A Taste of Mandarin: Savor the Flavors of the Orient

Last updated on November 25th, 2018 at 07:32 pm

Chinese cooking is renowned throughout the world. Chinese food has a distinctive culinary style all its own. The emphasis is on fresh, seasonal ingredients, prepared with a minimum of fuss and beautifully balanced for color, texture, and presentation.

A Taste of Mandarin

A Taste of Mandarin is considered as one of the top Chinese restaurants in Cebu. This Gaisano family-owned restaurant  has been serving authentic Chinese dishes for almost three (3) decades. 

The Place

This restaurant is very spacious, ideal for large groups and gatherings. The red motif of the place along with the large round tables and elegant Chinese fixtures perfectly suits the Chinese appeal of the restaurant.

The restaurant can cater to more than 300 people. They also have VIP function rooms if you prefer a more intimate setting.

A Taste of Mandarin
A Taste of Mandarin VIP Function Room

The Food

A Taste of Mandarin has a very long list of dishes on their menu but during our visit we were served with their special menu for the day. Most of the dishes were new to me and I was thrilled to feast on them.

For our appetizer, what we had was  the Special Two Hot Two Cold Combination (a combination of hot and cold variety of food) and Seaweeds with Century Egg (a crisp jelly appetizer with a little bit of chili paste). These dishes ares quiet interesting since I never encountered them before. 

For the soup, they served us with Buddha Soup (a house special, a combination of flavorful ingredients (scallops, shark’s fin, chicken, pork, etc) and prepared in a special manner) and Dried Scallops with Mashed Pollonchai Soup (this is a hearty and healthy soup with a mixture of fresh seafood).

This is the exciting part, the main dish. A total of 4 dishes delighted our craving stomachs. Lemon Chicken (battered chicken fillet with sweet lemon sauce), Steamed Live Lapu Lapu with Green Mango (live lapu lapu fish steamed with soy sauce with green mango garnish), Shredded Beef with Green Pepper (a stew of the finest beef cuts mixed with green bell pepper) and lastly, the Patatim with Steam Buns (braised pork leg with thick sweet sauce paired with steamed buns).

Our main dish was accompanied with two (2) sets of rice, Pineapple Fried Rice and Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice. They also served us with 2 of their bestsellers, Hot Prawn Salad and Steamed Imported Scallops on Shells with Garlic.

A Taste of Mandarin
Bestseller – Hot Prawn Salad
A Taste of Mandarin
Bestseller – Steamed Imported Scallops on Shells with Garlic

To wrap things up, we had Mango Sago with Ice Cream and Peanut Soup with Lomaichi (hot peanut soup with glutinous rice dumplings)

My Picks

These are the stand outs among the sumptuous dishes A Taste of Mandarin prepared for us. 

Dried Scallops with Mashed Pollonchai Soup
I’m not fond of soups but this one is definitely a must-try. The consistency of mixed seafood and pollonchai really made this dish a ringer.

Lemon Chicken
The sweet lemon sauce really compliments the battered chicken fillet. For those who loves chicken, this dish is a meal must-have.

Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice
The incorporation of imported dried fish and chicken to the fried rice is such a perfect combo. The aroma is invigorating.

Peanut Soup with Lomaichi
Many would find this dessert peculiar and judging by how it looks, this is not much of an attention grabber. What I love about this dish is the mixture of the Lomaichi and thick creamy peanut sauce.  

The Drinks

The usual soda drinks are readily available. For a healthier option, tea, juices and shakes are also at hand. Coffee-lovers, don’t panic because they serve coffee too. For those who prefers something with alcohol, A Taste of Mandarin also serves beers and liquors.

Shop Details

If you wish to know how to get here or, better yet, contact them for reservations, here are the particulars:

Name of Business: A Taste of Mandarin
Location: Gaisano Country Mall, Cebu City
Contact: (032) 232 4845
Website: A Taste of Mandarin
A Taste of Mandarin Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Herbert Kikoy

Surigaonon by birth, Butuanon by heart and now an adopted son of Cebu, Herbert is a hobbyist photographer who focuses on Food, Sports, Travel and Festivals photography.