Eating is the best way to spend your money in Chinatown, Binondo, Manila. Planning for a food trip here? Then please don’t miss out on Hok Kee (η¦θ¨) Food Haus in Yuchengco Street (parallel to Quintin Paredes Street). Note I’m not a shareholder or a part-owner of this Chinese restaurant π ; I’m just a foodie turned new fan of their food specialties. Let’s see how Hok Kee Food Haus delivers its own spin on Chinese cooking.
Before I go on, however, I should apologize for the poor quality of the photos, which were all taken on my iPhone 4 camera. Because this dinner last Saturday was not at all planned, I did not carry my DSLR for blogging.
Review of Hok Kee Food Haus (Binondo, Manila)
Ambiance: β β β ββ
Hok Kee Food Haus is a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant that’s minimally designed. Plain white walls, clean tables, green and orange chairs, and a “vertically rectangular” area welcomed us. Bright lights illuminated the colorful photos of food posted on the walls.
A door at the back further brings more room to diners (yup, we were surprised). At one glance, you would not notice that Hok Kee Food Haus could accommodate up to about 70 people. Add the dining area on the second floor, which is currently under renovation, and this house can end up serving up to 100 diners altogether.
Service: β β β β β
Three staffs worked very efficiently as they greeted, mingled and served customers in quick paces. They were cheerful, the type that deserves to receive some customer service tip at the end of the meal.
Food: β β β β β
I’ve never read any review of this restaurant before, but we had a clue that the food here are generally delicious and full-flavored, thanks to Chinoy TV’s feature in one of its episodes.
One of Hok Kee’s most recommended dish happens to also be my favorite: Hok Kee Hot Shrimp Salad (PhP 310). Their version of the hot shrimp salad is very similar to Wan Chai Tea House and Uno Seafood Wharf Restaurant. Essentially, it’s a platter of skinless shrimps with fruit salad and mayonnaise. The shrimps were fried until just-crisp. The subtle flavor of the shrimps held its own against the other elements.
Next was another seafood dish: Hok Kee Oyster Cake (PhP 175) which did not scrimp on quality and ingredients. The “cake” was bounty with oysters unlike other oyster cakes served in most Chinese restaurants. In fact, this oyster cake wowed us. We were also suitably impressed at how the busy flavors of egg and veggies give one another massive amounts of flavor high-fives!
Perhaps everyone would love the Hok Kee Fried Chicken (Half, PhP 200). Perfectly cooked, the white meat was tender and moist. Taste was unpretentious and was even improved with the accompanying gravy. The chicken skin brought a satisfying crunch and crisp which was just so good! Oh, we could forget about being allergic for one moment.
The Kiampong (Chinese Rice Casserole or ιΉΉι£―) was not transcendentally good; it was okay. It’s pretty close to the kiampong prepared in Buddhist temples. It was saddening that this bowl of sticky rice did not contain any shiitake mushroom I was expecting.
Desserts options on the menu are quite limited, so your meal may seem to finish rather abruptly. Chances are, by the time you are done eating, you’d be full and leave happy anyway.
Menu (and my sister behind ^_^):
Price for Value: β β β β β
If there’s any Chinese restaurant that should draw you into coming to Chinatown and trying out the best of Chinese food, Hok Kee Food Haus must one of them in your list of destinations. Prices are decent and reasonable for the quality of tastes. They are especially fair if you’re more accustomed to prices of food in highly commercialized places. Serving sizes are generous. (One order is enough to feed two to three.)
Unsure of what to get? Follow ours or follow your noseβyou’ll smell delicious food in other tables and before you know it, you’re already sold, craving for their food over and over again. π
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
This would help people decide if they wna eat here or not! Nice one!
Thanks. π
Wish I lived nearby to try it!
Even if we live in Chinatown, it was just our first time to see this restaurant last Saturday. Schedule a trip here and I promise it’d be worth it. π
We love Chinese food, and since we rarely go to Chinatown, I think we have to try this restaurant! I’ll order the Hot Shrimp Salad!
The Hot Shrimp Salad is a good course to try. π
Wow, the presentation of the food from a hole in the wall restaurant was impressive. I love the unplanned, let’s go out to eat. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome. We’re happy that my mom asked us to eat out that night because we were so hungry at home! π
The layout of the place looks simple yet really clean and the food looks really delicious. This is so near your house, right?
Yes, it’s like 15 minutes of walking distance away. π
You should be here more often Roch to try the other dishes.
My mom would want to eat here more often. π
I think the minimalist design can reduce a lot of cost and make the food more affordable.
You’re right. π In a few years, maybe they can invest in renovating and redesigning the space to attract more customers. There’s a lot of room for improvement.
I think that’s a good way to go and let the improvements come in as the business grows.
The management should just be aware of customer reviews and responsive enough to make those nice changes. π
Everything looks so delicious, I;m hungry already ^_^
Maybe you want to visit Chinatown and arrange a food trip here with your friends and family. π
I love the look of the restaurant and the food looks really good.
The look of the restaurant is fine as long as the food it serves are clean and tasty. π
The Hok Hee Food Haus looks awesome! The menus is massive. I just went and are Chinese last week. It was delicious!
Wow. Good to hear you like it. π
Chinatown is filled with amazing restaurant, I love those foods and the environment.
The neighborhood here in this street is quite quiet compared to the ones that are near Ongpin.
Ughhh! They all look so yummy!
