A Taste of China At The Queen City Of The South

​Cebuanos have been trading with the Chinese even before Magellan stepped foot on the island.  This demonstrates how deep the connection is between Cebuanos and the Chinese.  In fact, Cebu has its own version of Binondo, the Parian District. But one of the best ways to see the influence of any culture is through the food available in an area. Cebu is home to numerous restaurants offering authentic Chinese food. 

Cebu Capitol – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

The following are some Chinese restaurants located in the metro:

The Ching Palace

Chinese Restaurants – image source: The Ching Palace Facebook Page

​The Ching Palace is one of the go-to places when it comes to eating authentic Chinese cuisine in the Queen City of the South. Located along Salinas Drive, the restaurant offers a wide array of Chinese dishes that are guaranteed to tickle the taste buds of residents and visitors.

Chinese Restaurants – image source: The Ching Palace Facebook Page

​The Ching Palace offers roasted and marinated dishes, including the Marinated Beef Kenchi, Roasted Pork Spare Ribs and the Peking Duck. Salad lovers will not be left out since the place also has a good selection of hot and cold salads. Other menu offerings at the place include the Sliced Beef with Seasonal Vegetable Soup, Braised Shark’s Fin with Abalone Soup, and Ching Buddha Abalone Soup. Guests can also order a live Lapu-Lapu and Eel cooked to their specifications. Live lobsters and crabs are also available along with live shrimps that are prepared according to the tastes of the guests. 

Chinese Restaurants – image source: The Ching Palace Facebook Page

The price range of the menu items at the restaurant start at PHP170 for the Fried Crispy Bean Curd up to PHP800 for the Imported Fresh Scallops with XO Sauce. The Ching Palace is open from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM every day. For inquiries and reservations, you can get in touch with them through (032) 233-8833 or (032) 417-2988.

Harbor City Dimsum

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Harbor City Dimsum Facebook Page

​The Harbor City Dimsum is one of the homegrown Chinese restaurant Cebuanos have come to love. When the restaurant opened it s first branch in the nation’s capital, Cebuanos rejoiced since they do not have to go back home to enjoy the dimsum dishes offered by the restaurant. Harbor City Dimsum is the flagship of the Harbour City Dimsum House Co., Inc., which manages Dimsum Break and Ding Qua Qua.

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Harbor City Dimsum Facebook Page

​Harbor City Dimsum offers numerous dimsum dishes to its guests, including the Shaomai, Mushroom Shaomai, Steamed Chicken and Fried Shrimp Balls. Some of the best sellers at the place are the Vegetable Spring Rolls and Sweet and Sour Fish. The restaurant also offers a number of rice pots, noodles and soups.

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Harbor City Dimsum Facebook Page

The prices of the menu items at the place are between PHP55 for the Buchi and PHP165 for the Juicy Fried Chicken.  The restaurant has a number of branches all over metro Cebu, including Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, SM Seaside City and Mactan Marina Mall. The Ayala and SM branches are open from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day while the Mactan Marina Mall location is open from 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM every day. 

Mingnan Chinese Cuisine

Chinese Restaurants – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​Enjoying authentic Chinese food in the Queen City of the South does not have to weigh heavily on your wallet. One of the places where you can have a taste of Chinese cuisine without breaking the bank is at Mingnan Chinese Cuisine. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant offers authentic Chinese dishes at a very reasonable price.

Chinese Restaurants – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon

​The place offers set meals at PHP50. Customers can select from a number of set meals, including the Beef Steak Meal, Talaba Meal and Scallop Meal. In addition customers can also order a number of other dishes, including dumplings and lomi. 

Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is located along Plaridel Street Extension close to Santo Niño Church and is open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM. You can get in touch with them through (032) 511-8400. 

Tin Gow Restaurant

Chinese Restaurants – image source: waterfronthotels.com.ph

​If you are looking for Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine in the city, you can head down over to Tin Gow Restaurant at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. The restaurant was featured as the Best Chinese Restaurant for 2015 on the Best of Cebu list of Sun Star Cebu.  The Tin Gow Restaurant, which means heaven and nine, features menu items prepared by Chinese chefs and their local apprentices. 

Chinese Restaurants – image source: cebudailynews.inquirr.net

​The restaurant offers a wide variety of Szechuan and Cantonese dishes, including the Braised Whole Abalone with Oyster Sauce, Sauteed Sliced Beef with Spring Onion and Ginger, and the Steamed Eel with Black Bean Sauce.  The place also offers live whole Garoupa cooked in Soya Sauce, Garlic Sauce, Black Bean Sauce or Sweet and Sour Sauce. While the prices of the menu items at the place may be a bit steep, guests are treated to the best authentic Szechuan and Cantonese cuisine in the city. Prices of the menu items start at PHP130 for the Pork Tendon with Mushroom Soup up to PHP2,260 for the large serving of the Fresh Scallop with Cucumber and Jelly Fish.

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino Facebook Page

The Tin Gow Restaurant is located at the Gourmet Walk of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino and is open from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM every day. For inquiries and reservations, you can get in touch with them through (032) 232-6888 local 8607.

Grand Majestic Restaurant

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Grand Convention Center of Cebu Facebook Page

​Great –tasting Chinese food does not have to be costly and this is proven by the Grand Majestic Restaurant at the Grand Convention Center. The restaurant has become one of the preferred places for families to celebrate big occasions, like birthdays, weddings and graduations. 

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Grand Convention Center of Cebu Facebook Page

​Most of the dishes at the Grand Majestic Restaurant are Chinese-influenced, but it does have a section for other Filipino and international dishes. The place offers an eat-all-you-can buffet for its guests. The price for the lunch buffet at the restaurant is at PHP550 for adults and children above 11 years old while children between 6 to 11 years pay only PHP275. The dinner buffet price is PHP650 for adults and PHP325 for children between 6 to 11 years old. Children below 6 years old eat for free at the place. 

Chinese Restaurants – image source: Grand Convention Center of Cebu Facebook Page

​The Grand Majestic Restaurant is located at the Grand Convention Center along Archbishop Reyes Avenue. The restaurant is open from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM every day. For inquiries and reservations, you can get in touch with them through (032) 260-8000 extension 1109.