The family is not usually excited when it comes to
Chinese restaurants since my mom is a pretty good Chinese cuisine cook herself. But when they were quite eager to try
Modern Shanghai because we could use my
The Bistro Premiere Card for it.
The
SM Mall of Asia branch didn't have much long seats so we had to wait for our turn on a weekend dinner.
I observed on my second visit, this time on the
Glorietta 2 branch, that the interiors were similar but this afforded more privacy to the diners by having booths by the sides and a function room which is ideal for meetings.
Food
Despite the entire area being occupied, the food we ordered were all served completely at the same time. We didn't even wait that long. I'm quite impressed with the service especially the
SM Mall of Asia branch.
Buns & Dumplings
 |
| ♥ Our Signature Xiao Long Bao (198 php) |
Everyone was excited to try the
Signature Xiao Long Bao. We love it so much, we just ordered one for each of us. As soon as it was opened, steam and scent aroused everyone even more. Unlike the other
xiao long bao I've tried, this one had a hole on top and you could see the juices ooze out of it a bit. This was quite generous with the soup which was quite flavorful too. It was delicious but a bit pricey.
New Dimsum
 |
| Steamed "Hakaw" Shrimp Dumplings (188 php) |
Modern Shanghai has recently introduced 10 new dishes to their menu and the
Steamed "Hakaw" Shrimp Dumplings was one of them. I'm also a huge fan of Hakaw. I was quite pleased to see its perfect translucent silky skin. Once I popped each one of these in my mouth, I just couldn't help but savor the taste and tender shrimp. Mmm...
Starters
 |
| Shandong Style Shredded Chicken (Hot) (358 php) |
We chose the
Shandong Style Shredded Chicken served hot as opposed to cold. This is very tasty especially the skin which bore a mild honey, soy and vinegar taste. The meat was jucy and tender.
 |
| ♥ Shaoxing Drunken Chicken (Cold) (298 php) |
The cold
Shaoxing Drunken Chicken can come a bit surprising to the mouth upon first bite. But after that, you'll get to appreciate the pleasant flavors conjured by the wine and broth.
 |
| ♥ Smoked Beancurd Wraps with Assorted Vegetables & Mushrooms (Cold) (198 php) |
It was my first time to try the
Smoked Beancurd Wraps with Assorted Vegetables & Mushrooms. We all loved this. The smoked beancurd wraps were amusing chewiness which plays well with the crunchy carrots and flavorful mushrooms.
 |
| Beancurd with Preserved Egg & Pork Floss (Cold) (198 php) |
There's not much creativity with the
Beancurd with Preserved Egg & Pork Floss which makes it pale in comparison with the other appetizers. It's something I could instantly conjure even at home.
Dishes
 |
| Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Spicy Salt & Pepper (288 php) |
Although I'm not much of a fan of the
Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Spicy Salt & Pepper, their version was quite captivating. It wasn't too oily and tender which made it continuously appetizing to eat.
 |
| ♥ Tung-Bor Style Braised Pork Belly (418 php) |
I usually get turned of by braised pork belly dishes because of their huge amount of fat. But, once I heard oohs and aah from my companions over this, I just had to try the
Tung-Bor Style Braised Pork Belly. I'm so glad I did! This is definitely the best dish in there. The fatty parts melts in your mouth exploding with rich flavors. The pork meat was oh-so-soft too.
 |
| Sauteed River Shrimps with Spring Onions (318 php) |
I find this small platter of
Sauteed River Shrimps with Spring Onions a bit unreasonably priced. But, if you love shrimps, go ahead and try.
 |
| ♥ Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat (348 php) |
The
Sauteed Egg White with Fish Meat is a light and refreshing dish to try.
New Dishes
 |
| Wok-Fried Sliced Beef with Broccoli (338 php) |
The
Wok-Fried Sliced Beef with Broccoli is a fair dish to try. The meat could use a bit more tenderizing.
 |
| Native Hong Kong Crispy Chicken (688 php) |
To be honest, I really couldn't tell much difference between the
Native Hong Kong Crispy Chicken and the Shandong Style Shredded Chicken. Perhaps, hefty pricing is due to the type of chicken used. It was not served crispy though.
 |
| Deep-Fried Squid with Spicy Salt & Pepper (388 php) |
The
Deep-Fried Squid with Spicy Salt & Pepper is cooked similar to the Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Spicy Salt & Pepper except that with giant squid this time. This is option is for the seafood lovers I guess.
 |
| ♥ Eight Treasures in Hot Bean Sauce (358 php) |
The
Eight Treasures in Hot Bean Sauce is another interesting dish which I immensely enjoyed. I'm glad they decided to add this to their menu. As usual, I wished it was a bit hotter though.
Vegetables
 |
| Sauteed String Beans with Minced Pork & Chili (188 php) |
The
Sauteed String Beans with Minced Pork & Chili was cooked with precision. Each bite was delightfully crunchy.
Rice
 |
| Yang Chow Fried Rice (228 php) |
An order of the
Yang Chow Fried Rice is good to share for two to three persons. That I think it their standard serving size per order with all of their dishes.
New Noodles
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| ♥ Crispy Yellow Noodle with Seafood (358 php) |
I'm loved crispy noodles! The
Crispy Yellow Noodle with Seafood did not disappoint. The seafood-rich sauce was an excellent complement to the crispy noodles.
 |
| Fried Shanghai Noodle with Seafood (338 php) |
The chewy texture of the
Fried Shanghai Noodle with Seafood had lived up to my expectations but I just prefer the crispy ones more than this.
Signature Tea Drinks
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| ♥ Passion Fruit Lemonade (178 php) |
The
Passion Fruit Lemonade was refreshing and it was lightly sweetened which is nice.
Blooming Tea
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| ♥ Peaceful Garden (188 php) |
They had a number of blooming tea selections. I ended up choosing the
Peaceful Garden. The hotter the water poured on the seed, the faster it will bloom. It was quite cool to watch.
Other Bistro Group Restaurant Reviews
Bulgogi Brothers
Italianni's Restaurant
Krazy Garlic
Ma Maison (closed)
SikLab Filipino Favorites
Tonkatsu by Terazawa
Village Tavern
Watami 1 |
Watami 2
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Modern Shanghai offers delicious Chinese dishese no doubt. Having tried Chinese restaurants too often, Modern Shanghai gives a kind of impression to remember. The service is great too. The only down side is their price per serving ratio which exceeds the usual casual Chinese joint. But, for the ambiance and convenient mall location, it's quit reasonable.
| Modern Shanghai |
| Branches |
SM Mall of Asia
2nd Level - North Veranda, SM Mall of Asia - North Mall Parking Bldg., Pacific Drive and Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia Complex
Pasay, Metro Manila
Glorietta 2
3/F Glorietta 2, Palm Dr Ayala Center,
Makati, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours |
10 am - 9 pm (mall hours) |
| Payment Options |
 Cash |
| Service Charge |
10% |
| Budget/Person |
600-1,000 |
| Free WiFi |
Yes (standard bistro group password) |
| Unlocked Foursquare Perks |
None |
| Contact |
(02) 551-1110 |
| Other |
Facebook Fan Page |
Modern Shanghai SM Mall of Asia Map Like This Post? Subscribe here
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