Char: A Roast Fest
Roasted meats are always a revered part of Chinese cuisine. From downtown hole-in-the-wall establishments to fine-dining hotel restaurants, roasted meats are always a-plenty! Personally, I have a particular weakness for roasted pork belly and roasted duck. These fatty little wonders serve as instant pick-me-up’s for me!
CRISPY PORK ROAST BELLY and SPECIAL CHAR SIEW (P650)
Thus, when I heard about Char, a restaurant which specializes in all things roasted, I just had to drag my family to try it out. The nice thing about its roasted specialties is that they come in different serving sizes. For both the Crispy Pork Roast Belly and the Special Char Siew; a 100g serving costs P150, while a 300g serving costs P450. You can also opt to bundle these up for a price of P650. The Crispy Pork Roast Belly unfortunately had more fat than meat. It was such a shame as it was seasoned perfectly, and each piece had a nice crunch to it. The Special Char Siew came smothered with a delectable honey glaze. The slices were tender and delicious; but they were also on the fatty side. If they opted for slightly leaner meats, this combination would have been killer!
ROAST DUCK (P650/P1300/P2500)
The glorious roast duck came with tender meat with juices overflowing in each bite you take! You won’t need much sauce to pair up with this tasty and indulgent main dish! Just looking at it makes me weak inside!
CHINESE SAUSAGE WITH DRIED SHRIMPS FRIED RICE (P220)
As the roasted specialties tend to be on the saltier side, you’d be looking for some rice to pair these up with. The Chinese Sausage with Dried Shrimps Fried Rice is definitely a perfectly tasty companion. The Hot and Sour soup is away to cleanse your palate. However, proceed with caution as it’s definitely the spiciest Hot and Sour soup that I’ve ever tasted!
BEEF HO FUN (P430)
The nice thing about this roast-centric restaurant is that they offer a variety of other dishes such as the Beef Ho Fun. As almost half of the plate is occupied by tasty slices of stir-fried beef, the P430 price tag for this noodle dish definitely makes sense.
GARLIC AND SALT PRAWNS (P605)
The Garlic and Salt Prawns seemed plain at first glance. However, you can never go wrong with fresh shrimps. The sweetness of the shrimp meat, paired with the pungent taste of garlic, and a sprinkle of salt made us order a second serving of this dish.
SPICY FOUR SEASONS BEANS (P300)
Ordering the Spicy Four Seasons Beans was supposed to be our attempt to balance out the other rich and savory dishes we ordered by loading up on some greens. However, the plate seemed to contain more meat than vegetables. I’m not complaining though as these chunky ground pork pieces tossed with chili and garlic bits were a delight to devour!
If you’re looking for an indulgent Chinese feast, you should definitely consider Char. Forget the traditional lauriat at Gloria Maris (it ain’t that good anymore anyway), a casual meal in Char is definitely more worthy for a celebration.
Skippable Dish: Beancurd with Dry Scallops (P260)
Char
2F Uptown Parade, 36th Street cr 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Date of Visit: December 24, 2016 with Wilson Chua, Lily Chua, Jared Chua, and Jem Chua
