Xiu

I've seen lots of people recommend Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining, but never had an opportunity to do so before because their location is not a place I usually frequent.

It just so happened I had to drop by the Bose service center which is situated a few meters away from Xiu... finally, I get to try what my Chinese colleagues and bloggers have been hyping about.

Their prices range from decent (family-sized orders at 400-600 which is fine) to extravagant (tens of thousands for lobsters and others... I didn't bother looking). Here's what we tried.

Har gao, or hakaw

Har gao (4 pcs) PHP 198.

This is one of the best hakaw I've tried. Each dumpling is abundant with filling and a generous amount of shrimp (around 3 pieces each). It's also very plump to the point that I had difficulty eating it in one bite.

Although this is slightly expensive at 198 pesos, I can say it's worth the price.

TFD's review - ♡♡♡♡

Honey glazed prime cut char siu

Char siu enough to feed 2-3 persons, PHP 680.

I had high hopes for this char siu because a blogger I follow raved about this dish. As an avid fan of Kam's Roast (toro char siu), I expected this would be at par or even better than Kam's Roast.

Well, it's an above average char siu, but the cut isn't as fatty as I wanted (Kam's Roast toro char siu uses pork belly which is sinful yet divine). There's not enough browning/crusting either. The meat is tender, juicy, and flavorful, so if you're not too concerned about the meat cut and the crust/coat, this one's for you.

TFD's rating - ♡♡♡ and a half

Roast goose

Roast goose (quarter), PHP 1280.

This one's a great deal. The skin is crispy and fatty. The meat is roasted really well; you can taste the flavor in the meat while remaining juicy as ever.

But! It's so fatty that if you eat too much of this you'll feel your heart constrict. That's the cue to stop eating. I don't recommend this if you're on a diet.

TFD's rating - ♡♡♡♡

Mango sago

Mango sago (bowl), PHP 130.

What did I expect? Chopped mangoes. Not blended. Taste-wise, it's a (thankfully sweet) mango. But the delivery is meh; I felt like they should've served this in a glass. It's like a mango shake served in a bowl. The sago isn't doing anything much to contribute to the whole flavor either.

Skip this unless you feel like you want a fruitas mango shake with some sago (that hardens over time, btw).

TFD's rating - ♡♡♡ (it's not bad, but why would you order this?)

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Ambiance:

Being a fine dining restaurant, expect some fancy plating and dressed-up wait staff. It's a good place to have a date if you want to eat Chinese food. It's also a good place to dine with your relatives for a celebration. Or just because.

Service-wise, I didn't receive the quickest attention befitting of a 'fine dining' restaurant, but I have a huge patience. So that's that.

Xiu is located at Connecticut street, Greenhills, San Juan.