Food trends come and go, but culinary traditions endure and stand the test of time. Since 1978, the culinary traditions of one family is served and shared along one of Quezon City's iconic foodie destinations...
The rich and diverse flavors of Cantonese cuisine are celebrated by generations of one family's storied culinary legacy at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall along Tomas Morato in Quezon City. With an impressive 1,500 sqm and seating capacity for 800 guests and diners, the casual family dining restaurant is the perfect spot for a lavish feast. Step inside Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall and rediscover comforting and nostalgic Cantonese flavors...
It's a story that began way back in 1978 when Mr. Chua along with his son Henry opened a small noodle and dimsum shop named Wah Yuen at the Love Bus Escolta Station. By the eighties, Henry actively managed the family business gradually growing it into a full-scale Chinese restaurant offering a wide range of dishes and services centered around authentic Cantonese cuisine. Henry's son and daughter currently manages the family's restaurant at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Garden continuing a family's culinary legacy (for more on Oriental Palace, see my previous post Family Traditions at Oriental Palace Seafood Restaurant and Banquet Hall from 2017).
Inside the impressive spacious interiors, one finds a large main dining area as well as countless private rooms for more intimate gatherings. Oriental Palace Restaurants & Banquet Hall offers seven set menus starting at P 9,880 to P 35,880 good for ten persons. Each set offers options for personalized and special set-ups including an entertainment system for that memorable celebration. A panoramic glass window showcases an assortment of savory roasts prepared daily...
...along with an equally impressive wall lined with aquariums showcasing the day's freshest catch. It's touches like this that reflect the rich and enduring culinary traditions of authentic Cantonese cuisine transporting you back in time. Old school still rules in this contemporary age of social media and fleeting, transient and ever changing trends at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall.
It's also a fitting reminder that good food never goes out of style. What began as a small noodle and dimsum shop at a bus stop in Escolta has grown into one of Quezon City's popular and well established dining destinations for a new generation of diners and customers. So pick your table...
...and begin your feast at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall with a wide selection of dimsum specialties like the timeless Pork & Shrimp Siomai (P 158) fresh off the hot steamers...
...followed by the delicately crisp, juicy and savory Pork & Shrimp Wanton (P 128) with its delectable play on contrasting textures and juicy savory notes. The tasty bites are also a cherished link with the restaurant's origins taking you back to its very first noodle and dimsum shop in Escolta at the now defunct Love Bus station.
Change up the flavors with the distinct notes of the Curry Goto (P 128) with fork-tender tripe slathered and steamed with a rich curry sauce. The richness of the tripe is perfectly tempered by the mildly soothing heat of the sauce for that balanced finish.
Can't say no to the classic Hakaw (P 168) with succulent prawns wrapped in paper-thin steamed dough...
...or the soft and silky smooth textures of the Beancurd Roll (P 128). And that's just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Oriental Palace Seafood & Banquet Hall offers nearly twenty tempting varieties of both steamed and fried dimsum, including Pork Spareribs with Taosi (P 128), Chicken Feet with Taosi (P 128), Beef Balls (P 138), Sharksfin Dumpling (P 128), Cuchay Dumpling (P 128), Cuapao (P 128), Polo Pao (P 168), Taipao (P 138), Bola-Bola Siopao (P 128), Asado Siopao (P 128), Pan-Fried Radish Cake (P 188), Fried Shrimp Beancurd Roll (P 240), Fried Spring Rolls (P 188) and Birthday Buns (P 128).
Wash it all down with a refreshing Four Seasons with its sweet blend of fruits and continue your feast at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall...
In between bites of dimsum, Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall presented their special offering for Chinese New Year...
...an indulgent creamy and savory creation topped with a light and delicately crisp buttery pie crust.
The Baked Chicken Pie (P 1,080 minimum three days lead time) is a comforting yet lavish take on a familiar staple with tender chunks of chicken, eggs, mushrooms and vegetables baked in a luscious and creamy sauce capped by a crisp golden crust. Loaded with all the ingredients symbolizing prosperity in the year of the Wood Dragon, the Baked Chicken Pie by Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall is the ideal gift for friends and family to start the year right. Don't forget to treat yourself too...
The light golden crust over luscious, decadent chicken and vegetables is a savory delight guaranteed to tease your palate to properly welcome the year of the Wood Dragon. Note that advance orders with three day lead time is required, simply call Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall for orders and more information (see contact details below).
Quick work on the remaining dimsum leads to the main courses including fresh seafood and the savory specialties of Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall...
