Barrio Fiesta: Ageless Pinoy Restaurant

Barrio Fiesta 
Ageless Pinoy Restaurant

The last time I dined at Barrio Fiesta was more than twenty
 years  ago when I stood a best man on a friend’s wedding.

 When a saw one at the Lucky Chinatown Mall, I was ecstatic
 as it brought a flood of nostalgia on how I pigged out like 
there  was  no tomorrow on Kare Kare and Crispy Pata

I returned this time to Barrio Fiesta as a married man for
 twenty two years with an adult daughter and a teen age 
son who are dining for the first time in this restaurant.

 

Being a lot older than my last visit, and as an endocrinologist

I had become more health conscious so I shied away from the

Original Kare Kare that uses unhealthy uses chunks of beef,

ox tail, tripes and ordered Seafood Kare Kare this time. It was

loaded with crabs, fish, shellfish, squids, vegetables and  bathed

with creamy peanut butter sauce. It was just as delicious as the

original version, the way I remember it more than twenty years ago.

While I was happy with the healthier seafood kare kare version,

the is no way that we could get a similar hale alternative with the

Crispy Pata. I initially thought it was overcooked but the meat

was tender and succulent and the skin crunchy. It was as sinfully

delicious the way I remember it more than twenty years ago.

Definitely one of the best crispy pata versions in the Philippines.

The Barrio Fiesta Laing was served with the taro  leaves

bathed in frothy, half-  cooked coconut milk. It was okay,

but it was not the way we do it in Bicol. We want our laing

cooked the way that coconut milk curdles with nothing but

the taro leaves bathed in the oil without the disgusting froth.

 

I initially didn’t like how the Sinigang na Salmon appeared

as the broth was not clear and had a yellowish blurred color

with sordid yellow flecks of what appears to be tiny blobs of

fat floating on it. One should really nor judge a book by its

cover as the grubby looking sinigand had the right degree of

sourness, it was tasty, nutritious and you feel warm and cozy.

The lucious Fried Bangus Belly was served in a hot plate.

It had tangy aftertaste of calamansi and topped with veggies.

Despite its simplicity, anyone would absolutely love this dish.

And of course, no Pinoy meal is complete

without Sago’t Gulaman, which serves as

a refreshing drink and a dessert as well/

Barrio Fiesta, an iconic Filipino restaurant offers

delicious Filipino dishes where  meals are freshly

prepared and cooked the Pinoy traditional way.

Hotel Lucky Chinatown: Comfortable Abode in the Heart of Manila

Hotel Lucky Chinatown
Comfortable Abode in the Heart of Manila

Hotel Lucky Chinatown l had

a concierge at the entrance,

…and one had to take the elevator to the spacious 
modern contemporary designed 4th floor lobby.

Check in was a breeze and the people 
at the front desk were friendly,

..and we were immediately on our

way to our room at the 6^th floor.

.
 

Stay

The Junior Suite

The Junior Suite is one had a moderately sized

living room that looked tired and melancholic as

it was designed with a gray, brown colors.

There was a huge comfortable sofa

which could function as an extra bed,

There was a round table on one corner

that could serve as a dining and study area.

 

There was a huge flat screen TV,

with superb audio/video systems.

It has a well stocked mini- bar,

 

 

...and  had high end coffee maker.

There were open closets at the entryway, and

one had to dress up right at the room portal.

The window had the view of

the Lucky Chinatown Walk.

The bedroom was rather small and basically straightforward
With the closet located far away by the living room doorway 
there were just two things inside - a comfortable king sized bed, 

 

…and a large flat screen LCD TV .

The bathroom was huge and could be accessed
both from the bedroom and from the living room.



...  and had abundant supply of toiletries.

 

 

There was a separate 
shower room on one end,

 

…and a water closet on the other end.

 

Connectivity was not a problem as

it had a free fast Wi Fi internet, 

There were two land- line phones,

the first one in the living room

…and another one by the bedside,

Stray

The hotel is located in theheart of Manila Chinatown

and had a direct access to the Lucky Chinatown Mall.

 

Right at the 4^th  floor lobby

exit is the Chinatown Museum,

 

…a National Geographic accredited museum,

 

…and holds the Guinness Book of world Record,

…of having the largest display

of origami lanterns in the world.

It is also a few blocks away from Divisoria,

Manila’s center for bargain shopping.

Play

Lucky Chinatown Hotel has no pool,

but had an excellent in- house spa,

 

 

…and a well equipped gym.

 

 

Feast

Café de Chinatown

Café de Chinatown is the hotel’s in house restaurant,

 

 

…that offers a decent spread of breakfast buffet,

…unfortunately it is only open for

breakfast and closed the rest of the day.

Zabana Bar

A hip bar by the lobby, and I observed 
there is always no one there 24/7.

 

The hotel does not have any option for in house dining,

and also does not offer room service, fortunately the
access to the Lucky Chinatown Mall.provides guest
unlimited choices to the awesome restaurants nearby.

-0-0-0-0-0-0- 

Being a Megaworld property, maybe I expected too much from

 Lucky Chinatown Hotel that led to a disappointment during our stay.

 

We were expecting for an awesome gastronomic experience

as it is located in one of the oldest Chinatown in the world

but the sole in- house restaurant was only open for breakfast

serving generic breakfast fares in the daily morning buffet.

I was initially excited of the location, being in Binondo, 
it is close to some of the most revered Chinese 
restaurants but the location itself was a disadvantage.

One would still be limited to dine at the mall

since venturing out of the hotel peripheries is

a gut wrenching, heart tormenting experience.

 

Right beside the hotel parking is the

polluted and stinky Estero de Magdalena.

 

Few steps away is the popular Divisoria
which was widely publicized to have been

cleaned up by the new Manila Mayor, but

by all appearances, Divisoria is still dirty. 

 

The street vendors may have diminished but there are too
 many homeless people residing in the sidewalks, who sleep,

eat, defecate and urinate everywhere. The repulsive smell of
 unwashed, the  garbage and human waste is unbearable.

 

Otherwise, the hotel the staff was
 helpful, courteous and friendly,

 

… the rooms were spacious and tidy,

 

…the bed was comfortable,

 

…it is however lacking with amenities.
and location wise- in scary environs

Hotel Lucky Chinatown is 'a- okay but' something

that I would not rave or crave for another stay.