The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town

[UPDATE! Of these five, only the Shang Palace at the Makati Shangri-la is closed. For the rest of these restaurants, their dim sum lunches are still available. They are also open for dine and take-out orders.]

Metro Manila is spoiled for choice when it comes to good dim sum spots, ranging from small mom-and-pop establishments, to posh restaurants and international restaurant chains. But for an indulgent celebration, it’s hard to beat the combination of topnotch dim sum served in a luxurious setting that a Chinese restaurant located in a five-star hotel usually provides. Here, in alphabetical order, are my top 5 picks for the best hotel dim sum lunches around:

Canton Road

Canton Road at Shangri-La at the Fort offers modern Cantonese food with a touch of Huaiyang cuisine in a well-appointed, contemporary, Asian chic setting. Its refreshingly bright and modern dining room is the perfect venue for a relaxing dim sum lunch with family or friends. It also offers an extensive tea selection that goes well beyond tea blends that one usually associates with the bite size cuisine—a perfect match to its modern take on dim sum.

Must-try:

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 3 — Baked pumpkin, black truffle and chicken puffs

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 4 — Iberico pork dumplings with abalone and black truffle

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 5 — Swan-shaped taro puff pastry

Shangri-La at the Fort, 30th Street corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (02) 820-0888, dim sum available daily 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

China Blue

This highly-acclaimed Chinese restaurant inside Conrad Manila offers a contemporary take on traditional Chinese cuisine crafted by celebrity master chef Jereme Leung, regarded as one of the most influential chefs in the modern Chinese culinary movement. Its Instagram-friendly creations make it stand out among other restaurants. But the gimmicks do not detract from the quality of the food, as almost everything tastes as good as they look.

Must-trys:

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 6 — House specialty steamed truffle mushroom buns

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 7 — Carrot and pear-shaped dumplings

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 8 — House specialty black gold egg custard buns

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 9 — Deep-fried swan-shaped pastry puff with minced abalone

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 10 — Steamed chicken and vegetable corn dumplings

Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay, (02) 833-9999, dim sum available daily 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Lung Hin

Another worthy destination for Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine is the award-winning Lung Hin, located at the Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas. Originally from Hong Kong, dim sum master chef Wong Chiu Lung serves special dim sum dishes in a classy dining room that boasts a sweeping view of the city from the 44th floor. Make sure to reserve a table beside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that surround the main dining room and private rooms.

Must-try:

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 11 — Steamed shrimp dumplings with gold leaf

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 12 — Steamed pork siomai with truffle sauce

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 13 — Baked barbecue pork buns

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 14 — Steamed vegetarian dumplings

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 15 — Steamed abalone glutinous rice in lotus leaf

44/F Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Street, Ortigas Center, Pasig, (02) 720-7720, dim sum available daily 11:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Shang Palace (TEMPORARILY CLOSED)

This fine dining Chinese restaurant in Makati Shangri-La Hotel is your best bet if you prefer more classic Cantonese fare, including dim sum. Thus, it comes as no surprise that dim sum remains its top attraction, where it still offers the best dim sum lunch deal in town called Dimsum Plus.

Must-try:

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 16 — Barbecued pork pie

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 17 — Deep-fried spring rolls

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 18 — Spinach dumplings stuffed with shrimps

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 19 — Deep-fried ham shui kok

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 20 — Steamed crystal skin shrimp dumplings

2nd level, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Makati Avenue, Makati, (02) 814-2580, Dim sum Plus lunch available Monday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Summer Palace

This Cantonese restaurant in the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel continues to serve some of the best dim sum and Cantonese delicacies in town, making it the institution that it is today, and still a favorite go-to place for many special celebrations.

Must-try:

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 21 — Fried mango shrimp rolls

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 22 — Fried wontons

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 23 — Steamed pork siomai with shrimps

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 24 — Steamed scallop dumplings

The 5 most deluxe dim sum lunches in town 25 — Deep-fried crispy sesame balls

Photographs courtesy of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel

2/F Tower Wing, Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Manila, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, (02) 633-8888 Ext. 2928, Dimsum Breakfast available Sundays 9 am to 11:30 am, Dimsum Lunch available Mondays to Saturdays 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Photographs by Cyrene de la Rosa

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