LIST: Binondo places to have a barkada food trip or 'hindi parang, parang date' like SnoRene in 'Can't Buy Me Love'
Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world, is a culinary haven. It has several food stalls, markets, and restaurants boasting of authentic Chinese cuisine with Filipino flavors.
One of them gained attention anew recently, thanks to Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings, whose characters Irene and Snoop (SnoRene) in the hit ABS-CBN series Can’t Buy Me Love had a kilig-filled "hindi na parang, parang date."
They filmed it at the Masuki Restaurant, the iconic mami house along Benavides Street that has been in service since 1930. It goes without saying that the go-to orders here include chicken/beef/wonton mami and asado/bola-bola siopao. The savory food is complemented by a cold bottle of soft drinks, if not a glass of water.
The two recreated the scene during the launch of Coca-Cola's "Foodmarks" in the Philippines, which is putting the spotlight on Binondo through its campaign that champions the culture and history of a place based on its food offerings.
Aside from Masuki Restaurant, there are other food establishments that have served various patrons in the district, collecting unassuming and heartwarming stories that come with the food items they have been offering for years. Here are some of those that are perfect for barkada food trips and romantic dates.
Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant
Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant is known for its savory, juicy, and crispy fried chicken, which has been a favorite since 1956. Its other bestsellers include fried oyster cake, eight treasures machang, chicharo shrimp, barbecue asado, and kiampong special rice.
Sincerity Cafe and Restaurant is located along Reina Regente Street in Binondo, Manila.
Four Season Noodle House
Four Season Noodle House is known for its “turo-turo” style of service, where customers would point at an offering they like as if it were a carinderia. The food changes on a daily basis depending on the fresh catch of meat, seafood, and vegetables from the market.
As its name suggests, it also has special noodle soups and other mouthwatering dishes like exotic turtle, congee, dimsum, and xiao long bao.
Four Season Noodle House is located at 484 San Fernando Street, Binondo, Manila.
Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant
Established in 2008, Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant serves live seafood from its indoor aquarium, assuring quality and freshness. Meats include sharksfin, abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, fish, shrimp, pork, beef, chicken, lamb, pigeon, frog, and ostrich.
The food spot also offers Asian cuisine and has an a la carte menu with shabu shabu, dimsum, congee, noodles, and desserts.
Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant is located at 1283 Soler Street, Sta. Cruz South, Manila.
Golden Lantern
Golden Lantern has an array of rice dishes, with viands like salt and pepper shrimp, beef brisket, sweet and sour pork, mushroom chicken, stir-fried pork intestine, and mapo tofu. It also has a lineup of cold dishes including emperor crab, money eel, papaya snail, and dogfish.
The usual soups, noodles, vegetables, dumplings, braised meats, and fried rice are also up for grabs.
Golden Lantern is located at 824 Liberty Street, Sta. Cruz South, Manila.
Big Bowl Noodles
Big Bowl Noodles offers different kinds of noodles—from wonton noodle soup and beef brisket noodle soup to sliced beef fried noodles and chopsuey fried noodles. It also offers pork, chicken, seafood, dimsum, and soup dishes.
The restaurant has five kinds of rice, including sliced beef rice, ampalaya rice, beef brisket rice, beef curry rice, and beef tomato rice.
Big Bowl Noodles is located at 517 Yuchengco Street, Binondo, Manila.