XIU: A Fine Cantonese Restaurant

A restaurant closing down is nothing but a natural occurrence; but when a restaurant serves good food, you can't help but wonder why. One such restaurant is Lugang. My family and I had a couple of wonderful experiences in the aforementioned resto, so we were baffled when we passed by the place one day and found out that it's been closed down for good. Now I know why - to give way to a brand new Cantonese restaurant called XIU. As the owners {same group that handles Lugang Cafe, Tuan Tuan, and The Dessert Kitchen} clearly stated, XIU is not just a fine dining restaurant that serves Cantonese cuisine. Here, guests will experience fine Cantonese dining.

Xiu means elegance, a trait epitomized by the Qipao {a symbol of traditional Chinese culture}. 

Chef David Cheung, with former prestigious stints at West Villa and Lei Garden, heads the kitchen team along with seven other well-trained chefs from Hong Kong.

Honey-Glazed Prime Cut Char Siu  PhP 680

Take note of the word "prime" in this dish because the management didn't put that there as a turgid add-on; they meant it. I got a natural high biting down into the incredibly tender meat suffused with savory sauce. The glaze, by the way, had just the right kind of consistency {read: not pasty}. 

Crispy Pork Belly  PhP 680

Blocks of fine pork belly with skin that's been crisped out to the max and a delicate meat that's full of flavor. Just like the Char Siu, this one is ridiculously good!

Double Boiled Fish Maw and Almond Soup  PhP 3,880 (large) / PhP 1,980 (small)

You know how good the Chinese are when it comes to creating something delicious with a punch of health benefits, right? This is one of those. The fish maw {bladder}, with it's delicately gelatinous texture, is a good source of collagen, apparently. But is it good? This soup was! I had two servings. The liquid is an elixir of chicken, gingko biloba, and offal that's been twice boiled, resulting in a well-balanced soup with a good hint of almond.

Baked Stuff Sea Conch French Style  PhP 480/piece

I had a brief Lord of the Flies moment when I saw this Baked Stuff Sea Conch. Just like in that movie, this conch rules! The snail is curryfied along with some finely chopped chicken, bacon, and cheese. There's a 20-minute wait for this, but it's all worth it!

Stewed US Beef Short Ribs  PhP 2,280

I'm aware that the word tender have been used and abused in the culinary scene. But, if there's one meat that deserves that word, it's this one. It's almost buttery soft with the sauce providing good intensity. 

Baked Black Ink Rice with Seafood  PhP 580  /  Chinese Lettuce with Shrimp Paste  PhP 480

The Baked Black Ink Rice with Seafood was satisfying. On the other hand, I got hooked on the Chinese Lettuce with Shrimp Paste! The chef aced the way it was cooked. The lettuce's crisp factor was still very much evident, and the slap of shrimp paste was just enough to make it noticeable, but not too much that it overwhelms. Perfect!

Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Light Soy Sauce {Price Varies}

Silky and slightly sweet chunks of fresh fish drenched with light soy sauce. This is one of my favorites at any Cantonese restaurant.

Baked Lobster and Cheese with E-Fu Noodles {Price Varies}

This luxurious dish comes with bold flavors and top-notch ingredients. No matter how good this one is, it is meant to be enjoyed by many because after a few forkfuls, it becomes too satiating. Another tasty crustacean that I truly enjoyed at XIU was the Wok Fried Crabs Typhoon Shelter Style. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of that. It's glorious in every bite, and works much {x100} better with tons of rice!

XIU is a great addition to the swelling Chinese restaurant scene in the Greenhills area. The dishes that I've tried went beyond the borders of what was expected, and to be honest, some are much better than the ones I had in Guangdong. The price points are quite high, though. Just be prepared for a frightening total. 

XIU Fine Cantonese Dining

115 Connecticut Street, Northeast Greenhills, 

San Juan, 1502 Metro Manila

Tel. No.:(02) 650 7189

Opening Hours: 11AM–2:30PM, 6–10PM

Facebook: XIU 

Instagram: @xiuph

Onward and Upward!