Hongkong Master Cook: Seafood Paluto Restaurant

I’m celebrating my birthday in advance, and I’ve chosen this fantastic Hongkong Master Cook Seafood Paluto Restaurant for my special day. My family alongside my siblings and intimate friends are in attendance at my forthcoming celebratory event, bringing the total to 13 attendees, it’s the perfect size for a large round table providing plenty of space for everyone to dine and interact comfortably. I made an advance reservation of private room at this restaurant two weeks prior, as it is often fully booked. Many patrons are coming to this paluto restaurant.

The gathering was scheduled for dinner time and as the host, I arrived earlier than the others to allow sufficient time to buy seafood before the guests’ arrival. I went to the Dampa seaside market located adjacent to the Hongkong Master Cook restaurant to buy fresh seafoods and handed them over to the Hongkong master chef for preparation. They weighed at the counter and informed them of my preferred cooking style. ( Cooking charges based on seafood weight per kilogram ) The restaurant then prepares the dishes which are frequently offered alongside other menu items..

Hongkong Master Cook Seafood Paluto Restaurant

Address: Seaside Market LOT 5-A MACAPAGAL BLVD. Brgy. 76 Pasay City. Metro Manila.

The Hongkong Master Cook is an excellent “Paluto” restaurant located within this area, where the seafood you buy from Dampa is prepared. The chefs, hailing from Hongkong and accompanied by Asian culinary experts, skillfully cook the seafood. They prepare dishes that are incredibly flavorful, showcasing their expertise in various cooking styles, and the chefs here truly create culinary wonders.

Dampa Seaside Market

Dampa is a well-maintained seaside market that is clean, where one can buy fresh seafood of all varieties. Situated in the Seaside Market on Macapagal Boulevard. On the other hand, Hongkong Master Cook presents a delightful “paluto” experience. The restaurant offers a distinctive dining experience where you can choose your seafood and have it expertly prepared by the chef.

Lobsters and Giant Crabs

The selection is super fresh, seafood that’s in season and freshness is essential. You can find all sorts of seafoods like Lapu-lapu, lobsters, prawns, eel, and crabs, usually kept in aquariums to guarantee freshness and that the crabs are alive.

Dampa Seaside Market Seafoods

It has a range of fresh seafood choices, I have observed that the prices tend to be high but worth it. It is important to note that the charges for cooking styles are based on the weight of the seafood, calculated per kilogram. The cost associated with the cooking style varies depending on the specific method you choose, and you will be charged accordingly per kilo.

Hongkong Master Cook Menu

The evening’s highlight is an impressive and stunning seafood feast. To start with, we enjoyed an overwhelming 14 courses to take pleasure in. It was an exciting seafood night. Now, Let’s get started!

Note: I failed to take pictures of the dim sum.

A combination of clams, fish, crabs, mussels, scallops, cuttlefish, oysters and prawns, along with our order of grilled pork ribs, the only soup served piping hot that evening was Sinigang na tanigue and a selection of dipping sauces. All cooking style are designed to accommodate various preferences.

Sinigang na Tanigue

We began our celebration with a steaming bowl of Sinigang na Tanigue soup. It smelled really fresh, and it was a delicious way to start our meals.

Crab with Salty Egg Yolk

Tonight’s favorite is this dish, Personally, I was eager to photograph this attractive dish and I was the first to grab the big claws when the platter arrived on the table.

Baked Scallops with Cheese

The classic seafood platter Baked Scallops with Cheese is a true crowd-pleaser and a genuine favourite among diners.This meal is absolutely delightful, it certainly merits a higher rating due to its flavour and visual appeal. It serves as a highlight for my celebration.

Steamed Suahe

This dish features mild and sweet natural flavors, and it is at its best when the shrimp are fresh, giving it an appealing and clean appearance. I can even detect the aroma of freshness. It’s super tasty when you dip it in Chinese black vinegar. I often make this dish at home too.

Steamed Shells with Garlic

Without a doubt, the freshness of clams is essential for an incredibly delicious flavour. Very good!

Sweet and Sour Lapu-lapu

The flavor is amazing; you can taste the freshness, which is the benefit of using a live fish for cooking. The only issue here > is that the plate used is too small for the Lapu-lapu, which is fairly large. The plate size is insufficient for the dish; a larger plate would have been required. Perhaps they must know that you need to used the appropriate dish for larger quantities.

Birthday Noodles

Birthday Noodles is the most significant dish of all. Whether you are Chinese or not, everyone wishes to live a long life. Eating noodles during important events, like birthdays, is believed to help people live longer. In some Asian cultures especially in Chinese and Filipino traditions. This practice is based on the belief that longer noodles represent a longer life.The common desire is to live a long lasting life…

Here is another concern: the noodles appeared overly crowded, similar to the Lapu-lapu dish. A larger plate should be utilized. The head cook ought to be aware of the suitable plate size for larger portions.

Tofu with Century Eggs

Delicious dish, a perfect combination with a slightly spicy flavor. Adds an excellent combo flavor to other foods.

Stir-fried Shells with Tausi Sauce

Two varieties of shellfish, each prepared differently, were offered. Clams make up the first one, and the dish above is known as bagongon or bagungon, a pointed shell.

Stir Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper

The tasty squid is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Just the proper way to cook, as meant to.

Inihaw na Liempo

Not too good for me; it’s just okay, I can prepare this type of food better.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

Eating takes more time because of the seafood being served. It takes longer since you need to crack open crabs and shellfish and peel prawns and other seafood shells using a picker, cracker, and our hands.

The “Paluto” concept is the core of the experience, where customers purchase fresh seafood from the Dampa seaside market and then choose a restaurant to prepare the cuisine for them. The restaurant I’ve selected, Hongkong Master Cook, is situated just next to the well-known Seaside Market, which is renowned for its extensive menu and delicious seafoods.

In addition to the paluto options, they also provide items from their normal menu. The restaurant can get very busy, especially on peak days, and service can be slow at times. If you’re planning to dine here, it’s best to come in a group. Going to Dampa seaside with friends makes it more enjoyable, as they can assist you in recommending and selecting the best dishes to try.

Following dinner, we wanted to keep our gathering going, to prolong our get-together so, we all headed to the next place for coffee at Starbucks on Diosdado Macapagal Blvd. It was a delightful early birthday celebration. We all returned home with happy tummy! Thank you Aay!

Note: Another issue to consider is that this restaurant is excessively busy, experiences a high volume of customers,The restaurant staff appears to be hurrying, which negatively impacts the quality of food presentation. Additional problems include the use of inappropriate plate sizes, as the food is overcrowded on small plates. Furthermore, the way the pork is sliced is inconsistent, and the toppings, such as the sliced boiled eggs on the noodles, are arranged in various directions, contributing to the overcrowded and crumpled appearance. On the other hand, some foods are beautifully presented, such as crabs and tofu with century eggs. I’m really hoping that the next time I visit the same restaurant, there will be some improvements. They definitely need to step it up a bit. It’s for their own benefit in business.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! Goodnight Fellas!