Went to Wai Ying in Binondo last weekend with my family and it was exactly what we needed after a long day exploring. The dim sum cart came around quick, and we loaded up on hakaw, siu mai, char siu bao, and those amazing crispy taro puffs--everything was hot, fresh, and tasted just like the old-school spots back home. The spare ribs were tender and saucy, not overly sweet, and the yang chow fried rice had that perfect wok hei. Service was friendly even though it was packed; our server made sure we had hot tea refills without us asking. Super affordable too--we fed six of us and still had leftovers for under 2k. Total comfort food win. Definitely heading back next time we're in the area. Five stars all the way! read more

What's the big draw? Long queue for late lunch on a week day? I don't get it. We ordered HK style fried noodles, spare ribs, siomai, roasted duck congee, roasted duck and asado rice. I can summarily declare that all the items we ordered were below our culinary standards in the following order from worst to not so bad. HK style fried noodles, the sauce was peanuty tasting poured over noodles. Horrible looking. The congee is not very appealing to the eyes and the palate. The duck was bony. The congee itself was barely hot. Siomai was no good either. The roasted duck with rice again lacking presentation appeal. The tofu skin roll is ok thus the 2 star. The waiter was very green. Served our sodas without glasses. Avoid and don't believe the hype. read more

Do not recommend going here. Food was alright, but not delicious. NO DUCK AT A CHINESE RESTAURANT? Omggggg I was so disappointed. Are you even a Chinese restaurant, if you don't have duck??? Ok I'll just grab dessert.. OUT OF ALL THE DESSERTS ;( On vacation and today - amongst other things - has been the worst day of the trip by far. Thought a meal could fix it but, it made it worse! read more

We are frequently in Binondo and this is our favorite source of comfort food everytime we crave for Dimsum. What we often order is the Beancurd, Hakao, Fried Siomai, Mantao, Spare Ribs and their Fried Rice. It is a feast that does not hurt the pocket. Be prepared when you are visiting during peak hours especially weekends cause there may be queues. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

I loved tgis little hole in wall place was open until 2am. It took care of my nornal 12am cravings. The staff was warm and informative. ThatI found to be typical of Filipino customer service. I had the congee that ince you seasoned with some white pepper, calamansi, and chili oil with a dash of fishh sauce to be flavorable and tasty. The dim sim and dumplings I has i found to be about average. I loved the light thin dim sim wrappers. They actually remind me of the ones in the Fujian type resturants in China. I loved the shark fin dumplings along with the steamed veggies offered on the menu. The tea was ok. I was expecting a better tasting version of Hong Kong Milk tea. I have had better packaged versions of Singapore milk tea I prepare at work. This place was great for my late night stomach filling food tour till the resturants opened at 7am. read more

A must if going to China town in Manila. I tried the Hakaw dimsum (pork and shrimp). Affordable and great service! read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

Trekked from Quezon City to Recto to get some books for school so we decided to stop by Binondo to get some quality dim sum. We went here on a recommendation from one our Binondo-raised classmates, and we were not disappointed! It was an amazing value. My friend and I were stuffed for less than 700 pesos. I highly recommend the hakaw, the taro cake and the bola-bola siopao. We were only in the mood for dim sum but I heard the heartier rice sets and mains were worth trying here too so I'm definitely making a trip back. We took a jeep from Recto headed towards Divisioria and got off at Benavidez. It's about a 6 minute walk from there. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Yum! - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

Coming from an event in Pasay City, my friend and I were looking for a hearty late-night grub. I was surprised he suggested Wai Ying in Binondo because the only times I remember eating in the area is either for lunch or a regular dinner no later than 9pm. Apparently, the all-time favorite Chinese food joint is open till around 2am! We were greeted by the familiar dingy interiors of blue walls and fluorescent lighting, servers in plain white t-shirt and apron, and the smell of fresh dimsum and other things roasted, steamed, or fried. Surprisingly, at 11 in the evening, the place was still packed. I just love how friendly their staff are for a semi-fastfood restaurant and despite the busy, opposite-of-fancy atmosphere. You can't dine at Wai Ying and not have their siomai and hakaw. I was glad it was the familiar tasting dimsum--warm and full and with just the right amount of MSG, perfect with a dab of soy sauce mixed with calamansi. For the first time I tried their Yingyong rice, a big rice topping dish in a steel skillet. The rice was steamed and topped with two types of fish fillet dishes plated equally in half--one was in a sweet and sour sauce of sorts and the other in a white cream with onion (visually reminscent of the Yin Yang sign, perhaps what it's named after?). Not my favorite dish of the night, but I still liked it. I had a bit of the Soy Chicken Rice which had an impressive serving of a quarter chicken as with most of their dishes. I found the sauce a bit too rich and salty, but that's Chinese-style cooking, right? It was also perfect with the garlic and scallion oily dip ((not really sure what it's called). My friend who's a big fan of Chinese cooking also recommended the raddish cake, which looked like and had the same soft texture of fried tofu squares. It comes with the hoissin sauce, and it was glorious. Sweet and salty and slightly oily. Finally, it was the best decision to order their Iced Hong Kong Milk Tea. Puts all those commercial milk tea joint selling all sorts of milk tea concoctions for twice the price. Wai Ying deserves all the credit and patronage. It's nothing short of an institution in the Manila food scene. read more

