I'm not overly fond of Chinese food to be honest. But Im game at any foodie invite more so if I have not had the pleasure of dining there before.
It was the first time I heard of King Chef. I was intrigued because its Zomato rating was high . So today , I was quite excited to experience what the resto has to offer.
We were welcomed by the amiable Sir Wilson (restaurant manager) and the very knowledgeable Ms. Vangie . Later on as we sat down for lunch we were fortunate to meet the gracious and charming owner of King Chef, Ms. Marites Ang. Ms. Marites explained that they started out with their niche market - healthy and healing soup. Then they later evolved into a full blown restaurant some 7 years prior.
Here were what was served to us during lunch earlier :
Drunken Suahe
It was a delight to see how the super fresh ( they were still alive) were cooked. Initially, they were tossed in vinegar and rice wine for several minutes until all of the shrimps were dizzy both from the acidity of the vinegar and the shaking of the bowl. Then they were unceremoniously dumped in a hot casserole. With more rice wine , the whole lot of the shrimps were flambeed for several minutes until all of the shrimps turned pinkish orange or until fully cooked. They were garnished with shallots and red chilis for color.
Gokong Soup
Per Ms. Ang, this was actually their specialty. The word "gokong' literally means 5 treasures. These 5 treasures are black chicken, sea cucumber, taro, pork tendon and pig knuckles. The black chicken is an expensive item .
Per Sir Wilson, a whole black chicken weighing less than a kilo sells for P500. It is more expensive than the organic or free range chicken. If I heard Ms. Marites correctly, the black chicken is the healthy part of the soup because it is low in fat and cholesterol but quite high in flavor. The combination of pork tendon and pig knuckles on the other hand provides the collagen part of the soup.
The soup smelled divine. I can taste the richness of the broth from the 5 treasures that brought layers and layers of flavor. I was amazed that the black chicken's flesh was literally black. Before I knew it, I finished my whole bowl yum yum yum. One whole cauldron (see pic) costs P1800 and will feed 10-12 people.
Amazing crunch on the pork skin. It was thin with little fat and was shining, shimerring , splendid :) The aroma coming from this gorgeous dish was unbelievable. The flesh was succulent. The hoisin sauce provided the sweetness to cut through the richness of this dish. Just died and went to heaven haha
Summary :
Food 5/5
Quality of ingredients top notch. Flavors amazing.
Service 5/5
Restaurant Manager Sir Wilson was an encyclopedia of knowledge about all things King Chef. I think he was valedictorian or summa cum laude in the hospitality industry. He runs a tight ship but with a smile. Our server offered to break open the claw for me so I can enjoy the experience of savoring that beautiful crab's sweet flesh . Now that's being pro-active . That is my kind of server.
Ambiance : Clean. Typical round tables. This is the original branch of King Chef by the way. The rest rooms are pristine (check)
Verdict :
Most definitely bringing the whole clan here. Please create a branch in BGC or Makati Ms. Ang :)
King Chef Seafood Restaurant
987-989 Banawe Street, Manresa
Banawe Quezon City
behind Starbucks
another branch also in Binondo
Open 1030 am-230 pm
530-1030pm
Note : Not to be confused with their sister King Chef Dimsum
The soup smelled divine. I can taste the richness of the broth from the 5 treasures that brought layers and layers of flavor. I was amazed that the black chicken's flesh was literally black. Before I knew it, I finished my whole bowl yum yum yum. One whole cauldron (see pic) costs P1800 and will feed 10-12 people.
Suckling Pig
Amazing crunch on the pork skin. It was thin with little fat and was shining, shimerring , splendid :) The aroma coming from this gorgeous dish was unbelievable. The flesh was succulent. The hoisin sauce provided the sweetness to cut through the richness of this dish. Just died and went to heaven haha
Crispy Lapu Lapu in Pomelo Sauce
The Lapu Lapu was crispy outside soft inside. The fish was obviously fresh and beautiful. I love how the Pomelo sauce complemented the subtle flavor of the fish
Spare Ribs with 8 spices
The flavors were spot on. The ribs were delicious. Now I understand why it is one of their best sellers. Our piggery will love this and will definitely order more rice.
Steamed Gourd with Seafood
The Chinese Bokchoy were crisp and green. The patola which looked like beautiful verdant sushis stuffed with sea food and garnished on top with noodles were scrumptious. I actually heaved a sigh of relief when I saw a vegetable dish in the Blogger's menu. The presentation was beautiful
Fried Chicken in Salted Egg
I loved that it was not too salty. I also enjoyed it because the chicken was moist and tender . I dipped my chicken in the vinegar and it was pretty delicious.
King's Style Crab Rice
This was indeed food for a king. The crabs were huge . The flesh from the claw was meaty. The servers were trained to crack the claw for you upon request (love it! hehehe). The rice's flavor was rich from the essence of these crustaceans.
Summary :
Food 5/5
Quality of ingredients top notch. Flavors amazing.
Service 5/5
Restaurant Manager Sir Wilson was an encyclopedia of knowledge about all things King Chef. I think he was valedictorian or summa cum laude in the hospitality industry. He runs a tight ship but with a smile. Our server offered to break open the claw for me so I can enjoy the experience of savoring that beautiful crab's sweet flesh . Now that's being pro-active . That is my kind of server.
Ambiance : Clean. Typical round tables. This is the original branch of King Chef by the way. The rest rooms are pristine (check)
Verdict :
Most definitely bringing the whole clan here. Please create a branch in BGC or Makati Ms. Ang :)
King Chef Seafood Restaurant
987-989 Banawe Street, Manresa
Banawe Quezon City
behind Starbucks
another branch also in Binondo
Open 1030 am-230 pm
530-1030pm
Note : Not to be confused with their sister King Chef Dimsum
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