Foodie Friday is a blog prompt that I've created for the purpose of blogging more regularly. It could feature anything from a new ingredient that I've tried, a recipe that I experimented on, or a restaurant I visited.
Earlier this week, my parents celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, by God's grace. And to end the day with a bang, we made reservations for this restaurant my dad had recently heard about, Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining.
Original photo taken from here. I just cropped it. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take an outdoor shot of the restaurant because it was raining when my family and I had dinner then.
Located along Connecticut Street near the Greenhills shopping complex, the restaurant isn't too difficult to find. Many will remember Lugang Café on this same street, which Xiu replaced.
(Both Lugang and Xiu are under the same group of companies. However, Xiu and any other restaurants the company decides to put up in the future will be stand-alone restaurants; Lugang will now remain in malls).
When you enter the restaurant, you will see that there are several chandeliers on the ceiling. The restaurant has a mix of black wooden chairs and comfortable leather ones, with a brick-lined wall and various golden accents. It's very different from the "family atmosphere" that Lugang once had, but neither is it intimidating, considering it's a fine dining restaurant.
My family and I were seated in one of the restaurant's semi-private rooms, good for up to eight people.
Honey-glazed Prime Cut Char Siu (PhP 680/portion)
The Honey-glazed Prime Cut Char Siu happens to be one of Xiu's signature dishes, so this was the first thing we ordered. I'm not really a "pork person", if that makes any sense, but this was delicious. The pork was so juicy, the glaze was nicely balanced even if it was on the sweet side. Needless to say, it was hard to stop after just one bite.
Sweet and Sour Pork (PhP 480/portion)
This is one of my parents' favorite dishes, so of course we had to order this. Sweet and sour pork isn't one of my go-to Chinese dishes either, but for some reason, this one stood out for me. The pork cuts were crunchy (my parents' "standard" for sweet and sour pork) but not too tough (many of the ones I've tried in other restaurants are either hard to chew or too gummy) and the sauce was also nicely balanced and acidic. This dish may have changed my mind about sweet and sour pork in general.
Beef Brisket and Turnip in Clear Broth (PhP 880/portion)
I've always liked braised beef, and I loved Xiu's take on this classic dish even more. It had a hint of sweetness, saltiness, richness, with a bit of heat. And the beef was incredibly tender; the kind that would literally melt in your mouth within seconds.
Clams in a Garlic Sauce
This dish was off the menu, which is why I didn't indicate the price, but the restaurant manager, Andrew, recommended this to us (then priced it accordingly). The texture of the clam I had was quite rubbery (it wasn't that easy to slice through with a fork, let alone a chopstick) but I came to appreciate its garlicky flavor, crunch, and the taste of the broth.
Baked Rock Lobster with Cheese and E-Fu Noodles
Can I just pause for a moment and allow you to take a closer look at the dish above? Baked lobster. With a cheese sauce. And noodles. What?
Have you recovered from it? Now I can take you through my transcendent experience.
By now, you may be extremely familiar with the fact that I am a cheese lover. And when I say "cheese lover", I mean I am obsessed with cheese. So much so that my friends and officemates often tag me in cheese-related posts on social media, or ask if I've eaten in so-and-so-place-that-specializes-in-grilled-cheese-sandwiches, for example.
So when Andrew once again recommended that we try this, even if it was also off the menu, I couldn't say no. Plus, I was curious to see how they would render something that reminded me so much of Lobster Mac & Cheese (which I've only ever salivated over thanks to TV shows).
This was amazing. The sauce had the perfect texture and it wasn't overpoweringly, sickeningly cheesy; the lobster provided a mouthwatering, sweet contrast to it, and the noodles were very fine, very soft, and absorbed the cheese sauce quite nicely. Needless to say, I would throw a party for this dish. (However, since it was off the menu, I wasn't able to note the price; but expect it to be a bit of a pocket-denter, given its combination of ingredients.)
We ordered some mango sago for my almost two-year-old nephew, but none of us cared for dessert since we were beyond stuffed. Andrew also invited us to tour the second floor of the restaurant, which didn't have any customers at the time.
The walls were handpainted with floral patterns by a local artist; at first, I thought that it was just your regular wallpaper until Andrew said it was handpainted.
The second floor has similar dining fixtures, but the walls are different. If you look closer, those seemingly embossed floral wall pieces are made of leather. There are also nooks on the right side that can be converted into one or two private areas.
This is the view from the second floor. There are quaint hanging Origami-inspired birds of different lengths and pastel shades, and you can also look at the street (to see if your car is still there; just kidding).
Overall, my family and I had a great experience, especially considering that it was my parents' 35th anniversary. It's not every day that one gets to celebrate a milestone such as this one, and it was fitting that we held it here.
Happy 35th, Mom and Dad!
There are more exotic dishes on the menu, and if you're a fan of Cantonese cuisine, you should definitely check it out. Since it's fine dining, though, I'd recommend this restaurant for special occasions.
Unless, of course, you just want to drop by to indulge in a specific dish.
Their portions were fairly generous; the flavors were spot on; I didn't get that oily, greasy aftertaste that I usually get from dishes in other Chinese restaurants; and despite being a fine dining restaurant, the ambiance was very welcoming and inviting. The cook on the clam could've been better, though.
But, yes, I can still taste that lobster and cheese sauce... days later.
Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining Restaurant
115 Connecticut Street, Northeast Greenhills,
San Juan City
+632 650 7189
+63947 707 0228
www.xiu.com.ph
@Xiuph
#XiuPH
