Authentic Hongkong Dining Style at Hap Chan Tea House

Team dinner at Hap Chan Tea House

Feel the classic oriental vibe at Hap Chan, one of the leading Hongkong Chinese restaurants in the Philippines. 

Despite its expansion from a small tea house in 1997 to a full-blown Chinese restaurant today with contemporary food concepts, Hap Chan remains committed to serving a traditional Hongkong tea house dining style where savory dimsum in xia long bao, rice toppings and light refreshments are the primary fares.  

Yang elements common to Chinese tradition furnished the establishments hemmed through warm interiors, earthly tone and regional Asian embellishments. They served a good selection of savory Chinese dishes that are quite familiar to Filipino tongue.

Hap Chan's concept of dining showcases the superior food quality and friendly neighborhood of a genuine Hongkong Tea house, infusing flavorful oriental cuisine served in traditional Chinese tableware pieces. The distinct flavors let you feel the warmth of the oriental culture.

This is a great place to experience the unique style of dining of a traditional tea house popular in Hongkong with xiao long bao dishes, flavorful toppings and oriental soups as the signature items. Whether you dine solo, or spend lunch with friends, loved ones and colleagues, Hap Chan has every option of meals for discerning diners. 

For a large group, they have party trays and barkada meals in complete sets of Chinese classic favorites and drinks. Its serving is very generous, good for sharing and budget-friendly. There's a wide variety of recipes in the selections to choose for every taste bud.

The rice toppings feature classic favorites familiar to a Filipino palate, sweet and sour pork, buttered chicken, spare ribs and sauteed vegetables. Each topping selection accompanies a free Iced tea.

Assorted cold cuts of five kinds

During our lunch out, we tried the signature dishes - buttered chicken, chop suey and spare ribs toppings. We also ordered the assorted cold cuts of five kinds - century eggs, chinese kikiam, tocino, fried pork and jellyfish with fresh cucumber.

I was intrigued with the jellyfish because I haven't tried it before in a meal. I thought it was a shredded gelatin, but it was fine, not cringey at all.

I also tried the Cachuy dumplings because I love dimsum in xiao long bao. It tasted like Japanese gyoza or the mushroom wonton of Din Tai Fung, soft chewy and flavorful. 

The menu and must-try dishes

Chop suey

Hap Chan offers an authentic Chinese dining experience with food selections popular in Hongkong restaurants. Some of their must-try dishes are the following:

• Sweet and Sour Pork or chicken fillet
• Sauteed quail egg with diced chicken and cashew nuts
• Chopsuey guisado rice toppings
• Fried spareribs with salt and pepper rice toppings
• Buttered chicken
• Fried chicken fillet with lemon sauce
• Cachuy dumplings
• Chinese classics like patatim with cuapao
• Braised chicken with sesame seeds
• Sauteed beef with broccoli
• Chilled Taho with Mango and Sago (dessert)

Budget for an individual diner ranges between Php175 to Php500.00 with drinks. Rice toppings are the most affordable, price range is between Php175 to Php190.00 and this has a free iced tea already.

Rice toppings best-sellers are chopsuey guisado, Salt and Pepper spareribs, Buttered chicken, Beef brisket with vegetables, Sweet and Sour Pork. These are available only at its Tea House express type of restaurant.

Sweet and Sour pork

I've learned from Hap Chan's website that they have three kinds of business designs, Seafood Restaurant, Full Restaurant and Tea House. 

Each offers a set of menu depends on the dining concept. For example the rice toppings are only available at Hap Chan's Tea House (like at a branch in SM lightmall in Mandaluyong we visited) and Hotspot selections like Beef Brisket Radish, Lechon kawali with Taufu, Minced pork with eggplant, are available only at its Full Restaurant.

Apart from the plethora of oriental favorites, I like the cozy vibe and quiet atmosphere of Hap Chan at SM Light mall branch in Mandaluyong, no unnecessary noises, no huge crowd. A comfy place to enjoy the classic Chinese-Hongkong style food while soaking into silence.