Nasi Lemak for My Chinese New Year Celebration

Sorry I haven't been blogging as much. I had a friend who came to Manila so I helped him go around the city. Anyway, I was supposed to blog about Nasi Lemak as my Chinese New Year post but I guess now I'm late. Still, here goes..

I first heard of Nasi Lemak in Facebook. Since I was a fan of trying out new things, I made sure I'd get to eat in this restaurant the next time I was in Galleria. True enough, my dad went there for a meeting and I tagged along. After his meeting, I was very pleased that Nasi Lemak was just beside Krispy Kreme (where I stayed) so I got to invite him to eat there.

The good thing about Nasi Lemak was that it was healthy, delicious, and Singaporean! Although the dishes we ordered were more Thai than Singaporean, it was still worth a shot.

Tom Yum Seafood Soup
The first dish we ordered was the Tom Yum Seafood Soup. I found it very refreshing, considering the fact that it had a spicy kick to it. I liked how the squid was cooked because it was not too hard and elastic. I think it was the perfect first course dish!

Tom Yum Seafood, Nasi Lemak
P 268

Hainanese Chicken
The Hainanese Chicken was okay. I didn't really like it that much because it did not have a lot of flavor to it. But since it was served with three different types of sauces, I guess that's where the flavor needs to come from. I think it was good for my dad though because it was healthy.

Hainanese Chicken, Nasi Lemak
P 200 (medium)

Stir Fried Kangkong with Baichan
The dish that blew me away! I really like eating Kangkong and it was refreshing to find that Nasi Lemak had a kangkong dish that was very good. I really liked the sauce that it came with-- Baichan. I used to eat Kangkong with Oyster Sauce but now that I've discovered Baichan, I might have to reconsider this. I finished this dish by myself! Good, healthy, and filling!

Stir Fried Kangkong with Baichan, Nasi Lemak
P 200 (medium)

 So there you go. Healthy, good and guilt-free Singaporean food. Perfect for anyone on a diet! As for the price, it wasn't cheap but they weren't expensive either. I think they were just right. ^,^

Nasi Lemak Authentic Singaporean Restaurant is located at the 2 Level East Lane, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA cor. Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City. For inquiry or reservations, call 02-571 8988.

Chinese Restaurants in Bacolod: Golden of Fortune

As far as I could remember, my family always eats in Chinese restaurants. That's why I'm not such a huge fan of Chinese restaurants. It was always me against my whole family (especially my dad) because I was already tired of the same old dishes we usually order in these restaurants. As a young girl, I already preferred eating Japanese dishes instead of Chinese.

Fortunately, my family became open to the idea of trying out new restaurants. I think, with our whole family, I am the adventurous one when it comes to food. I am willing to try anything and eat anywhere--all for the sake of discovering good food.

So for Masskara 2009, my dad took me to a new Chinese restaurant right beside the call center where I used to work in. At that time, it was a new restaurant and I got introduced to the owner. However, I wasn't into blogging that much back then plus I had other distractions priorities that time.

That's why I decided to try out the restaurant again.

The restaurant, called Golden of Fortune, stood in the same spot where several other Chinese restaurants existed its senior. I remember back when I was a young girl, there was a Chinese restaurant in the same spot and it occupied a bigger portion of the space. Back then, it was also Convention Plaza instead of Luxur Place. Oh well, times have changed.

Golden of Fortune
Yes, it really does have an OF.

Anyway, I went to the restaurant with my step mom. Upon entering, I immediately felt like I was in one of the Chinese restaurants that frequented Ongpin. Although the place gave me a panciteria feel, it didn't taste as horrible as the Chinese restaurants I didn't enjoy eating in.

My step mom introduced me to the owner and explained why I was taking pictures of the food before eating them. Since Chinese New Year is fast approaching (February 3), Golden of Fortune had already designed the restaurant to welcome the good luck of this new festivity. They have taken down their Christmas trees and lights and replaced it with Chinese decorations.

Before we ordered, she showed me the live eel that my dad loved to eat in the restaurant. We ordered Fried Eel along with the typical Salt and Pepper Spareribs and Taiwan Pechay that we usually order. I wasn't a fan of the spareribs (anywhere) but since it was her chance to eat it without being criticized, I allowed it. 

the waiter showing us the eel we were going to eat

Aside from the eel, I also got to take pictures of the Peking Duck and Asado they were roasting. It was a quiet Wednesday lunch and we were lucky to have chosen the perfect date to eat in this restaurant. 

The food arrived without delay and since we were hungry, we quietly ate the items on our plate. Out of the three dishes we ordered, I especially liked the Taiwan Pechay. It was cooked perfectly and I had no problem chewing it. Plus it had enough sauce to add flavor to the vegetable. 

Taiwan Pechay, Golden of Fortune
(P120 small order)

I think the Fried Eel could have been better. I think that if we had chosen a different way of cooking it, it would have rocked my world. I'm fond of eating eel in Japanese restaurants so I was shocked with the thought of eating it fried. It would have been better if it had some sauce but since it was what we ordered, I couldn't really blame it on the restaurant. I think it's better if we chose the baked option. 

Fried Eel, Golden of Fortune
(P138)

I tasted the Salt and Pepper Spareribs last. As I mentioned, I'm not really a fan of this dish from the beginning so I don't think it's right if I give my feedback about it. It was tolerable. I got to eat 2-3 pieces since I was so hungry. We had to take out the rest of the order since I concentrated on the vegetables!

Salt and Pepper Spareribs, Golden of Fortune
(P150 small order)

For dessert, I asked my step mom what they usually get. She ordered the Mango Sago from the waiter and at first he took out a small soup bowl size of the order. My step mom told him that she wanted the typical size they order. The waiter went back and got us a bigger sized bowl. I was really shocked with the size since it was only the two of us. What surprised me more was the price of this dish! 

Mango Sago, Golden of Fortune
(P150)

Mango Sago, Golden of Fortune
(P150)

I remember that when I ordered this in North Park, I got a serving good for 1-2 persons and paid P120 for it. With Golden of Fortune though, the serving was good for 2-4 persons and it only cost P150! It was such a feast that I enjoyed having the opportunity to eat 3-4 servings of this delicious treat! 

Despite its flaw in its name, I'd give Golden of Fortune 4 out of 5 stars. I would return again and try other dishes and get another hefty serving of Mango Sago. Plus I really liked how it was reasonably priced! I was shocked when our total bill was only P594. If I ordered these dishes in Manila, I would have to pay at least P1000! 

Golden of Fortune Seafood Restaurant is located in Luxur Hotel, Magsaysay cor. Lacson St., Bacolod City. They are open from 10:00 am- 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm- 10:00 pm. For reservations or catering inquiries, call them at (034) 4349947 or (034) 4349948.