MODERN SHANGHAI

You may be surprised (or don't care really) to know that even if we L-O-V-E food (mind the capitalizations there) we could get VERY sentimental (read - old fashioned) when it comes to our meals.

For example....  We may be anywhere from Monday to Saturday, but come Sunday, we SHOULD only eat with my parents for family lunch. If we do not eat with our family on this special day, something feels lacking as if we were not able to accomplish something at the end of the week.

Another would be our spousal habits in eating our grub that the other one has already kept in mind.

For Yub Eric : "ALL vegetables on the side, no catsup, no mustard, no pickled relish, no vinegar, no sour tomato sauce, no weird spices (e.g. cayenne, curry), no fresh or dry herbs (e.g. lemongrass, basil, mint)..... To sum it up just want meat and the chosen carbs.   Period."

For Jazmin (me) : "No ginger. "

Yup that is it. You may judge me that ginger is just one small item in a big bowl of, let us say, congee, but I am not exaggerating on how much I hate it. When a small bite accidentally gets into my mouth, I would really fume and be very angry. Trust me, you won't like me when I'm angry. A meal would be done in an instant. That is how I hate it.

There are MILLIONS more of how we particularly take our food but one that I most remember now is how we would always prefer eating in the dingiest places like what they have in Binondo to get our greasy Chinese food since we feel we are having the authentic grub at a cheap price.  We love everything dingy, greasy, oily, saucy but it should still be light on the pocket!

But somehow, a bit of that changed after we dined at MODERN SHANGHAI.

It was during that late lunch that we somehow became a convert. And W-O-W! 

MODERN SHANGHAI for the MODERN Chinese stalker guy?

Before we even entered MODERN SHANGHAI, our mouths already watered with the colorful pictures of their grub. So we will be taking... that... that.. and that.

But these guys also caught my attention as they were busily (and lovingly.. really!) wrapping, tossing, and cutting up all the Xiao Long Bao, noodles, and dimsums what have you, to be served at MODERN SHANGHAI.

They were so focused on their work that they did not mind us taking pictures and ogling at them through the glass window.

"How YOU doin noodle guy?"

Like I said, these chefs were very dedicated and concentrated on whipping up the best ingredients for MODERN SHANGHAI'S dishes. So this dude did not even take a millisecond to look at the hot, sexy, gorgeous girl waving at him with that enticing smile.

Noodle Guy (thinking) : "I'll look at the hot, sexy, gorgeous, girl when I DO see one." 

Why you!

But kidding aside, tried as I might, this noodle guy was intent on finishing this order in a jiffy but making sure he kneaded and pulled on everything properly. Now this, just  piqued my curiosity even more.

MODERN SHANGHAI! Hi!!

MODERN SHANGHAI is the newest Chinese baby of THE BISTRO GROUP and just in case you have been stuck in a faraway island for most of your life, they are the ones who bought you all time resto favorites such as T.G.I.FRIDAYS (See our pig out session there, HERE!!!!), Italliani's, Fish and Co, Flapjacks, Bulgogi Brothers... and so much more. 

These restaurants are famous for their great food and warm service so I became this curious little kitty who wanted to see what is in store me/us.

As we were being led to our table I admired the interiors and the wide open space. Everything just seemed so comfortable that for a minute, I became skeptical.

If a place was this nice, how could it possible serve the authentic Chinese grub we were so used to in Binondo or Chinatown?

Function Room for all of your privvy... functions? He he he he!

Our little cozy booth....

My husband putting up his best "I am reading the meynuh candid look".

Sorry it is a fail my dear husband. Your nostrils are flaring.

The MODERN SHANGHAI meynuh...

The MODERN SHANGHAI meynuh and the disgrace I have to live with every single day.

He he he he! Kidding!

Before dining at MODERN SHANGHAI, I checked the reviews online and what I got most were rants that service was horrible. 

It was so bad that even though they liked the food, the awful service left a horrible taste in their mouth (pun sorta intended).

According to Ms. Lisa Lim-It, Operations Director, they did receive many complaints regarding the service of MODERN SHANGHAI during their soft opening. But she was proud to say that since then, they have studied the possible causes of the problem and worked on it. 

But looking and stalking at our neighbours, I saw how very attentive the waiters were.

Just a second of holding up your finger to get their attention, a server would almost run to you with a smile.

They were also very enthusiastic in mentioning their specials for the day....

... and explaining the menu to their hungry diners.

That is a big plus since I hate clueless waiters in other restaurants. I remember that I recently ate at this restaurant and had this very soulful conversation with one of the servers.

Me : Hi, what is the Beef in Special Sauce?

Waiter : Ma'am that is a beef with a special sauce.

Me: What does it taste? Salty? Sweet? Sour?

Waiter : Yes mam!

Me: So which is it?

Waiter : Uh... wait mam i'll ask the Manager.

Uuuuh - kay.

We were very much looking forward to tasting MODERN SHANGHAI's Xiao Long Bao because I have heard raves about it in other blogs. 

