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| Beef Hofan at Ling Nam |
Food is what connects people. For me, dining at a Chinese restaurant with my lola was always a memorable event (I still dream about her very often!). Back in the early 90s, we often had escapades in Chinatown Binondo. Doon sa may baba ng LRT Carriedo where the Chowking now stands, there used to be a Chinese resto there. Dadalhin ako ni lola doon, kaming dalawa lang, tapos magbonding kami eating our hearts out. I still vividly remember how tiles look like, the smell of the ambiance, the tables and chairs. She picks alot of dishes for us to try, but it's always the Beef Hofan and Shrimp Hakaw that I ask for. Not just one, but 3 plates... yes, my skinny body reveals little of my monstrous appetite! Warm... Fuzzy... Memories...
When we were invited by Ling Nam in Glorietta back in September 25, I was really thrilled to know that Beef Hofan was among the food they would be featuring. Oh boy, thrilling! I'm pleased to share with you that the flavor replicates the one that I remember decades ago. Magical moment talaga. And speaking of Shrimp Hakaw, it's also there. Another favorite of the evening. Super soft and tasty, hands down.
Dragon Ball Z... oh I meant Dragon Shrimp Balls. It's so flavorful, doesn't need a dip. Pork Siomai was very meaty with the perfect amount of moist... not too dry or mushy. The Ham Suey Kok was another pleasant surprise. It's my first time encountering this dish honestly. Thought it smelled like fresh mung beans, but I like that it was more on the lightly sweet aroma side than an overpowering earthy smell. The crust was super chewy and inside was a pasty filling. Yum! You know I love sweet things because I'm sweet!
You might notice from my photos that they have super large servings of the Noodles and Siopao. FYI, that is what they call the 'regular size'. Wow, it looks like a sulit choice for anyone who like to share their meals and for me, these large servings were surely full-filling!
There's the classic Yang Chow Rice for the whole group. Then for the side dish, we had Home-Made Tofu, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Lemon Chicken. When the Tofu was served, it had a very soft taho texture with a fresh soya milk sweetness to it. Love ko yan! Sweet and Sour Pork was also good, I vote for it. The Lemon Chicken was a just little dry but still chewy soft while its lemon sauce did not overpower the chicken.
Now let's pick my Top 5 Favorites: Beef Hofan, Hakaw, Ham Suey Kok, Home Made Tofu and Dragon Shrimp Balls. Thank you so much to Ling Nam for having us, our dinner was surely good memories for me. Have you been to Ling Nam lately? Share your story too =)
