Authentic Chinese cuisine in Cebu • PhilSTAR Life

I have a favorite Chinese restaurant in Cebu—Liu Dynasty. A lot of people do not know about it but I think Liu Dynasty is one restaurant worth visiting when in Cebu. It has been open since last year, but on “soft opening” mode.

The Cantonese food here is superb. The founders have brought four chefs from China to make sure the food they serve is authentic. They have two wok chefs, a roasting and barbecue chef, as well as a dim sum chef.

Dim sum: (clockwise from upper left) shaomai, ham siu gok, hakao, xiao long bao

Liu Dynasty is tucked away by the gardens of Montebello Villa Hotel. This is the hotel where I stay whenever there is a Cebu art fair. Liu Dynasty is right there and I can have all my favorites when I want to eat excellent Chinese food.

They have a wide selection of dim sum. My favorites from the steamed selection include the pork shaomai crab roe shaomai, abalone shaomai, jade scallop dumplings, shrimp dumplings, crab meat dumplings, and Shanghai xiao long bao. My choices from the fried selections are the taro puff with seafood, Hong Kong style shrimp dumplings, radish cake with XO sauce, ham siu gok, and pork and chive dumplings.

Another thing I look forward to there is the rice rolls (ho fan or cheong fun) served with your choice of BBQ pork, shrimp, or BBQ duck. A fried version of rice roll with shrimp is also available.

One thing I love about this restaurant is that they have a lot of abalone dishes, my second favorite seafood (after Alaskan king crab) and surprisingly, their price point is not as exorbitant as Manila prices! Aside from the abalone shaomai, I also have their clay pot rice with shrimps and abalone and one of the restaurant’s specialties—braised abalone with Chinese black mushroom, sea cucumber and fish maw.

There are so many other dishes offered here similar to what people usually order in Chinese banquets—sweet and sour pork, scallops with broccoli, steamed grouper, and the like. They have been adding new items to their menu, such as Peking Duck and Liu Dynasty’s Signature Dong Po Rou, slow-braised tender pork belly.

Do check what they have off-menu since the last time I ate here was diwal (angel wing clams) season in Negros and they had live diwal available served steamed with garlic and vermicelli.

Abalone with sea cucumber, black mushroom and fish maw

This is truly one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, so when in Cebu, do check this place out!

Liu Dynasty is located inside Montebello Villa Hotel, Montebello Dr. Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City. They are open daily from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Message or call (0920) 219 6054 for reservations or inquiries.