As Tsinoy Foodies, it's a major part of our lives to celebrate occasions through dining.  Whether it's a casual family dinner, a meeting with friends, birthdays or something as grand as a wedding, it takes place in a big round table over Chinese dishes served lauriat table set menu style.  

I have yet to meet a fellow Tsinoy living in the Metro who has not heard of Gloria Maris Shark's Fin Restaurant in Greenhills Shopping Center.  It's popular chinese restaurant for dimsum, hot pot and of course, the lauriat table set menu style which we Tsinoys typically refer to as pan to.


Aside from the dimsum, hot pot and usual table set up, Gloria Maris Shark's Fin Restaurant has 13 VIP rooms for a more private dining experience.  
 

And, for weddings and other occasion like my recent cousins wedding, they have a function hall with a capacity of 100 tables.

Food
A few weeks ago, I received an invite from Ms. Candy Uy Lim to try their new menu offerings.  Growing up eating the traditional lauriat offerings, I was excited to try what they have in store for us.

♥ Abalone Sashimi

First to arrive in a steamy and smoking sailboat, voyaging from the kitchen to our table, is the Abalone Sashimi.

♥ Abalone Sashimi

I love abalone, in whatever form.  And, this Abalone Sashimi is delightful as expected!  This chewy tasty sea treasure brought pure bliss to my senses. 
 

Chiu Chow Cold Cuts

I was definitely surprised when the Chiu Chow Cold Cuts was served.  It was an across border appetizer because there's a California Maki, Fried Enoki Mushrooms, Fried Battered Bacon Rolls, Roasted Duck and Lechon Macau.  This is good to try if you're bored with the traditional cold cut sampler with Jelly Fish, Century Egg, White Chicken, Asado and Suckling Pig.  But, for me I'd stick with the traditional.  It's something I look forward to in every Chinese dinner and I don't think that will ever change.

♥ 2 Tone Almond Seafood Pumpkin Soup

 The 2 Tone Almond Seafood Pumpkin Soup in a beautiful yin and yang presentation.  Every sip was glorified by its dominant sweet pumpkin taste with a fragrant light and subtle almond taste.

Prawns and Pop Rice with Strawberry Sauce

The Prawns and Pop Rice with Strawberry Sauce is a great alternative for the traditional sweet and sour dish.  My taste buds has encountered too many sweet and sour offering in the past, in various forms: fish fillet, pork and prawns too.  So, you just imagine how enlightened I was to try the Prawns and Pop Rice with Strawberry Sauce which is also on the sour side but  this time with a refreshing strawberry taste.

♥ Scallop and Shell Meat with French Beans and Radish

Next to abalone, scallop holds second to my favorite seafood dish.  I was very pleased with the Scallop and Shell Meat with French Beans and Radish.  The tender scallop, slightly chewy shell meat, crunchy french beans and soft radish cake offered a harmonious mix match of textures. 

♥ Peking Chicken Salad

Who would have thought the Peking Chicken Salad, would deliver a grand and majestic impact to the taste buds as its duck counterpart?  If emperor's have tried this, I think they'll bow down to this healthier version.  It's crispy skinned, succulent and tender meat eaten with mantou (fried buns) is delicious!   

Steamed Lapu-Lapu Fillet with Egg White

The Steamed Lapu-Lapu Fillet with Egg White is for me an epitome of a successful unity beyond multi-cultural barriers.  The Steamed Lapu-Lapu is from the Chinese, the egg white reminded of the Japanese chawan mushi and lastly, the plating looks particularly French. 

♥ Fried Crab with Salted Egg

If the usual Steamed Crab dish doesn't tempt you enough to get your hands dirty, then for sure this Fried Crab with Salted Egg will!  You'll surely feel dignified by the satisfying bold rich salty taste of duck egg complemented by the natural sea sweetness of king crab in every bite.  

Jumbo Buchi

The Jumbo Buchi is a bigger buchi with more shell yet airy contents.  Definitely an eye-catcher for gluttons, but I'm the type who looks more on the inside so I still prefer their traditional Buchi. 

