Just another Chinese Resto?

Lugang Cafe - 2 storey building along Connecticut Avenue, nice facade, chic interiors, theater kitchen, courteous staff, long lines, and its very own parking lot ... just another chinese resto? ...


After months of anticipation and so many conflicts in our schedule, my barkada finally set the date, MAY 28, 2011.   Coming from the south of Manila, going to Lugang seemed like the much awaited expedition for the quarter (going thru the Saturday traffic  didn't make it any easier...)!

Among us, only two are certified Lugang patrons.  By patron, i mean -  going there at least thrice a week, every week, ordering their preferred set of food, ( three cup chicken, string beans with red egg, tofu with century egg, and bellagio) since it opened last year.

I present to you the patrons of Lugang Cafe! ... haha!

I, on the other hand, having been there twice in the past, with much smaller groups, was still in search for answers on why people just keep coming back.  This time we were nine. This time we just had to order more! Being the excited ones, four of us ended up arriving first - thus the privilege of ordering.

 

Us, figuring what to order ...

And after much thought, this is what we came up with ... (if you think we missed out on a dish worth trying, please do share, i'd definitely would like to try it!)

The clear winners:

Fried Rice

String Beans with Red Egg
EVERYONE else's favorite
( we ordered 2 or was it three...)

Cold Tofu with Century Egg and Pork Floss
LOVE the contrast of flavors and textures
and a first for me.

White Chicken with Scallions
What made this dish was the scallion sauce.
A close second to Tao Yuan's White Chicken.

The runner ups:

Spinach with Garlic
A staple when we eat in chinese restos

String Beans with Salted Squid
 MY PERSONAL FAVORITE

Black Pepper Beef
How can you go wrong with beef right?

Xiao Long Bao
wished the dough could be thinner
everything else, nothing out of the ordinary.

Beijing Pork with Pancakes
wrapping the pork in pancakes, peking duck style
made this dish interesting.

And now for the losers: ( disclaimer: opinions may vary ok? no wrong or right answer.  AGAIN, this is my personal opinion ... hehe! )

 

THE BELLAGIO - a mountain of Red BEAN
A+ for presentation and a C for taste.
Would have added more condensed milk to suit my palette.

Green Tea Smoothie
Lets just say, an ACQUIRED TASTE...
right Cris?

Lugang would have JUST been one of those restos to visit for good chinese food in my books until the one dish that made ALL the DIFFERENCE ... some may find it too sweet, and still others may say " one can only have so much of ... " , but to me it just made my dinner complete.

Peanut and Black Sesame Shaved Ice
Great contrast of Flavors
Smooth as Silk
Simply perfect for every Sweet Tooth

Thus our adventure to Lugang Cafe, all the way up north does come to an end. 

We came hungry and we left a happy bunch ... 

Thank you Peanut and Black Sesame for making this trip worthwhile =)