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This place is gritty, and I thought we'd have some nice dimsum here. Boy, was I wrong. We got a couple things - pig's blood, egg tarts (terrible), chicken feet, glutinous rice (no way), har gao (mushy skin), century egg and seaweed dumplings (triple terrible), veggie dumplings (thick skin with terrible filling to skin ratio), and the surprising best thing out of the lot was the fried taro cake. I really liked that. Apart from that, there isn't anything worth coming here for, in my opinion. I had a look at the roast meats hanging up, and they didn't look good either. Stay away. read more

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They are open til12mn ( near hope christian high school) 2am ( benavidez, orginal branch ) If you're suddenly hungry at night and happen to be around the area, this is a go to place as most food stores are already closed. Their food quality and preparation is consistent everytime im there. Orders are served fast except those which require more food preparation ( like centuy egg siomai. So if you want to try this, order ahead.) Most dimsums and rice toppings (tomato pork chop rice is my favorite! ) are still available even late at night except shrimp chong fan, which is sold out early. If you go on a rush hour especially during dinner, don't expect to be seated right away as this place really can be full. Dont expect a clean environment (like king chef) as the place is old but its newly repainted (2014 i think) but i do suggest to go here especially its near ongpin and Chinese New Year is just around! read more

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Food's delicious. I have no whatsoever complains with their menu. In fact, I'm gaga all over for it. Everything I've tasted here are superbly delicious. Their dimsum are just wow. They have one of the biggest siomai I've had, and their curry beef dumpling is amazing. And not to mention their hakaw. I super love their milk tea. Huhu.. if only we haven't found a fried baby cockroach on my friend's noodles. Yup. A whole dead cockroach. We all died a bit inside that day. Imagine enjoying lunch, finding a used-to-be alive creature underneath your food, realizing the worst of your fears.. and dreading to see if one of its limbs are missing and already on their way to your stomach. Food's great but.... cockroach. A very big NOPE. It's a bad experience with their food preparations. Cleanliness of the whole establishment is a bit dodgy too. I saw a a big rat run on one of the wires hanging near the ceiling. Oh lord. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Curry fried dumpling - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

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Every time my mom invites me to come with her in Divisoria I'm usually delighted not with the shopping but because I can eat in Wai Ying again. I'm really a sucker for wanton noodles like I can eat it everyday without getting sick. The thing is, you get a huge bowl of wanton noodles good for two for the price of P110 only. Not to mention, the quality of their noodles is really good. Other staple orders are: Yang Chow fried rice, Cheung fan, dimsum and Chinese-style roasted duck. These are all good for sharing so it's perfect for groups. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

Good authentic Chinese food located in Chinatown.Good dimsum and good Chinese dishes.good quantity and fair Price for the diner

Foodies who wander the streets in the evening will more often than not know if Wai Ying. Though I only go to the branch open until wee hours of the morning, I have no doubt that they are also a hit even during daytime as there are instances when we go to eat and they have sold out on some items. We frequent Wai Ying for their asado noodles with soup served on-the-side, shrimp dimsum, in light sauce, and my personal favorite - their radish cake. I like that their radish cake is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, not dry, and really yummy when dipped onto the dark, sweet and slightly sour sauce. I also like their (clear) black gulaman drink, which is interestingly unlike the ones from the Chinese food court stalls. They also serve milk tea, with tea that they really brew and drizzle with milk. Not as popular as other more commercial restaurants, but this is truly a gem hidden in the city. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Our Wai Ying feast - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

