Conrad Hotel Manila's China Blue definitely lands on my I Will Definitely Go Back To list of restaurants. You know why it's so nice? The food is curated by none other than one of the world's best chefs, Jereme Leung, the interior is superior, and the service is good. I didn't bestow that label on the culinary supernova, by the way. That was conferred to him by the American Academy of Hospitality Science along with Charlie Trotter, Wolfgang Puck, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Chef Jereme Leung pushed a little far beyond the boundaries of traditional Chinese cuisine. The food is edgier, but still with much respect to the long-established type of cooking.
Now I'm crazy about restaurant interiors just as I am about food, but in this case, my ardent intent to take photos of the entire dining area was ousted by my yearning to devour the dishes asap. I was just too excited, specially for the buns!
I was able to get one shot of the interior, though. Well, it's more like half, to be honest. Better than nothing, I say.
What about that charger up there? I love it! All the chargers are hand-painted and specially created for China Blue. As for the chopsticks, you'll be given two sets: one is a communal pair of serving chopsticks, and the other is for personal use.
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| Assorted Seafood in Eight Hour Golden Broth PhP 590 |
The gut-warming canary soup is filled with soft chunks of different seafood and flavors that made me continuously gush "this is delicious!" Okay, I must admit that for a single-serving {though big}, this one is pretty pricey. But then again, if you factor in the quality plus the way it was strenuously made, you can understand why.
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| Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushroom with Sweet Vinaigrette Sauce PhP 360 |
I find all mushrooms {except the non-toxic varieties of course} pleasant. I'm all for any dishes that has mushrooms in it or straightforward mushroom dishes such as this one. Each shiitake is lightly coated, fried to the hilt, and generously coated with sweet vinaigrette sauce. Excellent gateway dish!
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| Steamed Truffle Mushroom Buns PhP 260 |
Ah, love! The Steamed Truffle Mushroom Bun is one of China Blue's House Specialty for all the right reasons. Once you get past its very cute exterior {they use black charcoal to mimic a mushroom's texture}, you'll be greeted by an enticing filling of mushrooms mixed with truffle oil. I recently had a couple of Yum Cha's buns. They're photogenic no doubt, but China Blue's buns are better!
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| Siew Mai PhP 220 |
These Siew Mai are very dense and huge! Each one is tightly packed with a flavorful assembly of pork, shrimp, and mushrooms. They're not shy about the ingredients. You will see them in every delicious bite.
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| Har Kaw PhP 210 |
These are not your typical trolley dumplings. The translucent wrapper is silky soft without a hint of grainy texture, and the filling is not overly mushed. There are distinct nuggets of shrimps that makes for a good bite.
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| Crispy Fried Shrimp with Wasabi and Mango Salsa PhP 890 |
We all know how potent wasabi can be. A small single wad is enough to make its presence known. I'm happy to report that the wasabi sauce of this crispy fried shrimp is not overwhelming. You know it's wasabi {the color will clue you in first}, but you will not be satiated by it. It's more sweet than spicy, and the fine chunks of mango make it extra interesting.
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| Crispy Pumpkin Coated with Salted Duck Egg PhP 390 |
The only word I can think of right now for this dish is excellent. The coating will make you want to hashtag the photo blessed. Each piece is a battle between salty and sweet - my favorite combination. I had two cups of steamed white rice because of this. No regrets.
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| Black Gold Egg Custard Buns PhP 240 |
What turned this lunch from memorable to majestic are these Black Gold Egg Custard Buns! My good friend Richie is right, I hardly ever ask for a second order of anything, but I just had to in this case. I cursed my personal moral rules for holding me back. I should've had five. You would too I bet! Each warm and soft bun holds a sweet golden filling so good, it fired up my pleasure reflex.
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| Hibiscus Iced Tea |
China Blue has a list of drinks that can make dining extra enjoyable. I'm forever in love with iced tea hence this choice. It's definitely one of the must-tries at China Blue!
China Blue
Seaside Boulevard corner Coral Way Mall of Asia Complex,
Pasay City, 1300, Philippines
Tel. No.: (+632) 833.99.99
Website: www.conradmanila.com
Facebook: Conrad Manila
Twitter: @conradmanila
Instagram: @conradmanila
Onward and Upward!
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