Finding a Chinese restaurant just a stone’s throw away from where you are is easy, especially when in Manila. But striking the right balance between a memorable casual dining experience, great Chinese flavors and budget-friendly prices can be a chore.
To ease your dining problems, we present to you Lido Cocina Tsina (by Panciteria Lido)–famous modern-retro Chinese restaurant that has been serving its top-selling pugon-roasted asado for decades. What makes Lido Cocina Tsina (by Panciteria Lido) different is that it marries traditional Chinese comfort foods with current techniques to produce unique, yet familiar Chinese dishes that appeal to any Filipino palate.
Recently, I visited the restaurant’s Commonwealth branch to try some of its much-lauded pugon-roasted asado. What greeted me on the dining table were surprising, to say the least.
Lido Cocina Tsina Commonwealth Branch
Poached Tofu in Special Soy | Php105
The afternoon snack started with a serving of one of the bestsellers, tofu poached in special soy sauce. The sauce’s rich flavor was punctuated with a blend of diced carrots and green onions. The dish is neither too salty nor oily: It was a decent complement to any Chinese dish.
Stir-fried Seasonal Vegetables | Php185
A palate-cleansing platter of stir-fried vegetables was also served. Being someone who is not big on salty dishes, I found this simple and delicious. Best part about it? The well-cooked cauliflowers and broccoli had just the right crunch and flavor.
Chami Special | Php130, solo | Php210, for 2-3
Another bestseller, the Chami Special is made of Asian wheat (miki) noodles and fresh, stir-fried vegetables. Normally, I don’t like miki noodles because it always had a peculiar flavor, but for some reason that strange flavor was absent in the Chami Special. The dish is so well-cooked, in fact, that the vegetables retained some crunchiness in them.
Manchurian Wings | Php265
Like what I’ve said in a previous post, I just love buffalo wings. For a chicken wing lover, I found Lido Cocina Tsina’s Manchurian Chili Wings tasty and juicy. The meat was tender, skin crunchy. My only gripe is that the gingery oriental sauce is not as spicy as I had hoped. Granted I’m more into the Sriracha level of spiciness nowadays–which is a whole lot different than the average Filipino can go for. Having said that, I feel that with the sauce’s sweetness and overall flavor, the Manchurian Chili Wings can surely remain a bestseller.
Drunken Lechon Macau | Php267
A crunchy skin and seven different layers of tender pork meat. The Drunken Lechon Macau boasts a subtle wine flavor brought about by a laborious, 60-hour-long process of curing. The meat is very tender; it’s a must-try!
With these sizeable Chinese fusion offerings, you would think Lido Cocina Tsina has already run out of good eats to serve by now. You would be surprised by their constant hunger (no pun intended) for innovative dishes that can surprise any Chinese food enthusiast. Hit the next page to find out what they are (and yes, there are delectable dim sum like hakaw and steamed pork ribs on the menu)…
