Dishes get hot as Peking Garden turns 6

For many Filipinos, Chinese food is next-of-kin to many dishes that have become part of our daily lives. Think of the little tots who simply cannot live without their daily plate of pancit. Think of all the siopao and siomai we have consumed for merienda. Even if the dish is not Chinese, think how different life would be without soy sauce. What would adobo, paksiw and asado taste like?

However, what Filipinos consider to be Chinese food is really Cantonese food, which is known for its stir-fry method of cooking and its use of fresh produce. China is such a huge country that we really have just bitten a piece of the pie.

Peking Garden, located at the second floor of Glorietta 2, Makati City, offers authentic Pekinese cuisine, the kind of cooking predominant in northern China.

For most gourmets, Pekinese cooking is an imperial food trip. Since Beijing was the home of the Chinese emperors, the imperial kitchens became part of a rich culinary tradition that was documented by historians.

The hallmarks of Pekinese cooking are the popular Peking duck, roasted to golden perfection, its skin succulent and juicy, and the legendary beggar’s chicken, stuffed chicken wrapped in lotus leaf and mud and baked in an open fire.

To celebrate its sixth anniversary, Peking Garden turns red hot with its ongoing Spice Alert food promotion.

Restaurant manager Archie Au says that, while Pekinese food is rich and hearty, when the summer rains come in August, the northern Chinese serve spicy dishes to keep themselves warm. With the rainy season in full swing in this part of the country, this food promotion comes at an opportune time.

Most of the items on the Spice Alert fare are part of Peking Garden’s a la carte menu. However, a number of seafood dishes were added to give more variety to the menu.

A special Spice Alert menu indicates just how hot a dish is. A chili pepper means it’s moderately hot, while two chili peppers means it’s really hot.

Of the dishes we tried, the Hunan Spicy Chicken and Pork Dumplings in Spicy Soup were moderately hot. The Hunan Spicy Chicken was soft and tender, and with a dollop of the chili sauce, was appetizingly hot. The Pork Dumplings were rich meatballs, the spicy soup adding a hint of fire to it. If you try it, avoid the chili sauce, or else suffer a burnt tongue.

The Hot and Sour Soup is a familiar flavor, while the Sautéed Prawns and Squids with Chili and Eggplant with Pungent Sauce are savory morsels, mildly hot, but worth the effort of picking your way through the chilies. The prawn and squid morsels are thick and succulent, while the eggplant slices are surprisingly sweet.

All orders from the Spice Alert menu get a 20 percent discount, says Au, to entice Peking Garden patrons to be more adventurous in their dining.

The Spice Alert food promotion is just the first in a series of promotions that will highlight cooking from the northern part of China. The restaurant will be featuring separate promotions on duck dishes, including barbecued Peking duck, and Hong Kong fish served either sizzling or steamed.

Peking Garden is an affiliate of the prestigious chain of Hong Kong-based restaurants specializing in northern Chinese cuisine, and managed by the renowned Maxim’s Group of Restaurants.

For inquiries and reservations, call 817-90-66, 817-90-67 and 817-90-49.