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The first time I ate here, my officemates had hauled me all the way across town making me sit through what must have been a century-long Manila traffic. Once we arrived in Binondo, we had to park a few blocks away and walk under the scorching heat of the sun. By the time we were seated, I had already lost my appetite so instead of enjoying the duck noodle soup that seemed to have tasted a bit too rich for my palate, I just routinely slurped it like a car being refueled. I didn't get the hype, I didn't understand why I had to go through all that for good Chinese food which frankly isn't very difficult to come by in the first place. However, the story changes a bit if you go to Wai Ying AFTER you've done some other business in Binondo. That way, the restaurant won't have to bear the wrath you'd incur for Manila traffic. Instead, it becomes an Oasis. To tell the truth, I wasn't really responsive at first, unaffected by my officemates' anticipation. In fact, I didn't even bother ordering for myself. "Redeem this place to me," I told my account executive, passing unto her the burden of choosing my lunch for me. My officemate got assorted dimsum - the usual: siomai, hakao, fried lumpia and this sensational thing that's glutinous rice balls stuffed with ground meat, which I liked the most. (I even got some to go.) She got me the soy chicken which was okay. But the thing that made it taste really good was the chive/ginger concoction it was topped with. I liked the thing so much I kept on asking for extra, putting it in every thing I ate. Feeling the pressure of having to sell the place to me, she also got me a bowl of noodle soup, which I wasn't able to touch anymore as I was about to burst. Observing the place for the second time, I realize that the joint reminds me of those side street noodle houses in Hong Kong. Not only does it look the same, it smells similar too. You know, that unmistakable aroma born of an assortment of oriental spices, and anise in particular. To give a fair assessment of the food, it did have an authentic Chinese quality to it. Rich, flavorful, spiced the way it should be. (Though I must warn the healthy eaters out there that it is quite oily, and it probably has a liberal amount of MSG in it.) To tell the truth, I enjoyed this time around. Now, will I dare go all the way to Binondo just to eat here? Maybe not. But will I eat here in case I find myself already in the area? Why not? read more

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Great food with plenty of servings for the price. It's a small place but, you know they keep their traditional cooking alive.

This is the best place to go to if you're looking to experience the best food Binondo has to offer. Price is dirt cheap, location and service is ok. We went there on a Saturday before lunch and we were seated right away. But during lunchtime, place is jam-packed. You know a place serves good food if people are willing to wait in line. I suggest the different varieties of dumplings. My girlfriend ordered the chicken feet and the lumpia w/c is extraordinary. We will definitely comeback since there's still alot on their menu that we want to try. read more

When I get back home from America, one restaurant in my bucket list to eat before I go back to province includes Waiying. My 2 favorite food to order in Waiying is Asado and Congee (Any). If I will order congee I will also need to order their fried tofu which is a great pair. Whats special with their asado? First of all its quite cheap, you can see in their menu the asado cost around P500++ (1 Kilo) but you wont eat 1 Kilo of Asado thats a lot. For 3-4 people you will only need 1/4kg which is about P130. There asado comes with a sauce, just pour that over to your meat and your all set. (Add there chili for extra flavor and kick) For their congee its your typical Chinese Congee, they serve a lot so you will be filled up the whole day and when you add the fried tofu thats a killer combo. (If you don't like fried food you might want to try there steam tofu, its steam tofu bath in there noodle broth which is also very tasty) read more

Binondo food trip won't ever be complete without paying respect to the legendary fastfood of all time (drum roll, please!), Wai Ying! I can't help but compare Wai Ying to the famous Tim Ho Wan (Michelin Star resto) and I must say the former fitted my taste buds well. The former won in terms of pricing and taste. Wai Ying is definitely 'pang-masa'. Our Binondo Date was unforgettable because of this. :) The Main Event Hakaw Fried Dumplings Soy Chicken rice Broccoli with oyster sauce HK Lemon Tea Lemonade Beef Noodles Fried Lumpia Shrimp Chong Fan I want to commend their hakaw bacause it was well-filled and there ain't too much extenders on it. Even took a photo of it. Their fried dumplings were a winner, too. It was golden brown and fried just right. Actually, everything was a winner. They don't scrimp on the ingredients and that itself is the reason why they are still in the industry. Everything was cooked to perfection and authenticity. We thought that broccoli and oyster sauce will be served together, but it was served separately. The oyster sauce was salty, I've enjoyed eating the broccoli on it's own. Chong fan serving was good for 2 (depending on your appetite), but 3 of us shared the platter. I like my HK Lemon tea! It was sweet and wasn't too bitter, just like the way I wanted it! The resto was full when we arrive, we went straight to the 2nd floor and found a seat shortly. The table wasn't clean yet and we need to call the crew repeatedly. We were waiting for them to get our orders they are inattentive. A friend said they are not usually like that, but hello, we need service right here. I was glad that waiting was worthy because I liked the food so much. We spent around less than P900 for 4. How affordable, right? read more