They are very delicious. π
Oooooohhhh looks so good! I love Chinese food, and I have been wanting to visit Chinatown just to eat. Should really make the trip soon.
Yup, you should! Bring a lot of friends along so you would enjoy more variants of food, else be prepared to come back home with a bigger tummy. π
I love your photos!! The food looks so yummy!!!
I myself didn’t like the pictures here ugh anyway, thanks for the appreciation, Leira hehe. π
The place is neat and clean. I like to eat there the surrounding is fresh in eyes because of simple design π
This place is very well maintained and peaceful inside. It’s like an oasis amidst the chaos of bustling Chinatown in Manila. π
You do not need to apologize for your photos because they are taken very nice as I can clearly see them and how I love the foods you posted and also looking at the place it seems like a regular carinderia which gives me the feeling that my money will get most of the food that I love to eat.
Hehe thanks. That’s also what we thought of the price for value so I ranked it high enough.
We love Hot Shrimp Salad and their version looks delicious.
You can’t go wrong when you order it. π
I do hope I get to visit this restaurant soon.
Bring your family and maybe you can adapt some recipes that you’d share in your blog as well. π
It’s amazing. I used to live in Binondo but I have no idea this place existed. I’ll drag my friends here when I go visit them in Binondo again.
I think this restaurant opened only on the late quarter of 2013, and the location is not quite showing as it’s on a small street lang. Yes, sure, invite them. π
oh wow, looks great and they have quite a selection on their menu~!
Here you will find an affordable tasty Chinese food variety. π
All that food look great. Really makes me want Chinese food right now.
Their cooking concept is less oil and less salt but always healthy. Your taste buds will awaken as you experience flavors you’ve never had before as you eat REAL food and not grease.
I am a huge fan of oyster omelette (Singapore and Taiwanese style) however i’m curious about this oyster cake! Wonder if i’ve tried it before and we just have a different name for it *LOL*. I love oyster anything (except raw) so i think i’m gonna love it *drool*!
Their version of the oyster cake reminds me of my mom’s cooking so that’s definitely a hit for our taste buds. When you try it, I’m sure you’re also gonna love it. π
Simple and decent place! And the food looks yumm!!
Yes, this Chinese restaurant in Binondo passed with flying colors. π
This is another great review coming from you.Great job as always!
Aww thanks, Leira. π
The hubby and I have been planning for years to go on binondo food hopping but haven’t really gotten our lazy feet to do it. Will take note of Hok Kee Food House, in the event that we got to squeeze this in. π
Prepare to be in for a pleasant surprise. There are really many good courses to try!
Amazing Pictures and the fried chicken looks so good. I love trying new foods. I definitely wouldn’t mind try this out if it was closers to me. Thank you for the review.
You’re welcome. Hok Kee (meaning lucky in Chinese) is a lovely addition to the neighborhood. π
The food looks amazing! I would LOVE to try the Hok Kee fried chicken!!
Good choice! The picture alone is already tempting. π
Believe it or not, I’ve never been to Binondo but if I do get there someday, I’ll be sure to stop by Hok Kee. π
I know several people who have not come down to Binondo but who have always wanted to visit. Proximity from their homes is the top reason why they’re hesitant to take the mile. Hehe yeah, of course, you’re always welcome here. π
I liked the fried chicken and shrimp…nice place to dine. Even in Binondo area, it looks classy.
The place looks decent and the food didn’t have the frills. Presentation was simple but taste was really good.
I love the color combination of chairs,that red and green is looking great.The foods are looking delicious too as always π
Often, red and orange are colors that are associated with food. Green and orange make a pretty good combination as well. π
yes,absolutely agree with you in this matter.
I’ve read somewhere that colors tackle the psyche. Red, for instance, stimulates hunger. It increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and the result is that you’ll go on impulse eating.
That hot shrimp salad certainly caught my attention. Oh well, anything with shrimp always does. Hope to taste it really soon.
I’m guessing your favorite food must be shrimp! Order that and you will definitely leave happy. π
You showed me my favorite dish — Oyster Cake!!! Hope i get the chance to visit Chinatown to eat again. It has been too long.
Wahaha yeah you should do that. I don’t know when you had last visited Chinatown. Sounds like a long time now. I tell you, there are many new establishments that are good to go to. Wee I’m excited for you. It’s like going to a trip down memory lane. π
Ui!! The shrimp saladdd waaaaaaa hashtag drool!!! *** LOL!!! If only I live near by.. I so love going to resto like this…
hehehehehehe
Hi Mr. Jeng! π Hope you’re doing fine! Oh well, Hok Kee does not have branches in other places thus far. Give it a short visit when you go to downtown Binondo. π
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The Hok Hee Oyster Cake and Shrimp Salad looks grand! Had to try it out sometime.
They’re really nice. Even my mom was impressed. π
I tried some popular restaurants in Chinatown – totally savory and delicious! We’ll try this resto once we drop by there π .
Yup, for sure, you’d love it here. Be pleased with affordable and decent food on your table.
Hok Hee Food Haus looks a really nice place to eat and hangout with family or friends.
The atmosphere is laid-back. You can hang out here for hours without feeling bothered. π
i am not sure if i have been to this place before but it sure looks familiar. we ordered fresh lumpia at that time as we arrived there late in the afternoon after checking out the Chinese New Year festivities and looking around. I would love to go back one day soon.
Dining here is a safe bet after a tiring day spent celebrating CNY. π