It’s been a while since my family and I dined out for occasions as celebrations are usually done at home this pandemic. To make it a bit different, my sister and I thought of treating our family in a restaurant for Valentine’s Day. Although we don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day, this is a good chance to get together as a family. We have Northpark Market!Market! in mind as our first venue, but we decided to look for another one when we saw the long line. Upon confirming that Wangfu, Serendra is not yet fully booked, we decided to eat there instead.
It’s good to notice that restaurants in BGC are slowly recuperating from the pandemic and regaining their customers, but it’s still noticeably different compared to before. The waiting time in crowded restaurants in the previous years is something you’d surely want to avoid during this season but it’s easier to get settled given the lesser volume of customers this year.
My Previous Experiences with Wangfu
Wangfu is one of the few restaurants I frequent in Serendra. The food is good, and the prices are reasonable for its serving. We dine here during special occasions and ordinary days. I like the casual, laid-back ambiance of Wangfu compared to the other high-end restaurants in Serendra or Bonifacio High Street. The vibe is not too intimidating and the taste of the food is already familiar to my taste buds.
The Service
On a busy day such as Valentine’s, it’s surprising that Wangfu is very organized and accommodating when assisting customers. It did not take so long before we get ushered to our seats and they even initiated to get our orders in advance while waiting. The food arrived systematically and promptly. Meaning, we get to eat the soup first, followed by the main courses. The Dim Sum arrived last which was perfectly okay because we were already full with the main dishes. Water and condiments were voluntarily served by the waiter without having to call their attention. It was not a horror-like dining experience on Valentine’s Day, so to speak.
The Food
Wangfu is well-known for its Salted Egg Chicken and other Singaporean and Chinese dishes. It’s a favorite in the family so we did not miss ordering this. While retaining our favorites, we also ordered new items on the menu. Our orders consisted of soup, fried rice, chicken, fish, pork, noodles and dumplings to taste a little of everything in balance. Servings are good for sharing.
I won’t give a detailed description of each dish, but everything was good! Savory, flavorful, but not too salty or overpowering. They complemented each other in terms of texture, taste, and proportions. I love everything from the soup down to the Dim Sum. You can tell that the food is prepared with quality.
The soup renders an unusual greenish color, but the taste is surprisingly good in contrast to its absurd-like appearance. I also like Wangfu’s take on Yang Chow fried rice, compared to North Park. Northpark’s fried rice is a bit dry and some ingredients are hard to chew. In Wangfu, you can eat everything in their fried rice. I’m not a fan of pork that much, but the Salt and Pepper Liempo was irresistible for me. It was tender like chicken and the bits of garlic and chili added flavor to the pork chunks. I easily got bored with the Salted Egg Fried Chicken, but it was my sister’s favorite. Maybe you won’t get bothered if you eat it with other dishes. I also like Wangfu’s Siomai and Hakaw paired with soy and chili. As for the noodles, I’d go for Northpark. Wangfu is a bit bland for me but still okay. The vegetables of the Emperor Chopsuey were cooked to the right texture. The fish fillet was soft and not overly sweet.
A Pleasant Dining Experience at Wangfu
Although I have dined here several times, it was only during this occasion that I appreciated Wangfu’s good food and service. It was a memorable Valentine’s Day, even if it was spending with just my family.
I hope I can dine out more often like this.
Wangfu Chinese Café
Ground Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Phone: +63276252805 +639253213757
Diamond in the Rough 