Let me tell you a short story before I begin.
I chanced upon a set of unused pictures taken around the time when I was transitioning from my former job to the current one I have. Those pictures were supposed to be part of future entries I scheduled while drafting some posts. However, my laptop’s crashing in 2017 delayed any further plans for those.
Now that I’ve rediscovered the set, let me share it by means of this triptych. These were from restaurants I frequented back then; so, shall we start the trip down memory lane?
I never expected to visit MyThai Kitchen again after writing about it in an earlier triptych, but here we are. MyThai Kitchen’s branch in Eastwood Mall’s ground floor has been my go-to place whenever I crave Thai cuisine and I refuse to go far from my office.
One order of the stir-fried Thai noodles with shrimp (pad thai goong) accompanied with the tamarind juice (nam makham) easily fills me up. The tamarind juice’s tartness works well with the multiple flavors present in the stir-fried noodles. Another must-try is the pork and shrimp paste fried rice with green mangoes (khao kluk kapi), which pairs well with the creamy Thai milk tea (cha yen). The sweet and milky flavor of the drink washes down the shrimp paste and provides a clean finish.
There used to be this restaurant at Eastwood LeGrand Tower 1, owned and operated by an actual Turk. Döner G Turkish Grill‘s owner Chef Mehmet was always present, talking to customers and promoting Turkish cuisine up until the time he had to close. I’ve had the pleasure of dining there and encountering the chef himself during one instance.
He recommended the chicken pirzola, which was moist chicken thigh fillet marinated in a unique spice blend and grilled. It was served on top of basmati rice and had a salad (çoban) accompanying it. Chef Mehmet also suggested the traditional baklava for dessert, interpreted two ways: the traditional square and a pie slice. Both worked well with Turkish tea (çay), sans sugar as the chef told me. His reminder: “you eat the baklava upside down; the syrup is already there to make it sweet.”
Sincerity Cafe was among the stops I visited during a food trip to Binondo I wrote about some years ago. This small eatery has gained popularity over time because of local guide Ivan Man Dy’s food tours. Sincerity Cafe saw this demand, and started establishing Sincerity Express locations at food courts in major malls—starting with this one in Robinsons Magnolia. Many diners feted the original branch for affordable prices and large serving sizes, and these new food court outlets are consistent with these qualities. The serving sizes are big enough for two, or one hungry person.
The fried oyster cake and special kiampong (savory glutinous rice with peanuts) is a combination I personally recommend; the former is the main reason why foodies travel to Sincerity’s branch at the heart of the world’s oldest Chinatown. The eight treasures machang (rice packets with savory filling), another menu favorite, pairs off with this crab meat omelet I ordered on a whim.
That ends this triptych for now. Until the next post, bon appetit!
The Monching's Guide 
I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I felt like I was there at the Sincerity Cafe trying the fried oyster cake. Thank you for sharing.
Sure thing!