Paradise Dynasty – The Legend of Xiao Long Bao
Located in S Maison in Conrad, Manila is an establishment featuring gold accents that beautifully glitter and beckon the by-passers to check the legend that lurks inside. Paradise Dynasty is one of the most famous restaurant franchises from Singapore.
We visited the place on a busy weekend and we were lucky to be able to snag a small table immediately. We started ordering, err, ticking off our orders on the sheet of paper that the staff gave us.
FOOD
We ordered two bowls of LaMian. Literally, lā, (拉) means to pull or stretch, while miàn (simplified: 面/traditional: 麵) means noodle. It is made by twisting, stretching and folding the dough into strands, using the weight of the dough. The length and thickness of the strands depends on the number of times the dough is folded (Wikipedia). LaMian is a type of Chinese noodles.
See our Instagram link below and click the arrow icons (left & right) to see the photos of dishes we ordered:
I got LaMian with Sliced Pork. Php300
I liked how the dish looked – so simple yet tasty. The broth was thick and flavorful. The pork was tender. I almost finished the big bowl of serving good for two! Even Skye and JimBry liked it.
JimBry ordered LaMian in Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup with Seafood. Php230
We expected this dish to be spicy but it’s not. It’s not even sour enough. The overall taste is more on the bland side. This is your regular Chinese Hot and Sour soup with LaMian. Nothing extraordinary about it.
We initially thought of ordering the award-winning Special Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (Php388). It has 8 colorful pieces with different favors – Original, Ginseng, Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Cheese, Crab Roe, Garlic, and Szechuan. To ensure the optimum tasting of these 8 distinct flavors, start with the Original flavor and, following the sequence, end with Szechuan. We ordered the 10-piece basket of Signature Original Xiao Long Bao (Php298) for the simplicity of it. Each piece was generously filled with ground pork and piping hot broth. Although JimBry said he still prefers Xiao Long Bao of Din Tai Fung.
PRICE
We, as a family, agreed that the prices are reasonable. Definitely should be a place to visit when you can.
PLACE
The place is very classy. It is a luxurious-restaurant-with-exquisite-decor kind of posh. They make sure each table has their house tea which is perfect to set the mood. It is light and not bitter as compared to other house tea.
SERVICE
The staff were so methodical and formal. Or maybe that is required of them? We asked one of them about dish recommendations but she didn’t seem to know what they have. She had to call for another staff to help her explain. Most of them come off as brash, always in a hurry. We have to call their attention several times for a glass of water. They also keep walking and checking the checklist that they became a little annoying.
OUR (UNSOLICITED) PLATE OF THOUGHTS
Staff must loosen up. Relax. Breathe in and breath out. SMILE A LOT!
Disclaimer: We are not professional food critics. Ghaad, we cannot even cook a decent meal. We just love eating and criticizing (lol) recording our experiences. That given, please do not take our word against us, as our reviews are solely of our personal opinion, purpose and consumption. We may be swayed, subjected, or somehow influenced by background, sex, religion, nationality, affiliation, and experiences.
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