Lugang Cafe

Recent years have shown how Chinese cuisine has been getting a "face-lift" from its old image of being a "take-out" place (think: mediocre taste, no presentation, relatively cheap). Now, Chinese restaurants are looking more and more chic, creating a more sophisticated feel.

One of those "chic" Chinese restaurants recently opened in SM Mall of Asia:

The restaurant, from the outside, looks ordinary but the line outside the door makes you wonder why there are so many people wanting to dine in. That, precisely, was one of the reasons we decided to check out the restaurant. Here are some picks for lunch at Lugang Cafe:

First the dumplings!

Xiao long bao! My relatives really loved the taste of this, they even ordered a second batch!

Vegetable dumplings!- you're mine! These were sooooo good! I remember having vegetable dumplings before and they tasted so bland that when I saw this in the menu, I was very apprehensive to get it. It however came as a surprise! I even found myself scrutinizing the filling trying to look for the "meat". I couldn't believe it was vegetarian! Thank you Lugang cafe!--I now know where to go for tasty vegetable dumplings!

Next, some appetizers-slash-semi viands

Tofu- kung pao style. You know how I love tofu. And kung pao. Mix them two together and what do you have?? Heaven in a bite :)

  

Pork rolls!-- my relatives say these came cold-- oh wait, it's not a bad thing. They actually serve it cold. The sauce, they claim, is superb!

Apart from the food, Lugang Cafe also boasts of their really interesting selection of drinks:

(L) Cranberry and Mango Juice and (R) Aloe Lemon Juice

Mine was the Cranberry and Mango Juice. The interesting thing about it is that the "mango part" is not of juice form. There are actual mangoes in it! And surprise, surprise, lots of sago! I am a sucker for sago/pearls so when I saw the drink had those, I almost cried in delight! The drink is so tasty, just recalling it now, makes me thirsty!

(L) milk tea with coffee jelly and (R) cantonese lemon tea

The milk tea with coffee jelly was also really good! You know how I can never resist milk tea/coffee so I had to ask my tita to let me taste her drink. hehe :)

Overall, I say, two thumbs up Lugang Cafe!--really, the Chinese are living up to the renewed image of their growing economy. Congratulations!