Recently, much has been said about the newly opened Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe and believe me, I've heard nothing but stellar comments about it. So last night, I decided to drop by and give it a shot to finally replace the question mark with a period.
Front of restaurant. (Used my mobile phone to take photos. Sorry for the quality.)
Now, I'll be fair with this review and I really have to emphasize that I will be nothing else but that as what may come out here can be a bit saddening to those who were as excited as myself in dining at this new food establishment, given the almost unanimous praises I've been hearing. And as with other food places, there are pros and cons that need mentioning for Xin Wang.
Interiors
I'm a fan of minimalistic designs in any indoor setting. I've seen houses, rooms, kitchens, hotels, restaurants, you name it! I really liked how Xin Wang looks inside, combining earthy implements such as clean/bright for wooden panels reminiscent of
parasoleils, comfy simple chairs and benches, with a good wall contrast featuring fancy cartoon art, etc.
Really spacious--and clean!
If I were to judge by the look of the place alone, I'd be spent! I love how it looks inside, and how the ambiance even more. New establishments should take Xin Wang as an example of clean, unpretentious aesthetics.
Service
Sometimes it's not really the price of the food that people are particular about, rather, it's the quality of service. I went to Xin Wang to dine as any regular customer would: not expecting special treatment, not presenting myself as a person who had intentions of commenting on their food/place, not even as a person who was celebrating his birthday (or whatever special occasion for that matter). And yet, when I entered the place, I was greeted with smiles from the busy attendants (sounds much better than waiters, don't you think?) who were still preoccupied at the time. Now, that's something you rarely see even in newly opened businesses.
I was ushered to a table, for one, though I could've easily proceeded on my own. Menu was given, and I was served water while deciding on what to order. The staff at Xin Wang exuded courtesy the whole time I was there. They were very attentive and were more than willing to engage in a conversation with me and other customers.
There may have been a few delays after calling out to two attendants but to take into account the size of the place and all the other customers they were attending to, I'd say they did their best to keep up.
But really, what's priceless is the rapport between the staff and the customers. Made me smile. So, to the owners of Xin Wang, be good to your people, they're gems! :)
Food
Siew Mai, HK Steamed Mushroom Chicken Bamboo Rice, and Hot Ying yong.
Ah, the food! I've read in other sites that they were given good servings relative to the cost of the dishes on the menu. I ordered the
HK Steamed Mushroom Chicken Bamboo Rice (Php 195.00), a steamer's worth of
Siew Mai - 4 pcs. (Php 95.00), and the popular
Hot Ying Yong drink (Php 70.00).
I'm very much familiar with many bamboo rice variants and since I didn't know exactly what to get, I asked for their best seller. When the food arrived, I was surprised that for Php 195, the container was almost devoid of toppings. I have had authentic bamboo rice before which had bigger bamboo tubs/buckets, with toppings full to the brim, that cost somewhere between 10 RMB and 25 RMB (1 RMB = Php 6.9). I expected more from the dish after seeing a relatively generous serving in the photo shown in the menu. It's a best seller, costs Php 195, and the place is new. I guess I shouldn't have expected too much.
Disappointment was at an all time high, given that I had to budget the portions to fully finish the meal. I had about three thin slices of chicken, and two short stalks of 白菜. Now, where's all the fun in that? The rice wasn't really that special, except for the fragrance that went with it as you stuff bunches of it inside your mouth. But again, after eating authentic bamboo rice, it would take more than just fragrance to please me. Oh, and the
really small serving didn't help.
The dimsum was a different story. I loved the
siew mai and actually didn't want to finish all four pieces so that I can enjoy the food longer. The wrapping was perfect, the stuffing was juicy, and the flavor was divine. I originally hoped to try their
hakao but since I got there late in the evening, I was told that they ran out of it. :( Nonetheless, I loved what I got instead.
The drink was okay. It's not something I'd dream to drink everyday though. Maybe it gets better the more you drink it? As a hot drink, it was alright. Could've used a bit more sweetness but I'm fine with drinks that aren't too sweet.
Overall, I'd say I'm satisfied with Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe (新旺香港茶餐厅). What really made the experience worthwhile was the people. I'm sure there are other dishes to try but for last night, I tried only two.
They say that there's no such thing as a difference in food quality for a place that sets a standard for its dishes. While we always seek for the best sellers, we fail to consider that maybe other dishes are just as good or bad as the popular dishes. Sometimes it's because of this expectation that make our dining experience far from satisfactory (cough). Maybe instead of ordering the best seller, I'll try ordering dishes less ordered next time :)
Xin Wang, we're not over yet! I shall see you again soon, hopefully to finally try your shrimp dumplings.
