358 – On The Mr. Ube Experience (Part 2)

Let’s pick up from the first part of this two-entry series.

The impetus for this entry came about while I was checking my Instagram archives for possible new posts. I previously posted my two earlier visits to Mr. Ube Rice and Noodle House, which made me consider a third trip. I then plotted out a visit to the Mr. Ube branch in front of St. Luke’s Hospital on Black Friday. I took a taxi to the hospital after finishing some bank transactions, disembarked right across the hospital façade, and crossed the street.

My arrival was timely, as the lunch hour was just starting and customers wanting to have lunch were yet to arrive. Medical staff and patients at the hospital frequently dined at Mr. Ube and bought various baked pastries to take home. This was the nearest and most accessible branch for many as its locations are mostly concentrated in Binondo – Manila’s Chinatown and the oldest in the world, being established in 1594.

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It’s a common practice for Filipinos who dine at Chinese restaurants to order one or two dim sum items while waiting for their meal. I stuck to this traditional practice and ordered two – Chicken Feet (P110) and Steamed Hakaw (P140).

Chicken feet are common dim sum picks, though I did not really find anything special about this take from Mr. Ube other than it was a previous menu item I ordered. The hakaw (har gow) or shrimp dumpling, meanwhile, was rather delicate that it easily fell apart when picked up with chopsticks. While the shrimp dumpling was good, the wrapper being stuck to the bottom of the bamboo steamer made things rather difficult.

I ordered the Green Milk Tea (P75 / bottle) to wash down the dim sum. This beverage is similar to matcha milk tea sans the pearls. I also happened to order this years ago, so I got it again for nostalgia’s sake. The green milk tea’s taste and creaminess helped cleanse the palate of the savory explosion from the dim sum. The only downside of this is the PET bottle it is served in.

Of course, a trip to Mr. Ube is never complete without the star of the show – the Salted Egg Chicken Rice (P210). As I mentioned in the first part, this dish consists of “chicken pieces deep fried and coated in salted egg sauce, with curry leaves cooked the same way mixed in for that additional texture.” It came with a glass of cold winter melon tea and a bowl of soup to offset the taste of the salted egg powder used.

A word of warning: People may find this too salty for their taste as it uses the powdered salted egg mix. But nonetheless, I found it rather delicious. While one cup of rice may not be enough for this, the chicken pieces themselves more than sufficed. The curry leaves also added extra texture to the tender chicken.

I found myself having a hard time finishing this one during earlier trips, but this time I managed to do so. I discovered that a combination of chili oil and soy sauce, a common dip for some dim sum, cuts through the overwhelming taste of salted egg. I then drizzled this combination from the shrimp dumpling I had on the remaining chicken – to much success.

The Crispy Lava Buchi (P80 / 3 pieces) was a fitting treat to cap off the meal. This Filipino-Chinese dessert is similar to the glutinous rice snack muah chee, but rolled in sesame seeds and fried. Unlike muah chee which is simply rolled in crushed peanuts without filling, buchi is typically filled with sweet red bean paste. Mr. Ube, however, replaced the red beans with egg custard.

The frying process melts the frozen egg custard filling, which causes the “lava” effect when one bites into the dessert. The custard was not cloying at all and had the right amount of sweetness. There was also a contrast of textures involving the sesame seed-coated glutinous rice ball shell and the “lava” custard filling – which made eating this buchi a delight.

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I’m glad that this visit to Mr. Ube turned out right. This trip also served as a post-birthday treat for me, and a much-needed break after being stuck at home for some time now. While this branch is the nearest I can visit, I need not go far to visit Mr. Ube‘s parent company Eng Bee Tin. The iconic brand has set up stalls in different malls in Manila – including SM Fairview, a mall near me.

That ends this two-parter. Until the next post, bon appetit!

Mr. Ube Rice and Noodle House
284 Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Avenue,
Brgy. Damayang Lagi,
New Manila, Quezon City 1112

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