DISCOVER BINONDO: Dong Bei Dumplings

Dipa ko naka get over for missing my plane to Tuguegarao a few weeks ago.I thought about flying somewhere in the country at least once a month for a year but the incident meant two consecutive months of no out of towns via Airphil Express.And since it's December, the month of Xmas related expenses, I thought about staying in Manila so as not to spend much.Another Hotel Staycation was in order-----this time, in RAMADA MANILA CENTRAL along Ongpin St.in Binondo.


We took MRT and LRT lines to get to Binondo Manila.I wanted to take my wife on a walking tour of some sort so we disembarked at LRT Carriedo Station, passed Sta. Cruz Church, Carriedo Fountain, Plaza Santa Cruz and the Third Welcome Gate (Arch of Goodwill) to Ongpin.My wife admitted to me that it was her first time in Binondo.Surprise ,suprise, she would later lamet to me (repeatedly) that the place made her feel she is not in the Philippines. Welcome to the oldest Chinatown in Southeast Asia!

Since Ramada is at the tip of Ongpin from the Third Welcome Gate, I decided to take her to Yuchengo (Nueva) Street first at DONG BEI DUMPLINGS.

 
Dong Bei Dumplings in Binondo

The restaurant is surprisingly small,maybe around 12 sq.meters of space for dining (and that includes a table where they make the dough for the dumplings by hand.It is a delight to see them shape and stuff the dumplings with chives or pork. This restaurant is not pretentious, the chairs are simple monoblocks and the tables are that of ordinary karinderya, the menu is even written in pink kartolina pasted on the wall.

They focus on what is important.FOOD.That's what you are here after all.And at Dong Bei Dumplings, you get the best dumplings in town.

 
STUFFINGS

 

stuffing with chives

stuffing with pork

WHAT WE TRIED

Dong Bei Dumplings with Chives stuffing 10 pcs for 80php 

(should have ordered 14pcs for 100php,sarap kasi,yun tuloy bitin!).I love playing with the dough since its boiled so the dough is really soft.(Malambot pero di lusaw). And once you bite into it, the chives flavor explodes in your mouth.

Also tried DONG BEI PANCAKE. 4PCS FOR 100php

(not your usual pancake) I thought it's the fried version of the dumplings we ate earlier.You can choose the same stuffing, Chives or Pork.I chose pork to give a little variation.Even if it's fried, it's not naka-umay.And the pork stuffing is nice on a fried pancake.The sauce is an assortment of soy sauce,vinegar and other secret ingredients.Works for both the dumplings and the pancake.You can add chili paste if you want it a little hot and spicy.

 Herbal Tea (in can) with the name WONG LO KAT ---maiba lang.

COKE LIGHT Lemon for my wife.

Our total bill amounted to around 250php.I didn't count the change.Good price for dumplings and pancake this good and a tea in can topping the "I-feel-like-I-am-not-in-the-Philippines"experience.I promised my wife it was just the start of a fun experience.

  

Dong Bei Dumplings with Chives stuffing 

 
Dong Bei Pancake
  
Chinese Herbal Tea anyone?

 How did I know about the place?Thanks to twitter!I asked people in my loop and many replied to my query for tip,among which is Doc Gelo, the famous blogger of http://docgelo.com/. He linked me his Binondo experience with Old Manila Walks of Ivan Man Dy.

 

 Ivan Man Dyof  Old Manila Walks (right)

At kung sinswerte ka nga naman!A few minutes upon arrival (niluluto palang orders namin), I heard of the staff lamenting 'parating daw si sir Ivan (Sir Ivan is coming)'.I asked one of them," when you said Ivan a while ago,did you mean Ivan Man Dy?".She nodded.Yes!I wasn't expecting to accidentally meet 'the' Ivan Man Dy in person.

I instructed my wife to act as if I didn't orient her.We were seated quietly in one corner when Ivan and his group arrived,just a few seconds when our order came.

 

What's good about them being around while enjoying every bite of our dumpling is that it felt like we were part of the tour.I told my wife to listen carefully to the information narrated in a lively and fun way.

I waited for the perfect timing and introduced myself to Ivan.I was surprised he remembers my name through Facebook.A quick chat and we were off to our hotel.

Our RAMADA MANILA CENTRAL Staycation was just about to start but our DISCOVER BINONDO Food + Heritage Experience has given us a taste of what's ahead!Binondo,I am starting to fall in love with you. :)

Will constantly update these posts as the others get published and link em to you so as you can follow the series easily.

Cheers!

_______________________

Dong Bei Dumpling Restaurant,

is located at 642 Yuchengo (Nueva) Street, Binondo, Manila.