Fresh suahe paired with Blue? Now we're talking. You can call Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall for their special packages with Johnnie Walker including their prized Blue Label to make your feast a special and memorable one.
The Steamed Suahe (market price) is one of many tempting live seafood selections at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall and one bite delivers a bold and fresh burst of briny sweetness. Plump and succulent, the freshness of the shrimps drapes the palate with its lingering sweet and clean flavors.
The fresh suahe is available in Fried Salt and Pepper, Fried Imperial and Fried Salted Egg Yolk variants but nothing beats the pure and fresh flavors of Steamed Suahe.
You know it's fresh when peeling the shells come right off for that succulent bite with an audible snap. One more shot of Johnnie Walker Blue Label? Absolutely.
In between tasty bites, warm your palate with the soothing and rich Spinach Seafood Soup (P 450 Small/P 675 Medium/P 900 Large) with its fresh medley of succulent seafood.
The Imported Beef Ribs in Black Pepper Sauce (P 880 Small/P 1,320 Medium/P 1,760 Large) bring deep and bold savory notes to the table with the subtle sharpness of the black pepper tempering the savory richness of the beef for that balanced finish...
...while the Fried Oyster in XO Sauce (P 620 Small/P 930 Medium/P 1,240 Large) lays flavorful bursts of briny and sharp notes to the palate. The freshness of the succulent oysters are perfectly complemented by the mildly sharp and savory hints of the XO sauce for another winner at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall.
The Polonchay Tofu with Dried Scallop Sauce (P 450 Small/P 675 Medium/P P 900 Large) is one of many flavorful surprises at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall. Lightly crisp on the outside and soft inside, the thick slabs of tofu deliver textural contrasts with each bite finished by a creamy and almost egg-like texture. The nutty notes of the tofu are kicked up by the subtle sweetness of the leafy spinach and finished by the bold briny notes of the scallop sauce.
From their Cantonese style roasts selection, the Roasted Meat Platter (P 780 Small.P 1,170 Medium/P 1,560 Large) with chicken and pork brings a variety of savory flavors to your feast with a serving of century egg and jelly fish to cleanse the palate.
The Fried Grouper in Sweet and Sour Sauce (market price) from their live seafood selection is another tempting play on textures and flavors with the subtle and fresh sweetness of the fish punching through followed by the familiar sweet and sour finish of the sauce.
Did you say more seafood? The Sautéed Crab in Ginger and Onion (market price) adds a festive vibe to the sumptuous feast at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall. The sweetness of the succulent crabs and the distinct sharpness of the ginger and onions combine for layers of fresh flavors with each bite. It's an impressive dish, and it's time to get down to business with your hands...
A good gauge for any Chinese restaurant is the popular and ubiquitous Sweet & Sour Pork (P 500 Small/P 750 Medium/P 1,000 Large) and Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall is spot on with their version of a classic. Imagine tender and juicy pork with a crisp layer slathered in a thick and rich sauce...
...and you'll need an extra serving of Yang Chow Fried Rice (P 400 Small/P 600 Medium/P 800 Large) for that all-time and timeless combo.
In step with the times, Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall gets creative with their next dish...
...with the elegant and ornate Lychee Style Handmade Fried Prawn Balls (P 880 Small/P 1,320 Medium/P 1,760 Large). The creative rendition alone scores high marks on my book, and one bite of the crisp and moist prawn balls seals the deal. Presentation and flavors, creatively executed while rooted in tradition is why Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall remains high up on the list for authentic Cantonese cuisine.
Cap your sumptuous feast at Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall with the indulgent mango-based Mango Sago dessert for that memorable sweet ending at one of Quezon City's finest.
Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall has come a long way from the small noodle and dimsum shop at the old Love Bus station in Escolta. As culinary trends come and go, you can rest easy and enjoy the nostalgic flavors you love in enduring institutions now managed by the family's third generation. Mr. Chua's original vision that began 46 years ago has now blossomed into one of the metro's beloved dining destinations proving old school still rules. Experience and savor one family's storied culinary legacy retold and shared with each dish. At Oriental Palace Restaurant & Banquet Hall...
Oriental Palace Seafood Restaurant and Banquet Hall is located at 148 Tomas Morato Avenue corner Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Tomas Morato, Quezon City or call (02) 8374-0653 and (02) 8374-0693 for inquiries and reservations. You can also email @OrientalPalace.ph or visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/OrientalPalace.ph/ for more updates.
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