one too many times over the past few months. I love that it is a place where people really come to eat. It definitely speaks volumes about the quality of food in here, something of which I could also attest to. 

The unassuming nature of this restaurant allows the food to become the highlight of every visit. Although the customer service is a bit subpar (I believe this is their weakest point), there are no service fees, so you don't really have much to complain about.

Going back to the food, here are a few shots of their delicious offerings from my past two visits there: 

Father's Day 2012

sweet and sour fish fillet

sauteed scallops!!

 

Post-Gym Dinner

Beef Wanton Soup - my favorite

steamed fish

How about you? What's your favorite at Mandarin Tea Garden? Share them in the comments section below.

My Favorite Post-Workout Meal

Even though I love food and find it so difficult to diet, I try to at least watch what I eat nowadays to make it worth all the time I've put in the gym. This is why it has been a challenge to find the best place to eat after workout. I'm trying to make mental notes of what I can eat, and most especially what I cannot eat. 


Thankfully, we have Mandarin Tea Garden close to where the gym is. So, it is real convenient to get something healthy and lean to bite into after a tiring workout. Here is my favorite - Beef Wanton Noodle Soup. 

Mandarin Tea Garden's Beef Wanton Noodle Soup

This is a very delicious soup with lots of lean meat to keep me full but not too heavy on the tummy. I love the texture of the noodles, too - you can really tell that it is homemade and not the pre-packaged type. 

The next time you are on a diet, or simply want something healthier to eat, opt for this one. Plus,  it's affordable too!