Marshmallow Pastries

The Marshmallow Pastries is such a cute and spiffy surprise.  It is a gathering of molded bunny marshmallows coated in dessicated coconut sitting on a tart.  Although it was heart breaking makes this hop their way to my stomach, I have to admit that their light and fluffy texture brought a sweet ending to our feast.  Not much credit to the tart for that though.

Chilled Taho

Just when I thought the meal was over, the Chilled Taho came and was emptied by the boys in the group.

It was definitely a bountiful feast fit for a royalty!  



Well, in case, you want to compare the new menu to the traditional, here it is.  Of course, variation depends on your budget and preference.  This is the meal I had in a recent family occasion.  My classic favorites among these are the ♥ Cold Cuts Sampler, ♥ Steamed Lapu-Lapu, ♥ Peking Duck, ♥ Buchi and ♥ Mango Sago.


Tip: Gloria Maris Shark's Fin Restaurant in Greenhills Shopping Center is celebrating its 1st Year Anniversary by treating its loyal patrons to a 30% OFF (for a minimum of 1,000 php) on weekdays until July 31, 2013. For reservations please call 570-0921, 570-0923, 570-0924

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
It's great that Gloria Maris Shark's Fin Restaurant is now offering a wide selection for its clients.  I'm sure these options will be welcomed with glee by its loyal diners.  As they say, the more the merrier right?  I'm sure I'm bound to dine here again.  And, when that time comes, I'm sure glad to know that there are constantly adding new menu items so there's something I have yet to try.

I was also surprised to find out from Ms. Candy that Gloria Maris Shark's Fin Restaurant in Greenhills Shopping Center is not affiliate with the other restaurants using the same name.  They have their own offerings prepared by their numerous Hong Kong Chefs. 

♥ Naci's Appetizer Sampler (380 php)

Kani Mango Crunch (200 php)

Fried Chicken Macaroni Salad (250 php)

♥ Smoked Salmon Salad (290 php)

♥ Beef Caldereta Lasagna (310 php)

Nadine's Adobo Cannelloni (300 php)

♥ Peking Chicken Pizza (495 php)

Peruvian Chicken Rice (350 php)

Fox Square Fish Fillet (360 php)

♥ Chef Ed's Pork Shank (480 php)

Bistek Lechon Kawali (280 php)

♥ Garlic Rosemary Chicken (420 php)

Nate's Steak and Eggs (385 php)

Cream Puffs (45 php) , Chocolate Fondant,  ♥ Pistachio Chocolate (70 php),  Red Velvet (60 php) and Caramel Cream (60 php) (clockwise)

♥ Black and White (75 php), Banana Walnut (65 php)  and Coconut (80 php) (left to right) Razz, Mango and Blueberry Cheesecake (front left to right)

Visibly seen along Connecticut Street through its large glass window is the elegant Lugang Cafe.  The elegant lighting and modern interiors of the place is one of a kind.   It majestic wooden doors will lead you to a food adventure, you will never forget.  
Dimsum

♥Xiao Long Bao (6 pcs.) (158 php)

Xiao Long Bao is best eaten hot so we consumed it immediately.  As soon as I nibbled on the side of its soft shell, meaty, juicy flavorful soup burst into my mouth.  It was delicious!  
Soups

Hot and Sour Soup (180 php)

Lugang Cafe's Hot and Sour Soup is rich in black vinegar making the soup sour and lacking the hot taste.  Seeing that it is rich in ingredients, it was okay.

Shitake Mushroom Chicken Broth (160 php)

Golden Fried Rice with Shredded Pork (220 php)

The Golden Fried Rice with Shredded Pork tasted like any ordinary Chinese fried rice.  Although there was shredded pork, it hardly made any difference in the dish.  

Hainanese Bonesless Chicken (450 php)

Three-Cup Chicken (290 php)

Pineapple with Shrimp Stuffed Crullers (280 php)

As another house specialty, I had high expectations for this dish.  However, it was just similar to a Chinese Shrimp or Prawn salad but this had a weird taste too it.  I didn't enjoy this dish.

♥Iced Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly (150 php)

The Iced Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly was a perfect balance of my two favorite drinks: coffee and tea.  Their milk tea was delicious because it was fragrant.  

♥Mango Coconut Shaved Ice (190 php)