I have mentioned in my previous post about the Dimsum-All-You-Can at Phoenix Court in Bellevue Manila that this Chinese fine-dining restaurant in Alabang is known for their delectable Chinese dishes. Their Unlimited Dimsum promo is always a hit to food enthusiasts but let me tell you that the Chef's Specials on their ala carte menu are equally impressive.
Our visit at Phoenix Court happened on the last day of our staycation at B Hotel and Bellevue Hotel. We just had a light brunch at Caviar Restaurant and a breakfast buffet at Prime Cafe prior. But it's not an excuse to skip the lunch at Phoenix Court because otherwise, doing so would mean missing so much good food and fun.
As with any fine-dining Chinese restaurants, what got me excited with the scheduled lunch at Phoenix Court was the Peking Duck. Not just because I heard that Peking Duck at Phoenix Court is good, but because I know I just gotta have some Peking Duck that day. And I did.
The Peking Duck was done two ways; Duck Wrap and Minced Duck Meat in Lettuce Wrap.
Duck Wrap is essentially made slice of crisp duck skin with slices of cucumber and hoisin sauce wrapped in soft tortilla wrap. It was an amazing dish since the crisp duck skin was flavorful in itself, but the addition of hoisin sauce was integral in making it all the more satisfying. The soft tortilla was undoubtedly freshly made, its soft texture was a dead giveaway.
The Minced Duck Meat in Lettuce Wrap was equally impressive. The duck meat were cooked in such a way that the flavor really shine through. I tried eating it wrapped in lettuce but having it as it is - without the wrapper and the accompanying sauce - it was still amazing.
We were also served the Fried Beef with Black Pepper which quarter of the entire big plate of serving was eaten by me. I am crazy over perfectly cooked beef, those kinds that is soft and flavor still screams of beefy goodness despite it being doused with sauce and other seasoning. This one at Phoenix Court earned a two thumbs up.
Just like most of you, Chinese meal for me is not complete without Sweet and Sour Pork. While I have always been partial to President Tea House in Binondo's rendition of this dish, Phoenix Court also impressed me. I love that the crisp texture of pork is still apparent while the sauce, although flavorful, it does not overshadow all the other ingredients present.
Deep Fried Prawn with Cereal at Phoenix Court may not be as enticing to look at, but the flavor as well as the texture were noteworthy. The juicy and plump prawn were remarkable that even if it'll be devoid of its batter, I will probably still enjoy eating it.
Although I only got a few bites of the Steamed Fish, I would not mind having it again on my next visit at Phoenix Court. My father, whose talent in the kitchen I adore, makes mean steamed maya-maya in red wine sauce, and this one kind of remind me of it.
The Spinach Bean Curd with Crispy Mushroom came surprisingly impressive for me. I was ready to pass up but fellow diners talked me into trying it which I did, thankfully. It ended up as one of my favorites since the crisp mushroom atop was downright enjoyable to the bite. The bean curd tasted like the usual tofu, only healthier.
We capped off the lunch with Chilled Coconut Pudding. It was more of a palate cleanser for me more than anything. I appreciate that we didn't go all out with the dessert since with the degree of satiety I was dealing with that time, I probably wouldn't enjoy it anyway. This one was just perfect.
There are other items at Phoenix Court's menu but these Chef's Specials are something you wouldn't want to miss when dining at Phoenix Court. That is aside of course from their Dimsum Eat-All-You-Can which I also highly recommend for you to try.
Phoenix Court
The Bellevue Hotel Manila
2/F Tower Wing, The Bellevue Manila
Filinvest City, N Bridgeway, Muntinlupa
Contact Nos.: +63 2 771 8181 loc. 2211
Open from Tuesday - Sunday: 11am-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm
