U can’t go wrong with Phat Wong

3 Nov

I have been a fan of Chef Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s, so when I heard that he opened an Asian resto, I jumped at the chance to try it out.

Phat Wong is located on the the ground floor of LRI Business Plaza in N. Garcia St. (formerlyReposo St.) Makati.

My hubby, mom-in-law, and I went early on a Monday night. We started out with an appetizer of Blue Crab with Crab Fat on Lemongrass Dumpling served with a yummy roasted garlic aioli dip. I loved it. It was soooo delicious, and savory. We also tried the Deep-Fried Adobo and Menudo Pao, soft semi-sweet buns stuffed with either adobo or menudo. My hubby liked the adobo better, but I preferred the menudo

Blue Crab with Crab Fat on Lemongrass Dumpling

Deep-Fried Adobo and Menudo Pao

Shrimps, Pomelo and Young Coconut

We also ordered the Shrimps, Pomelo and Young Coconut. What an innovative presentation! It has generous servings of succulent prawns, pomelo and lettuce inside. It was refreshing! The freshness of the young coconut meat was perfectly complemented by subtle hints of Kaffir Lime and coconut milk. This was my mom-in-law’s favorite. This dish is sheer ingenuity and loaded with fantastic flavors!

For our main entrees, we had Bistek U.S. Rib-Eye, Hainanese Fish and Sesame Battered Deep-Fried Prawns.

Bistek U.S. Rib-Eye

Hainanese Fish

Sesame Battered Deep-Fried Prawns

Now, Bistek is a typical Filipino favorite but Phat Wong ‘s version is tender U.S. rib eye topped with lots of caramelized onions. My hubby really loved it and couldn’t get enough of it. The Fried prawns were also very tasty but I personally would have preferred it to be more garlicky.

My favorite is the Hainanese Fish. I have tried so many versions of Hainanese Chicken both here and abroad, but this is the first time I tried hainanese fish and I must say, I made the right decision. The dish was served with plain soup and hainanese rice. I was pleasantly surprised by the soup. I expected it to be the usual bland variety, but surprise, surprise! The broth was so flavorful and had a deep earthy flavor to it. And the hainanese rice was not greasy at all! The fish itself was so fresh and served with 3 kinds of sauces. First is the ginger sauce, which had macadamia nuts in it. The sauce was wonderful and did not taste nutty. Instead, the nuts gave it just a hint of sweetness. Next is the kecap manis, a reduction of palm sugar, star anise and soy – a delightful blend indeed! . Lastly, they served the super spicy chili sauce. Together, the elements of this dish is a great symphony of flavors! Gosh, I don’t mind eating this everyday.

Hainanese Fish (with soup rice & sauces)

Of course, we can’t let the evening end without dessert so we ordered the Baked Meringue. It came on top of fresh mangoes & bananas, bathed in fresh Pandan cream. It is light, fragrant and just the perfect dessert to cap our dinner. At this point, my pant buttons were already threatening to pop out. Yet we just couldn’t resist trying the dessert Chef Margie sent over. It was Asian Pannacotta with Mangoes and Thai Basil syrup. The Thai basil cream and syrup provided a perfect contrast to the tartness of the mango panacotta. This is truly a refreshing and satisfying dessert. I learned that this comes with their daily Bento special (see menu below). And for those looking for a great coffee experience, they serve great Vietnamese Iced Coffee w/ Milk at only 85 pesos!

Baked Meringue

Asian Pannacotta with Mangoes and Thai Basil syrup

Overall, it was a great dining experience. I would definitely go back soon! And for those entertaining balikbayan friends, tourists or expats, Phat Wong is definitely a very good alternative to the usual Filipino or Chinese restaurant. The proof is in definitely in the eating!!!