Where to eat in Sorsogon city? Since we arrived here a year ago, we have been scouring restaurants and cafes in Sorsogon because we are foodies at heart. The media launching invite we received was so timely because we are actually planning to visit Hawker Chan's branch in Sorsogon anytime soon. Hawker Chan is one of our favorite restaurants back in Manila because of its TOFU. It is certainly not the most famous dish one can think of in any Hawker Chan restaurants but heck, we are head over heels for it!
One thing we didn't like in Sorsogon city years ago is that there are very few choices of food. Think of the typical fastfood chains and some restaurants serving same-same kind of food. Thank you to SM City Sorsogon for bringing restaurants in our province that serve international cuisines.
Intro about Hawker Chan
Hawker Chan is a restaurant that originated in Singapore in one of the hawker places that this country is known for. It is not just another hawker stall but was once awarded the Michelin Star (1 out of 3 being the highest). It is the ultimate recognition given to culinary business around the world. Hawker Chan which is originally owned by a Malaysian who travels to Singapore to work serves Singaporean and Malaysian cuisine.
Get to know Hawker Chan Philippines 2.0
Dubbed as Hawker Chan 2.0, this restaurant has made some "retouch" in terms of ambiance and has even added more dishes on the menu. The plastic hanging plants, wooden beams and the minimalist style remain the same but I notice in the case of Hawker Chan Sorsogon - it is a bit bigger than the ones in Manila.
Present in Hawker Chan Sorsogon's media launching is no other than Mr. Eric Thomas Dee, COO of FooDee Global Concepts that own Hawker Chan branches in the Philippines. His company also owns the rights to restaurants that I have loved dining in Manila: Mesa, llaollao, Tim Ho Wan, Sunnies Café and Bench Café. The latter is the only one that I haven't tried yet.
He said Hawker Chan Sorsogon is one of the first 5 newest branches in the whole country that is version 2.0 along with Baguio, MOA, Megamall and Grand Central. The rest in Manila is yet to upgrade. We Sorsoganons are so lucky to be among the earliest to experience the latest offering of Hawker Chan!
Simply put, the version 2.0 of Hawker Chan Philippines is all about "affordable luxury". The prices of the food are just the same or slightly above higher compared to the big fastfood restaurant chains in Sorsogon but the overall experience is the one that they have invested further. When you dine at Hawker Chan Sorsogon or any Hawker Chan restaurants in the Philippines, it is like dining in a classy restaurant but you still go home without your wallet totally drained.
Hawker Chan Philippines' new additions on the menu
What is a total restaurant makeover if there's no addition of dishes on the menu? Of course, Hawker Chan knows that. See below:
- Poached chicken rice
- Roast duck rice and Roast duck noodle soup
- Char kway teow (Singaporean noodle)
- Stir-fry char siew noodle and Char siew noodle soup
- Soya chicken noodle soup
- Chendol
- Ice kachang
According to my sister, the poached chicken is tender and juicy which should be expected to any kind of good quality Hainanese chicken. The roast duck which she tasted for the first time was surprisingly delicious because of its soft texture. She is not fan of duck meat but now she is seeing herself eating some from time to time.
The two new noodles are very new to our tastebuds but we love it already. The Char kway teow (Singaporean noodle) is flat-rice noodles stir-fried with a different kind of soy sauce, garlic, egg, fishcake and bean sprouts. The Char Siew noodles is noodles with fork roast which means pork skewered with a big fork and roasted over open flames. I would say the first kind of noodle impressed me than the second one but one thing's for sure. The spices and flavors take me to Singapore really quick! You know we've eaten way too many pancit, lomi, bihon et cetera here in Sorsogon so it is really great to taste another kind of noodles!
Chendol and Ice kachang remind me of our local iced dessert, halo-halo and ice scramble. I have never tasted iced desserts that I did not like! It is also nice to eat a version of these with different kinds of ingredients but the joy is the same. Sorry, we forgot to take pics of these. We totally forgot. The Butchi of Hawker Chan is the dessert I didn't know I will end up liking as my only standard for this sweet sticky dessert is how the other fastfood chain does it which is heavy in the stomach and taste like it is made of flour and sesame seed. I didn't know it can be made way, way better and addicting for anyone who has sweet tooth!
Of course, I would still like to specially mention my personal Hawker Chan's old favorites of mine as someone who is on a plant based diet:
- Braised tofu with marinated egg and seasonal veggies
- Soyabean sprouts
- Fried tofu with apple slaw
- Laksa
In my own opinion, the tofu of Hawker Chan is underrated. No one gives a damn about it but it is super worth it! The Braised tofu is melt-in-the-mouth kind of. The inside is so soft and chewy but the outside is crispy. I also really love the Fried tofu with apple slaw. Who would have thought that tofu and apple is a perfect match? I have not tasted the Thai-style tofu they have. I think it is not on the menu yet of Hawker Chan Sorsogon.
I have been to Singapore myself and ate at a hawker stall. Laksa, a spicy noodle dish is one of the reasons why I will never forget my Singapore trip. The laksa in Hawker Chan reminds me of my trip there. The taste is very similar to the authentic one which is creamy and spicy!
Hawker Chan Sorsogon is located at the ground level of SM City Sorsogon. It is in front of Kenny Roger's Sorsogon. It is in the middle of KFC Sorsogon and Llao Llao Sorsogon. To view Hawker Chan's menu prices, check out Hawker Chan Philippines' Facebook fan page HERE.
If you want to see more restaurant menu, visit https://menuph.com now.
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