Waiying is a two-story restaurant that looks like an up-and-down apartment. It has a single-entry glass door right next to the rotisserie. A few steps from the door is a line of tables that extends up to the bottom of the stairs that lead to the second floor. From the glass door up to the stairs, people come and go through a narrow path. Tables are at an arm's length from the row where the rotisserie, kitchen, cashier and utensils area so customers may see how their food is being prepared should they wish to do so. But there is an area right at the bottom of the stairs, which is partly concealed,where plates are being cleaned and other dishes are being cooked. More tables are available upstairs where the staff usher big groups of diners. The whole restaurant gets crowded with customers and staff coming and going to serve food, clean up tables, and lead the next batch of diners to vacant seats. As the volume of people is inversely proportional to the size of the whole establishment, one cannot expect it to be spic-and-span. But, food and beverages given to customers are served on newly washed dishes withe utensils soaked in a glass of warm water. Waiying has a wide selection of Chinese food from its menu which are only cooked upon ordering. On our recent trip, I had to ask the cashier to describe to me the components of some of the items that we wanted while my family and I are waiting for vacant seats. We ordered a bowl of Wanton Mami, which is good for two persons; Hamsoikok, pork inside a slightly sweet and sticky bun; Asado Chong Fan, steamed Asado strips covered in wanton wrappers; steamed rice; a glass of Hongkong milk tea and another glass of milk tea jelly. My toddler and I were satisfied with our meals but my husband later revealed that he was bitin with the food. He said that he wanted to order more but decided against it as our son was getting bored in his seat and was excited to roam around. Will I go back to Waiying? Definitely! But, I would order meals for takeout so we can enjoy them at home while eating comfortably with our toddler. No highchairs are available. There are also no restroom and wash area for customers to wash their hands. I am mainly concerned about these things because I have a toddler. Waiying is actually good for grown-ups and big kids. read more

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To avoid the Chinese New Year crowds all lined up at the restaurants, including Wai Ying, we went to this branch, thanks to the tip from the Wai Ying staff in the more popular branch, where we were originally planning to eat and we had already lined up for some minutes. This branch is quite a walk from the popular branch, though (I think it took us at least ten minutes), but when we arrived, lo and behold, no crowds! There were customers, yes, but there were many tables we could choose from. We ordered the hakaw, one of my favorites, as the shrimp is just so juicy and tasty. We also ordered dumplings (of course I got veggie dumplings, and Wai Ying's version is one of the best I've ever tasted that even non-vegetarians love it). We also ordered noodles for sharing and also savory fried rice for carbs (we were really hungry from the Chinese New Year festivities). After the meal, we were all happily satisfied. Wai Ying is definitely one of those Binondo restaurants I would keep coming back to, if only for the hakaw and the veggie dumplings. read more

I am a sucker for Chinese food...maybe because I am Chinese myself. I love everything about Chinese cuisine: the soups, the wanton, the dimsums. Overall it makes you feel like you just got home from braving the storm outside to find that Gran made you some hot soup to feed your hungry stomach. This is why I am almost always in Chinatown. Also why I love Wai Ying. Wai Ying has always been in the top list of restaurants in the country, serving great food for several years now. Though it's famous for its Pecking Duck, Wai Ying also has a lot of other offerings in their menu. I love getting their wanton soups while my sister loves their congees. Don't fret, I am sure that whatever you get, you will go home with a happy tummy. read more

I came here with high expectations and unfortunately they were not met. I had the siomai and hakaw and they were just ok. The duck meat in the duck over rice was lacking and there were a lot of bones to deal with. I think ended up paying P300 for the meal and still felt a bit hungry afterwards. I wouldn't bother traveling all the way to Chinatown to eat here. If I were in the area already I might think about coming back, but first I would find out if there are other restaurants nearby worth trying out. The ambience/decor is nothing great. Service was ok. We took a trike from Lucky Chinatown so I'm not sure about the parking situation here. Be careful with those trike drivers. He told us the ride was P40 then when we got there he insisted we pay P140. read more