I loved how they provided a step by step tutorial on how to fully enjoy these soupy babies.... Like the dutiful gal that I am, I plan to do everything to a T!

As for my husband, he was planning to just lick, shoot, and suck! Ha ha ha ha!

Hello there hot and steaming MODERN SHANGHAI Xiao Long Baos (P198.00)!!!

You could tell that we will be in for such a treat since I immediately eyed the middle Xiao Long Bao which was about to pop with all that soup!

Luckily the wrapper was very strong and held up all the goodness inside without a single drop wasted. The  server kindly reminded us that to further ensure that the wrapping won't tear out, we should wait at least 30 seconds upon serving. 

But... We... Can't... Wait... That... Long....! We are not gifted with humanity's patience!!

And so we proceed to attack MODERN SHANGHAI's soupy dumplings.

As I predicted, my husband did not go through the tutorial and just shoved everything in his mouth (I eyed that he had some tears in his eyes probably due to the hot soup inside the Xiao Long Bao... har de har har)

Besides the tears, his eyes did lit up as he savored everything in his mouth. I knew that he loved MODERN SHANGHAI'S Xiao Long Bao when he placed 2 more pieces on his plate without even offering me one.

Why you @#$%!!

As for me, I followed everything that was on the card and was wondrously delighted with the savory taste of the soup and meaty dumpling inside. 

And lo and behold, even though I LOATHE ginger, I was surprised that I LOVED how the tender crunch and mild spice of the root crop complemented MODERN SHANGHAI's Xiao Long Bao. 

I found it weird that I spooned over some more shredded ginger on my mini-saucer.

(Yep, everything is conveniently within your reach from the vinegar, sauce, to my new found friend ginger!)

Besides the Xiao Long Bao, I was in the mood to slurp on something that would warm my whole hungry self up. We were recommended to try MODERN SHANGHAI's Spicy and Sour Soup Shanghai Style (P98.00).

When they served the soup, at first I was worried that my husband might not like this since it had vegetables and a far cry from the instant nido soup which he (weirdly) loved.

But here is another first for him. Never mind that it was filled with vegetables and meat... Never mind that it tasted sour and spicy... Never mind that it had an abundance of colors rather than the usual white of nido soup...

After one slurp, my husband exclaimed (or shouted rather in falsetto) "Ang sarap!!!" ("It's delicious!!!").

He he he! Kidding about the "falsetto" part but I really remembered how he loved his soup which meant I cannot have his share.

I underestimated your weakness Chinese man....

Since we were already breaking most of our foodie rules, we ordered some juice instead of the usual soda or bottomless iced tea to go with our meal.... 

I would usually go for mango shakes but since we were being rebels without a cause, the clear winner was MODERN SHANGHAI's Pomogranate Punch (P248.00) since I was feeling fiercely red that day!

As for my chinese guy, he got MODERN SHANGHAI's Shanghai Lily (P119.00).

I did not notice it but my husband signaled the server to place down both drinks in front of him. 

And before I could even take a sip, he did this...

Such an evil guy! Nilawayan agad ang aking straw!!! ("He put his ew saliva on my straw")

Oh well... saliva or not, I still insisted on having a gulpful of MODERN SHANGHAI's Pomegranate Punch and lucky for him, it was a bit on the tart side. I am not a real fan of sour drinks so I gave it to my eager Chinese stalker.

He loved both drinks and did not even bother asking if he could finish it all without offering me one last sip.

I know I already gave both MODERN SHANGHAI drinks to him, but it does not hurt to ask right? 

But hey, how could you afford to be angry at that cute face???

I am demented I know. Sorry. He he he he! Love your own as they say.

After our appetizers, the main bonanza came rushing in like a dutiful herd stampeding towards its masters!!!

It was strongly recommended for us to order MODERN SHANGHAI's "Tung-Bor" Style Braised Pork Belly (P418.00). At first I was not sure since I was sorta on a diet (oh stop guffawing) but all my apprehensions diminished when the smiling server offered to cut the pork for us...

It was as if she was cutting through a fragrant slab of butter.... I could see it all plump, juicy, and just oh so tender.

Did I forget to point out how fatty it is and how much it made my mouth water?

Hell yeah!! 

Oh wow... If I had this for take out I imagine spooning all the sauce and fat of this MODERN SHANGHAI braised pork onto a hot plate of garlic rice then wash it down with ice cold coke....

Oh wow.... 

Isn't it weird that I am already drooling at the thought of food even if I was faced with food? Hmmm....

We then had MODERN SHANGHAI's Sauteed Beef with Scallions (P288.00) which I imagined would be a sure crowd favorite. You cannot go wrong with tender slices of beef with crunchy veggies in a flavorful oyster sauce.

And yep, after 1 bite, I am hooked. We kept on picking the tender saucy beef with our chopsticks that before we knew it, we were left with 1 piece and some scallions. He he he he!

Even if my husband does not eat vegetables ("Oh the humanity!!!"), I still ordered MODERN SHANGHAI's Sauteed String Beans with Minced Pork and Chili!  I truly enjoyed the spicy crunch that each string bean gave. I happily ate this with my rice!

