Another week has come and gone, and summer is totally here! Ugh, the heat. Swimsuit season is looming but before then, we have to indulge in one final feast. It was my dad’s birthday last April 13, a memorable day as it was also when *I bought my first car! π I won’t spill the beans further on the latter as details might interrupt this review.
I hear bloggers and friends say all good things about Sincerity’s chicken. In fact, Sincerity’s chicken has been dubbed as one of the best fried chicken there is even before my mom was born. So we beg the question: How true is it that Sincerity’s chicken is the best tasting fried chicken recipe ever?
Review of Sincerity Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)
Ambiance: β β β ββ
Since Sincerity was featured many times on TV and magazines, people from all over the country covet a table at any of their branches. This restaurant has been blown up from its humble beginnings into one of the Philippines’ best.
Its ambiance in the Lucky Chinatown Mall branch is better compared to the oldest one in Nueva Street (also in Binondo). From the entrance, you could see the large collage of descriptions, pictures and testimonies about the restaurant. The dining area is L-shaped, while the rest completing a square is covered by the kitchen.
With the small space, it still can squeeze in about 10 groups of people; I would assume that it can fit about 60 headcounts. Not quite so glamorous, but no less worthy of entry in the “modern” category, the vibe here is best suited for casual family dining.
Service: β β β ββ
Service was okay. Since it was exactly dinnertime, there were many people in queue to eat in the restaurant. The waiter handed us copies of the menu and he took our orders before we were seated. Chairs were provided to the waiting guests. They merged the tables and brought more chairs to fit our group. Food came in fast and our water in glasses were quickly refilled when requested. I notice one thing that’s missing though: their smile. Their wait staff should establish eye contact more, smile and offer a friendly greeting.
Food: β β βββ
My first taste of Sincerity’s chicken (PHp 150 for half and PHp 300 for a whole) was with my office mates. This happened early this year when I toured them around the best places to chow in my hometown, a culinary destination they didnβt mind visiting. And Sincerity Restaurant happened to be one of my recommendations.
I don’t know why but I think that my initial sampling was better than this recent one :?:. The difference has probably got to do with the cook. While I had a good taste of its chicken in the former branch, this one was in Lucky Chinatown Mall turned me down. It was not only me but my family didn’t like the chicken served as well. It had flavorful, crispy and crunchy-coated skin and tender meat, yet it lacked something undetermined for now.
Treated as equally main dishes rather than uninspiring accompaniments to the other entrees, vegetables we ordered were Spinach with Garlic (PHp 160) and Polonchay Garlic (PHp 160). Both were tasty however portion of the servings were super small.
To add longevity of life, noodles cannot be missed when celebrating someone’s birthday. In Chinese, long noodles represent a long, unbroken life. We had fried rice noodles or Chamisua (PHp 140) and Sate Beef Chami (PHp 120), which failed the taste test. Sorry!
Following them were two pieces of sliced stuffed shrimp or Rellenong Hipon (PHp 50 per piece) and Fried Oyster Cake (PHp 140). Good thing these warm fuzzy sensations didn’t disappoint. The relyenong hipon is best devoured hot, else I don’t think it would be as delicious. The oyster cake (o-chien in Fooken) was done with a perfect golden brown color and sticky texture, filled with oysters, bean sprouts, onions then fried with eggs.
Price for Value: β β β ββ
While all food here don’t cost an arm and a leg, their prices are considered a little steep to me because of the little amount of serving. Also, I can’t help but think that my mom’s cooking of the fried chicken is by far still the best, no joke. Her version of the vegetables, noodles and the seafood dishes also won against all of Sincerity Restaurant’s offering. So why pay a restaurant this much when their specialty has lost against what we have, right?
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to the best, so eat here at your own risk! π
Main branch: 497 Nueva St. Binondo, Manila
For inquiries, contact (02) 241-9990
*Thanks to Uncle Peter for all the help and of course, the dinner treat. π
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
I’ve tried and been to their Nueva St. branch and i must say it’s one of my fave too! And the ones in Lucky Chinatown Mall… well that i didnt know they have a branch there too. Thanks for the insight on this! π
Visit some time and also compare the taste between the original and the new one. π
The timing could’ve never been more perfect. My cousin lives near Binondo and is coming over tomorrow. That fried chicken dish got me curious and I will have a taste of that no matter what it takes.. π
Hi Pao. π You can go with your kid. He might want a different variety of fried chicken rather than the common ones like Jollibee’s, KFC’s and McDonald’s.
A very honest review. Buti na lang sinabi mo na small servings lang, akala ko mura na. Nevertheless, since I go for Chinese dishes, try to dine in if magawi ako sa Binondo.
