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What to expect at Lugang Café (sharing our Chinese New Year lunch experience)

March 19, 2019

Lugang Café is perhaps one of your best choices if you would like to indulge in a luxurious Chinese feast.

Lugang Café is perhaps one of your best choices if you would like to indulge in a luxurious Chinese feast.

It was a good thing that Chinese New Year is a non-working holiday in the Philippines, thus, giving us a welcome break in the middle of the work week.

Lugang Cafe plate and chopsticks

Ushering in the Year of the Earth Pig

We wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year in a festive manner so we decided to have lunch at Lugang Café at Glorietta 2. Lugang Cafe is one of the restaurants that we have had our eyes on for a very long time, so we took the opportunity to try it when we had the chance to do so.

We went to the restaurant a little past lunch time but, as can be expected, there were still a lot of people outside Lugang Café waiting for their turn to get a table.

When it was finally our turn, we were led to a big corner table. We flipped through the menu as soon as it was handed to us but we could not immediately decide on which to get because we were quite unfamiliar with most of the food items in the lineup. We wanted to taste almost everything but, in the end, we had to make up our minds on what to order.

Lugang Cafe's Steamed Pork and Shrimp Shiao Mai
Steamed Pork and Shrimp Shiao Mai
For dimsum, we ordered Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai Xiao Long Bao (Php298). We also got Roasted Pork Belly (Php 380), Taiwanese Omelet with Preserved Turnip Bits (Php 220), Spicy Garlic Fish in Clay Pot (Php 360), and Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork (Php 380). For dessert, we ordered Milked Custard with Mango (Php 190)

We also received free Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao (Php 258) because, as our server told us, our orders were more than a thousand pesos.

Here’s what to expect from Lugang Café’s offerings:

1. Exquisite Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao (or Xiao Long Bao) is a type of bun that is traditionally cooked by steaming it in a bamboo basket (xiaolong). It is also known as “soup dumpling” because it is filled with hot broth so it must be eaten with caution.

Lugang Cafe's Pork Xiao Long Bao
Pork Xiao Long Bao
Having previously liked Paradise Dynasty’s Xiao Long Bao, we were actually quite curious to find out what the Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai had in store for us so we gave it a try ahead of the other dishes. It was delicious and bursting with flavors. Our server pronounced it as “siomai” but it was very different from what we would expect siomai to be. It was not a compact ball of pork and shrimp. As a matter of fact, the filling was slightly loose and the meat was not finely-ground.

The Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai was served with a mildly sour dipping sauce. This Xiao Long Bao is no doubt good. For me, it is best eaten on its own as an appetizer, and not so much with steamed rice.

As for the Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao, well, it was how we imagined it to be – delicate, meaty, and filled with flavorful broth. Like the Steamed Shrimp and Pork Shiao Mai, it is best eaten on its own rather that with rice.

2. Scrumptious main dishes


Among the dishes that we ordered at Lugang Cafe, we found the crispy pork belly noteworthy and unforgettable. These are made of thinly-sliced pork and fried just right to give it a soft crunch. The meat is packed with flavors which made it enjoyable to eat. We liked this so much that we just had to order another serving.

Lugang Cafe's Crispy Pork Belly
Crispy Pork Belly
We also found the Sizzling Spicy Garlic Fish in Clay Pot as a must-try dish at Lugang Café. Battered Fish Fillet and chunks of tofu are served swimming in a flavorful and mildly-spicy sauce. This is good with white rice, no question about it.

Lugang Cafe's Sizzling Spicy Garlic Fish in Clay Pot
Sizzling Spicy Garlic Fish in Clay Pot
One dish that we have tried only for the first time was the Taiwanese Omelet with preserved turnip bits. The egg tasted like any regular well-seasoned fried egg. What sets this omelet apart was the addition of the turnip bits which were like chewable chunks of vegetables. I thought the turnip did not really add any flavor but at least it gave texture to the omelet. Think of carrot pieces in an omelet; that was how it was like. 

Lugang Cafe's Taiwanese Omelet with Preserved Turnip
Taiwanese Omelet with Preserved Turnip
We also ordered two servings of Lugang Café’s Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork. Initially, we asked for a plate of Fried Rice with Taiwanese Sausage but we were told it was not available. In fact, only the Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork was available during the time we went to Lugang Café.