Mine! All mine!

MODERN SHANGHAI'S Yang Chow Fried Rice (P288.00)! This is a Chinese restaurant staple that if a joint cannot get it right, then do not bother coming back. 

MODERN SHANGHAI's Yang Chow was truly satisfying that it deserved to be hashtagged with the usual cliche of "Kanin pa lang, ulam na!" (The rice is already a main meal in itself!)

By the way, did I translate that expression correctly? 

Let's EAT!!!!!

A table filled with food... the sight that always brings tears to my eyes...

My plate! My beautiful plate!!!

Notice that my husband is already busy chewing, gulping, gasping at how good the food is while poor me is still taking pictures. I should be demanding a change in our daily EricJaz Foodies' "duties"!

____

If I may just interrupt, people would often ask what is the division of "labor" in EricJaz Foodies. I explain it to them in the following enumerated way.

Jazmin (me) : I do the writing, take pictures, PR/chatting up with the people, AND (mostly importantly) contribute to the cuteness of the blog.

As for my husband, the first in billing for EricJaz Foodies...

Eric (Yub) : He does the paying, driving, modelling (for the pics), transferring of pictures to the computer (because I'm technologically challenged), AND, the most important of all, he is the writer's lov-er.

So yes we are really a team!!!

Tee hee!! So does that answer your question?

_______

Going back.... 

Oh that MODERN SHANGHAI braised pork was sooo fatty and just utterly sinful. If you are not really watching your cholesterol I recommend you take a forkful of this flavorful fat. 

I did and I truly enjoyed it. Especially with the sauce on my rice! YUM!

Remember I mentioned how my husband and I are distrustful of Chinese restaurants that have a sleek and "clean" look, well all through-out the meal we were non-stop in exclaiming how a particular dish was extra good.  This truly signified that one cannot just judge a Chinese restaurant by it's "dinginess" he he he he!

Look at my little cutie Chinese boy!

By the way, the servings of MODERN SHANGHAI are surely in EricJaz Foodies favor. Sometimes when we eat in other Chinese restaurants, we would find ourselves refraining from ordering what we usually like because, in typical chinese resto fashion, servings will be huge for a steep price! No small orders for couples on a diet.

But with MODERN SHANGHAI, servings are just appropriate for 2 people who would like to try more dishes without breaking bank and taking home a ton of leftovers. 

More food for us to taste then! YUM!

And finally I got to eat to my heart's content! 

My plate may be messy and oily, but I loved it! I could even lick my saucy plate if I was not TRYING to maintain an image or something.  (Note the all caps of the word... he he he he!)

During our meal one of MODERN SHANGHAI's floor managers dropped by to say hi and asked how the food was. We told her we were enjoying our meal and asked if she could request other waiters for water. We loved that even their floor managers were open to get glasses of water or take additional soda orders (for somebody who is on her cheat day) for their customers.

I have had experiences before when restaurant floor managers felt it was not on their "level" to get water for their diners. 

Even if little ol' me was already choking?? He he he!

Somebody was already finished with his food...

And I am done as well!

Cold refreshing water with a hint of lemon! Sweet!

For dessert we had these hot buns with a little surprise.....

My husband loved the creamy custard inside his MODERN SHANGHAI siopao bun. As for me, I am so used to meat inside my buns  (I hope that did not come off as something "dirty" he he he he!) that I passed and gave all of my share to my hub. He was more than happy to be at the receiving end of this creamy siopao bun!

Instead, I just had the sweet strawberry garnish atop my drink!! 

Thank you so much to the very lovely Ms. Lisa Ronquillo (AVP - Marketing for The Bistro Group) and uber nice Ms. Liza Lim-It, our gracious hosts for the day, for letting us savor all the scrumptious grub at MODERN SHANGHAI! It was great to meet you :)

After lunch and while we were driving to my dentist's appointment (yes my tooth hurt a bit, but did that stop me from pigging out on my cheat day? NO!), I did not feel too bad from going beyond EricJaz Foodies usual food beliefs....

Well for one, we promise to bring my family maybe on a Sunday. That is, just in case we are craving for some more of MODERN SHANGHAI's beef with scallions, fried rice, string beans, and EEP the braised pork, and we have to have on a weekend, pronto!

Another will be, I will always remember MODERN SHANGHAI to be the restaurant which made me LIKE ginger (still ew) and converted my husband to have some SOUR soup with veggies (hallelujah there!).

And lastly, MODERN SHANGHAI is a definite must-go for us if we want to try something that is different from the usual Binondo Chinese restaurants we are so used to. We are somehow converted to believe that yes, you could also have the same greasy, oily, saucy chinese grub we love at a different and relaxing setting. 

We will come back here with a vengeance. 

Just wait for me noodle boy! (Beautiful eyes winks) He he he he!

LET'S EAT!

Modern Shanghai

Glorietta 2

3/F Glorietta 2, Palm Dr

Ayala Center, Makati