Eating food that's too hot has never been a problem
One of the things I was able to do before my parents migrated to the USA (‘Murica!) was bring them to the Araneta City. Well, technically it was still the […]
One of the things I was able to do before my parents migrated to the USA (‘Murica!) was bring them to the Araneta City. Well, technically it was still the Araneta Center then but I’ll be calling it as to how they’ve branded it now. Back to the story – they were amused after seeing the new look of the Araneta City compared to the Cubao they frequented when they were younger.
As for me, I’ve been working here since 2013 and in those seven years a lot has changed. The Cyber Park was still a hole in the ground, the Novotel was just being built up, and the New Frontier Theatre was still a rotting mass of concrete. One thing that has not changed in the area, that’s not as celebrated as say the Araneta Coliseum, is a little Chinese Restaurant on the corner of an aging building along Aurora Boulevard: Chopstick House.
I have been writing about all these restaurants in Cubao, even that underwhelming Japanese Restaurant, but I have never actually tried Chopstick House – until now. Just being honest here, the look of the place isn’t really enticing at the first place. It doesn’t look anything particularly special, and it’s also not as talked about as any of the similarly old restaurants in Manila’s Chinatown.
You’ll have to manage your expectations with this one. You shouldn’t be expecting top quality food from a quick service restaurant that has such a low price point. The Chicken Mami, which is just barely above Php 50, tastes like the broth was made with bouillon cubes and the noodles are definitely pre-made. The veg and the chicken slices added to it are fresh though, thank god for that, but the two main parts of any noodle soup bowl are definitely not the stars in this one. I focus on this as the Chicken Mami will be an easy entry-level dish for the Chopstick House, and it’s not fair to judge it just by this.
I can’t say the same for the Siomai though, another entry-level dish. This underwhelming and disappointing, it should be better. I say this because you can actually get better Siomai from stand-alone food stands, at a cheaper price. These did not taste fresh at all. It’s not a defrosted Siomai situation; it’s more a stale tasting Siomai one.
There are actually dishes that I liked, one is their Pork Asado. The pork is juicy to the point that it almost melts in your mouth – almost. However, the pork itself it bland and you’ll have to eat it with the sauce. The sauce, however, is a tad too sweet. Something else I liked was their Lumpiang Shanghai, however they had some inconsistency in cooking it. They were cooked to a golden brown the first time I tried it while the inside was juicy, savory, and slightly sweet even without the sauce (more about this later). On my second try, however, they were cooked browner than you would want them. The filling, though, was still juicy. Speaking of that Lumpiang Shanghai sauce, I wouldn’t dunk the rolls in it – they are too sweet (I guess that’s how they make all of their sauces).
Ruminations
To be honest, I can’t believe Chopstick House is still around. It’s never full when I walk past it, even at peak times. The prices are still crazy low for a restaurant in Araneta City, that has airconditioning, so near the Gateway Mall, the Coliseum, and the LRT. It’s also such an unassuming looking restaurant.
Their Fried Chicken is supposed to be a signature dish, but pictures of it on the internet (like on Zomato) does not really look appetizing. I wouldn’t suggest you actually plan a trip to the Araneta City to eat at Chopstick House. You’ll be better off exploring Cubao Expo if you want to dine and experience the old-world of Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City.
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