Why Chinese-Malaysian?

Within the last few months, two hotels inaugurated their respective Chinese restaurants, both boasting Chinese-Malaysian chefs and, of course, their corresponding cuisines. The most recent, which opened a few days ago, is Bellevue’s elegant and massive Phoenix Court on the second floor of Northbridgeway, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

While Phoenix Court will be serving mostly Chinese dishes, its executive chef is Malaysian-born, diminutive and be-spectacled Cheong Kwan Loong, who comes with impressive credentials, having worked with various international chains.

Now, why Chinese-Malaysian? This is not fusion, but rather an expansion of the menu, including specialties such as satays and other dishes from neighboring countries. If the 14-course preview meal they served at the recent media lunch is any indication, Chinese food lovers will certainly not be disappointed. It is an Oriental food experience.

The chef has concocted a collection of new dishes, each with individual flavors, such as Schezuan-style sautéd shredded chicken with strips of mangoes; Taiwanese pork with mochoy vegetables, reminiscent of our own humba; our favorite, deep-fried beancurd with shark’s fin in a clay pot – truly a gastronomic delight; there are also two varieties of chicken – stuffed and kong po. The satay comes with the usual peanut sauce.

We were wondering for sometime what to do with the canned glass jelly we see in supermarkets. Well, Phoenix Court mixes it with fresh fruits for a refreshing dessert. We were not expecting them to serve high-quality coffee due to some disappoinments with other traditional Chinese restaurants, but were delighted with a robust cup and warm cream.

Being the only formal, high-end dining destination in the area, Phoenix Court is a welcome addition to the community which has been hungry for classic Chinese food. It is huge but elegantly done, mostly in fire-engine red. In the function rooms, families can sit together comfortably in a 24-seater round table, with an equally huge lazy susan. Apparently, the owners have anticipated big clan gatherings.

We were off to the Global City again a few days ago and we had enough time to move leisurely around Market! Market! to have a good look at what the Gaisano supermarket at the basement of the department store has to offer. They have belachan – a rare find – a seasoning for some Asian dishes for P69.75 a bar, also bottled (130 gms each) beancurd with chili and sesame oil at P39.50 and wan ja stir-fry seasoning at P100.75. They’ve got organic whole oatmeal and other cereals.

We can’t even think of serving wagyu tenderloin as it is tagged at a whopping P3,799 a kilo! Compare that to ribeye at P275 a kilo. Other meat cuts are beef ribs at P195 a kilo; shank, P248; and camto flank at P309. You can get the seasoned Bounty Fresh Cuisine chicken at P140 per. They come ready to fry or roast.

At another end of the big building is Lord Stow which now sells more than their custard pies. On their shelves are mango strips for P45 a tub; bottled tuyo, P145 each; choco jam, and more biscuits and cookies. Along the Serendra driveway is Echostore (Café Isla), where we rested our feet while waiting for our ride. Some new items in their Healthy Line are three types of coffee, which surprisingly are made not from coffee beans but soy, corn and rice. Another item, bottled bagoong, is made of 80 percent coconut and 20 percent shrimps. This innovation is concocted by a group called Kababaihang Masigla ng Nueva Ecija. If only other women who have time on their hands would put their energy to good and profitable use like this, their talent will find fruition and they can have extra pesos in their wallets. Work on it, ladies!

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