The stretch of Banawe in Quezon City has been known for so long for auto repair shops selling car accessories and services. A common sight on the Quezon Avenue corner are the men flapping sheets of dark-colored film—car tint, actually—to catch your attention.
The area is also known for Chinese restaurants that can satisfy the cravings for anything, from freshly steamed dim sum to crab cooked a number of ways.
On a recent food crawl hosted by Ayala Land, we sampled some of the delicacies served along Banawe—the area near Cloverleaf Balintawak and the soon-to-rise Avida Towers Cloverleaf, the real estate developer’s 11-hectare mixed-used property.
We started with assorted dim sum (hakao, taosi spareribs, taro puff) at Lam Tin Tea House, and a platter of its best-selling fried chicken.
Reggie Rullan, a long-time Banawe resident, said that she and her family have been going, for years now, to this restaurant near the corner of Quezon Avenue and Banawe.
“We don’t even have to look at the menu because we already know what we’ll order,” she said.
“Their lumpiang Shanghai (fried spring rolls) and chicken with taosi are the best. The chicken isn’t on the menu but you can always ask for it.”
For the best dumplings and chicken feet, however, she recommends buying several trays at Secret Recipes and steaming them at home.
From dim sum and chicken, we moved on to skewered and fried items at Eat Fresh Hong Kong Famous Street Food. The scallops and lobster rolls dipped in curry-flavored sauce were tasty but the instant favorites were the refreshing strawberry and kiwi fruit shakes that were made with real fruit.
Pork eggplant
At Fook Yuen, we tried the specialty: crab cooked two ways, the signature style and cooked in salt and pepper. The small-sized, unassuming restaurant attracts foreign clients who feast on fresh crabs and the oyster omelet.
Families and big groups might want to check out King Chef that has dishes meant for sharing. Try the steamed suahe (shrimp), the pork eggplant hotpot and the French beans with salted egg.
Lam Tin Tea House, 30-U Banawe corner Cuenco Streets, Santo Domingo, Quezon City; tel. 7080989.
Secret Recipes Chinese food commissary, 70 Panalturan St., QC; tel. 3656365
Eat Fresh Famous Hong Kong Street Food, 100-A Maria Clara St., QC; tel. 5168022
Fook Yuen Food Center, 558 Banawe St., Santa Mesa Heights, QC; tel. 7113057
King Chef Fine Dining, 987 Banawe St., Manresa, QC; tel 3527534