Wai Ying has the bestest, and I mean bestest, hakaw in Metro Manila. No dimsum restaurant in Binondo compares to the thin, translucent, yet firm skin and full, plump, generous shrimp filling. You know what else is best in Waiying? The hot Hongkong style milk tea. One time I had it at 11pm, I was awake until 4am. Decided to text my friends who were with me and they all had the same insomnia attack. One of my friends just took a bath and got ready for work. Wai Ying also introduced the lemon coke among dimsum places here in Manila, I think. Oh, their chili sauce is the best, too. I don't sound like a fan, do I? ;) read more

Back in high school, Wai Ying was just one of those typical Chinese restaurants that will always be just across the street from our campus. I never really liked eating here because I was always craving for something other than Chinese. Mind you, we were located very near the Binondo area. It wasn't until after graduating high school when I realized how much I love and miss eating at Wai Ying. Surely, you never know what you're missing until it's gone. *tear. So apparently, Wai Ying is extremely popular to food lovers not living in Binondo. My college friends used to beg me to take them here just because they heard so many good things about the place. True enough, Wai Ying serves some of the best-tasting Chinese food items in the area from their dimsum choices, noodle soups and even rice toppings. I can't wait to go back and have my share of Fish Fillet Rice and order of shrimp hakaw. read more

你们好！the worst dimsum I have ever had. This ratings that this place has received makes me seriously question the validity of yelp in the Philippines. Disgusting food!!! read more

When two old friends invited me to lunch in Chinatown, I readily agreed. I love Chinese food and where else would the best Chinese restaurants be but in the Binondo district of the City of Manila? Both said that we should go to Wai Ying in Benavidez St. I had no idea where it was, but I have never been shy about asking for directions of total strangers. I asked the pair why Wai Ying, and one told me that she discovered the place decades ago when she met with top executives of a Chinese commercial bank. Logically, Chinese executives would know the best places to eat Chinese food. So it had to be good. Wai Ying is no upscale restaurant, at least in appearance. In fact, it is typical of the scores of eating places in Chinatown. There's a dining area at the ground floor, and an additional area on the second floor. The place was full when I got there, so I told them that I was getting a table upstairs. So how was the food? It is no exaggeration to say that it was excellent. We ordered a variety of dishes including my favourite Chicken Feet. I consider myself an expert on this appetizer, which not too many people care for. The Wai Ying version literally melts in the mouth, the flesh easily coming off the bone. The specialty of the place is duck, and we had a quarter duck braised in a semi-sweet sauce. This, too, was exceptional. We had several other orders of dimsum. Again, they were terrific. About the only disappointment for me was their Sweet and Sour Pork, which was too ordinary for my taste. It might as well have been from Chow King The staff were relatively friendly, but clearly overworked. We had to call their attention several times when ordering refills for our tea. But for the disappointing pork dish, everything we ordered met the high expectations that my friends had set for me. We spent less than a thousand pesos for the grand meal. There are actually two Wai Yings in Benavidez, and they are only two doors apart. One is strictly for take out, while the other is the restaurant that is a favourite among Chinese, Chinese-Filipinos, and Filipinos. Future visits will only be a matter of time and I'll be sure to invite my other friends there. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - The smaller Wai Ying is for take out only. - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

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Wai Ying? Kasi masarap siya! Kidding aside, Wai Ying is a must try for lovers of Chinese cuisine. My family and I went here after an exhausting afternoon at the National Museum, in the branch next to Hope Christian High School. We started off with Wai Ying Siomai and Beef Balls. Both dishes tasted genuine; they had me savoring every meaty bite and wanting one more order. I ordered some Hong Kong Cold Milk Tea on the side, and it was a refreshing take on the usually sweet treat, tasting like genuine tea. We finished up our quick snack with an order of Wai Ying's Soy Chicken that was absolutely delectable, especially paired up with its unique sauce (that I actually ended up using for the other dishes too!). If you're looking for a casual place to enjoy authentic, reasonably priced, and delicious Chinese food, Wai Ying is the place for you! read more

If you want a cheap and also fulfilling Chinese food, this place is for you. This is our go-to after strolling around Divisoria and Ongpin. My recommended dishes are Soy Chicken, Hakao, Siomai, and Braised Beef. By the way, this is not a fancy restaurant its just a typical Chinese fastfood restaurant so don't expect a lot with their service. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Hakao. - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