Lugang Cafe's Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork
Golden Fried Rice with Egg and Shredded Pork
Lastly, for dessert, we were happy with our decision to get Milked Custard with Mango. Fresh, ripe mango chunks are served with milky custard which was like ice cream. This was a good dessert for capping off our meal because it was refreshing and with just the right amount of sweetness.       

3. Impeccable service and reasonable price


Service was fast and efficient, as one would expect from a first-rate restaurant. The servers were very courteous, accommodating, and very attentive.

Lugang Cafe's Milked Custard with Mango
Milked Custard with Mango
In terms of price, I was expecting our bill to be in the Php3,000-3,500 range but it was just over Php2,000. Not bad for the quality of food and service.

All in all, we were very impressed with Lugang Café and we can’t wait to be back to try its other dishes.

Lugang Café is also located at the following addresses:
  1. Fifth Floor, SM Aura Premier, C5 Road Corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
  2. Second Floor, The Block, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
  3. Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
  4. Third Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
  5. Ground Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
  6. Ground Floor, Robinsons Place Ermita, Manila
  7. O Square Greenhills, Ortigas Avenue Corner Wilson Street, Greenhills, San Juan City

Also read:

Lugang Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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35 comments

  1. wow so yummm foods.Thanks for sharing with us

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  2. Haven't had xiao long bao in a long time and reading your post made me crave for some. If we are ready to travel, we will try this restaurant. Chinese food is the best!

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  3. MMM I want golden fried rice and mango custard. This weekend we have family vacation, I cant wait to dine out and try new tasty food.

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  4. All of this food looks absolutely amazing! I would love to enjoy a nice, big meal with all of it. Of course, I'd share with friends!

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  5. Oh yum, all of this food looks delicious. I just love Chinese food.

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  6. These photos are making me hungry. I will have to check this place out.

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  7. Lugang Café sounds pretty amazing. I would love to check them out.

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  8. The food looks incredible. All those folds and twists to make it look beautiful! A work of art.

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  9. Oh my family would absolutely love all of this. Most especially, the Xiao Long Bao

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  10. Everything looks nice here, especially the crispy pork belly and Steamed Pork and Shrimp Shiao Mai.

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  11. We were thinking these days of trying new places to eat. Chinese is our family favorite and this Lugang Cafe sounds perfect!

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  12. Yyyyyooooooo....how do I get their crispy pork belly quickly? I like how it appears!

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  13. I do love Chinese food but can't find a good restaurant near me. This food all sounds wonderful.

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  14. Holy wow! I would stuff my face with all of that! It all looks so delicious!

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  15. This looks like quite an experience. We have no where like this near me.

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  16. Wow, that looks like a wonderful experience. All that food looks so amazing. I'd love to try it.

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  17. This food not only looks delicious- it looks beautiful as well. I’ve never had dim sum but I would love to try it sometime. Happy year of the pig guys!

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  18. It all looks delicious! Happy New Year!

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  19. This looks delicious, especially the omelette with preserved turnips. The milk custard with mango looks it was the perfect finish. You definitively enjoyed a very tasty celebration.

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  20. We love Chinese food and this is making me drool. I bet they're all delicious! -LYNNDEE

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  21. I have never been to any of these cities but these dishes looks really yummy

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  22. It looks you had a delicious Chinese New Year celebration meal! Having a delicious meal cost less than what you expected is a nice surprise.

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  23. These food photos are incredible. The milked custard and pork belly dishes look to be my favorites of these menu options!

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  24. Now THIS is Chinese food! I want it all!

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  25. I absolutely love Chinese food! I would also love to experience the Chinese New Year when visiting China one day! These photos make me hungry!

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  26. Food looks delicious love that fish and omelet and bun. so yum. Looks like you guys had fun there.

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  27. This looks really delish. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing ❤️

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  28. This looks really delish. Can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing ❤️

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  29. Some of my favorite food in one spot. Happy Chinese NY!

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  30. Like the way that you take pictures of the food and I would love to taste them soon. - Knycx journeying

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  31. Wow, that sounds like a wonderful place to visit and you guys looked like you had an amazing time there. All those dishes are quite delicious as well.

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  32. What a neat place to visit and celebrate. The bao sounds delicious and so do the other dishes.

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  33. Lugang Cafe has been one of my favorite restaurants. It's also memorable to me. There's so many things that happened when I dined in this restaurant several times.

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  34. I haven't heard of this place but of course I would want to try! That mango custard looks really delicious!

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  35. Oh wow! These foods looks scrumptious! Makes me crave at the middle of the night. lol

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