Yup it’s still good to try. π Maybe it’s just because we are so used to eating Chinese food that’s why we’re finding more spectacular tastes rather than the ordinary.
I have never tried eating chinese food. No plans yet. LOL! Well, I think foreign inspired restaurants don’t have bigger servings on food as much as we, Filipinos do π And sometimes we end up comparing food servings from such restaurants to native ones π
Yup comparing servings, taste, presentation and everything in restaurants can’t be helped nowadays. Yet there are so many of them in competition that is almost impossible to compare a restaurantβs operations with industry averages. The results will be often skewed, but at least we have our personal ratings that other people can trust (only if they want to).
Maybe your mom should put her own restaurant. Maybe I’ll risk eating there too.
Every encounter is a risk. π She can’t…but she wants to!
The size of the portions are usually a big thing for me whenever my family and I would dine out. Since we’re a big family (more or less 15), we would try any food establishment with both good servings and service. So I guess Sincerity would be the last one to try on our list.
This restaurant may be considered as a rather lower class of fine dining so expect to shell out more for your families’ satisfaction. π
The food looks delicious but if the price is steep and the serving small it’s best to find another restaurant I’m sure there are other restaurants in Binondo that offer similar dishes.
Yeah…still, Sincerity Chicken is Sincerity Chicken. That dish has been a signature dish for all these years and no one can ever erase that. Most people do love it; that’s why the business has stayed and has been running to date. π
I’m fond of Chinese foods, but no offense to Sincerity, but there food doesn’t visually stimulate me, somehow that’s explains when you said your mom’s cook food is lotta better than them. You should start a restaurant business now. π
If only we have the time and more guts to study about and enter the restaurant business, we will! That may just come in God’s time. π
The moment I saw the fried chicken platter, I am certain that this should be my next destination when i reach Binondo! im loving the restaurant’s name and the chicken of course!
The sad thing though is that their prices have risen over the years, so it’s not as good a value as it once was.
I’ve heard lots of good things about Sincerity, but haven’t tried it out for myself yet. I’ll make sure to try it soon though, but I’ll prolly visit their Nueva St. branch π It’s better to get a taste of their chicken from their main branch.
Yeah. I tend not to eat chicken but this place is an exception. Going to their Nueva branch is better. π
300 for a whole chicken is a little expensive for me .. but i must taste it as well to give my judgement on how it turns on my palate … i love the spinach … something i will look forward to try .
It’s not the most expensive chicken in the world or in the country so still it’s a good buy if you’re looking for something new and exquisite. The spinach was just ordinary. When you go to Sincerity, pig out for the chicken and the oyster cake. These two dishes are what get guests/diners streaming in.
I think I am already behind with regards to Restaurants in the Philippines. I haven’t heard of Sincerity. But judging from your words, I think this is something I should try when I get back to the Philippines. And price is also affordable.
You’d want to stay here when you’re back in the Philippines for food! Maybe next time you’d say λλ ν리ν μμμ μ¬λ!
Yummy food, I want to eat all on the photos. Binondo is one of my favorite place to eat in Manila. I love going to that place just to eat.
Rush down to Chinatown when you’re back in Manila, Tess. I would hope to read about your post on culinary adventure here. π
That oyster cake is really intriguing, this for sure is one of the best Chinese food if its already featured on TV.
Haha don’t expect that it’s a real cake but a sticky omelette consisting of oysters. π
It’s really bad not to have the same consistency of taste considering they are only of the same restaurant. It also usually happens here in Davao especially if they don’t have standards set.
Yeah. I think they are ready enough to find that consistency and implement it to all their branches. But I guess that really happens normally to a lot of restaurants. And some restos don’t only have different tastes but also different prices per location (depends on the owner).
I have not been to Lucky Chinatown Mall yet, but the photos of the food make me want to go to Binondo now! =)
That can be a wonderful culinary adventure for you. Opt to go to those restaurants that do not have branches elsewhere but in Binondo.
What an interesting restaurant title. I love to eat spinach and it’s as year that I didn’t eat that. Chicken? Ah it’s yummy when roasted. But the P150 price for half is not bad.
It’s okay. π
I can’t say no to any Chinese resto..
And I guess what’s lacking in the fried chicken is it’s wow factor..
Still, dining with your family… new car…
You muct have been a very good girl. π
All good things come to those who wait…and who are hardworking, persistent and consistent. π Haha whoa I can say to only to the price.
Anybody has te recipe to make the sincerity chicken?
We don’t have the exact recipe, but my mom’s version of butter chicken tastes almost the same as Sincerity Chicken (or even better, according to us). π
My sister has been raving about their chicken but we have yet to try it later today. I’m guessing it’s better to try the original branch than the one in Lucky Chinatown Mall. π
Yes, it’s better to try in the original branch. π