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Deep in the beating heart of Manila lies this chinese fastfood diner. Patrons from all walks of life come and go to this restaurant. This place is a perfect reprieve from all the bustling streets of binondo, chinatown. The place may look dingy for some people, but this gem of place shines with the delectable dishes that is has to offer. They serve special chinese dishes at an affordable price. I love their fried wanton as well as their curry beef rice.their fried wanton is a combination of shrimp and pork, wrapped in a yummy dimsum wrapper and deep-fried to perfection. The curry beef on the other hand, are soft beef in savory curry sauce that lies in a bed of rice. For first-timers, i recommend to try their hakaw, shrimps wrapped in dimsum wrapper that is steamed to perfection. Always, always spot on. read more

Wai Ying Fastfood - Dimsum overload but not complaining! - Fast Food Near Me - Manila, NCR

Very average dim sum. For the low budgets, yes this is the dim sum spot to go to. Can't complain, the food and service was good. Just very average food - Ansel Ponce Diama read more

The food is amazing! I went there with my friends to experience Binondo and true enough, we experienced the taste of Chinese food. We totally loved everything we ordered especially Hakaw and Fried Dumpling. Prices are reasonable and it is really barkada-friendly. We definitely will visit there again. :) read more

To say that I'm in love with dumplings is an understatement! I'd have to say that I could even marry myself a hakaw if I could. Wa Ying in the heart of China Town has, so far, the best hakaw and dumplings I've tasted in Manila. Though it's a little hard to get to, this little hole in the wall is always worth the trip. I've been here a few times and found that I could finish up to three orders of hakaw for myself! Besides the usual hakaw and siomai delights, try their rice noodle dumplings and their roast duck (SO GOOD!). You'll be happy to know that it also makes for a great budget meal, my friends and I didn't spend too much, just around 200 pesos each for a feast! If you find yourself in China Town and can't decide where to get your dumpling fix, Wa Ying's got you covered! read more

Typical Chinese Resto, although I believe that they should clean the place up (i encountered bugs lying around my food several times, they say that is what makes them tasty! HA!) but the food is decent a must try in Binondo. read more

I used to love Wai Ying Binondo, until I encountered a live cockroach crawl at me while Im eating! So gross, never again!

first time here. the siomai is delicious! you can actually taste the meat unlike others that are full of extenders. definitely worth checking out. read more

We were there last Thursday .the food was good but because we are not familiar with the food on the list weren't able to order those mouth watering dimsum that I saw postedd here. Will go back and try those soon!! read more

now.. i miss manila.. wai ying is a good spot when u crave for dimsum and gosh their lemon chicken is the best!!! and their fried rice... oh im drooling and i wanna go home just to.eat wai ying lemon chicken and fried rice. and siomain pls... read more

If you could identify an area's official food mascot, Binondo's would probably be siomai. It's definitely one of the big contenders for the title, and there isn't a shortage of places to get some. The dimsum has been a staple of Chinese restaurants for ages, and it's a curious thing how we've yet to see the snack become a trendy gastronomic item like ramen or gelato. Perhaps its ubiquity is one of the reasons, or maybe it's just really hard to set yourself apart with such a simple dish. But Wa Ying has claim to having one of the best in the country. The place may be hard to find for those not from the area, but they have long been known in the Chinese community. Whether fresh from the steamer or brought home frozen, their siomai tastes just like you'd want it to taste, but the difference maker is in the intangibles. Their version has the right amount of bounce--as opposed to being too mushy or hard--and firms but soft wrapping, while retaining consistency in every batch. If you're serious about your siomai, definitely make this a stop. read more

I dare say that this establishment is manila's own version of TimHoWan when, well, when we didn't have THW yet. It has the most comfortable and delicious array of dimsum, hofan, and the most popular Chinese rice toppings you can think of. Forget the interiors, we're here for the food! The siomai, their best seller, is meaty, unapologetically fatty, shrimps and super savory that surprisingly, some locals don't even have to disrespect it with the typical toyomansi sauce that locals usually prefer their dimsum with (I'm just as guilty as everybody else, but not in this case). We love it so much that we take home 10 orders at a time, and although my mom intends it to be our "Ilan" for dinner and breakfast the next day, it never actually sees the light of day. If they do, it'll just be a piece or two that won't exist for long. So do drop by with your "pumbrera" because I assure you, you're gonna want to eat more but won't have space for one sitting, so it wouldn't hurt to have some reserves for the next day. But who are we kidding. I'm sure it'll be your midnight snack. read more