Wok Inn

Published On 9/03/2012 By Anonymous

Sipa - Php 95.00

We stayed up late during our night out and therefore woke up late the next morning. We woke up a little past 9am, freshened up quickly, and then headed to the hotel's restaurant for our breakfast buffet.

After breakfast, we headed to the Our Lady of Remedies Parish (Malate Church) to hear the 12pm Sunday mass.

Our Lady of Remedies Parish (Malate Church)

After the mass, we decided to head again to Robinsons Place for lunch. But as we were walking along the Remedios street Mark saw Wok Inn which was just across the Malate Church. The place was still packed with diners even at 1:30pm. We got curious about the place and decided to try it out.

Upon entering the restaurant the whole place, as we initially saw from the outside, was packed with families, groups of friends, and different sorts of folks enjoying their lunch.

The staff welcomed us and instructed us to place our orders first since there were still no seats available when we arrived. We headed to the cashier section to ask for the menu and the staff told us that they don't have one and directed us to the far end of the restaurant where there is a display of food.

We initially thought that there were cooked food in the display but we were surprised to see a display of different raw meat, seafood, veggies, and noodles. Mark and I were very clueless and we kept on giggling at each other as we didn't know how to order and what to have. We also kept on looking at each diners' tables to check out what they were having for lunch. Luckily a staff noticed us and asked us for our orders. We again asked for the menu and were told that they don't have any.

Ordering in Wok Inn is quite unusual since they don't have a menu. The staff told us to just choose something from the display and we can go by however we want our meal cooked. This really took both Mark and I by surprise. Good thing the staff was very helpful and suggested to us their house specialties. Whew! :p

Since Wok Inn, as what I observed from the restaurant's sign and the decors, is a Chinese restaurant, yang chow fried rice must be present and so Mark and I got an order of it. This is the only food that we're sure of! Haha! :p The serving was very generous it can actually be good for 3-4 persons. It is very appealing with its mixture of colors from the spring onions, carrots, eggs, and pork bits. It was not too oily and was seasoned just right.

Yang Chow - Php 100.00

For the veggies, the staff suggested their mixed veggies and a lot of other dishes. We didn't really got everything that she said and just settled for the mixed veggies. Another generous serving, Mark and I both loved this dish. The veggies still maintained that crunch and the sauce had that sweet, sour, and salty blend. Their mixed veggies also had tofu. :D

Mixed Veggies - Php 95.00

The staff also suggested their best-sellers like grilled stuffed squid and buttered chicken. Mark and I chose the latter. If there's one thing that I noticed about Wok Inn, it's the generous serving of food. Our buttered chicken had 6 huge chicken wings and thighs. The dish was okay, the chicken had the right amount of seasonings, the skin was crunchy and the meat was tender. It wasn't a show stopper though.

Buttered Chicken - Php 200.00

I asked the staff if they have dimsum and she said a dish with a name which I didn't quite understand. Wasn't sure if I heard sipa or sinipa, but I'm sure I heard that that it has pork and it's deep-fried. While taking a photo of the dish, I figured that what I heard the staff said was Sipa. The name, obviously, came about because each piece was made to look like a "sipa" which used to be a popular game among children before the dawn of iPad, Xbox, PS3, and the like.

Sipa - Php 95.00

Wrapped in wanton wrapper and deep-fried, these babies with sweet and salty ground meat filling, turnips, carrots, and a distinct Chinese flavor were just awesome. I am not sure what else is inside, the consistency of the filling was kind of slimy, but this dish is a must try! Mark and I both loved it! It also comes with a dip, which I think is a combination of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar, which made the Sipa more delectable.

Even when we were done eating, there were still a lot of diners coming in and waiting for their tables. Mark and I just can't help but be amazed as how Wok Inn does that. :p Mark and I enjoyed our lunch and were all ready to pay for about a thousand pesos worth of lunch, but we were surprised when the staff handed us our check. Our entire lunch was less than Php 600, and that includes a can of soda and pineapple juice, plus bottled water. :D

Wok Inn is just a simple restaurant without any grand furniture and fixtures. But the place is well-lit, clean, and air-conditioned. They kept their business simple, not being swayed by the technological advancements and the modern world, and was still able to keep up with the competition. Their superb service and affordable and good food are what I think really kept the business alive and kept the people coming back. :)

WOK INN