Have you ever eaten in a Chinese restaurant that does not only offer authentic Chinese food, but it also makes you feel like you’re not in the Queen City of the South anymore? Well, that’s what I felt when I first visited a small hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant in the downtown area.
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| Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
Mingnan Chinese Cuisine
Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is a small restaurant offering authentic Chinese food. While the place looked like any other eatery in the downtown area with minimal decorations, when I first visited the place I felt like I was not in Cebu anymore. Probably because of the elderly Chinese gentleman reading what appeared to be a Chinese newspaper as well as the television showing a Chinese news channel. The lady manning the counter was also Chinese who did not speak Cebuano or English. According to the food servers, if I needed to ask or tell her something, they will translate it for me.
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| Inside Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
The Place
During my first visit at Mingnan Chinese Cuisine, there was one other customer who was waiting for her takeout order. Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is rather cozy with two large round tables and two small rectangle-shaped tables. Decorations were minimal and you would not think it was a Chinese restaurant if they sold other types of dishes. The food is displayed on a counter similar to the ones you find in stalls at the food court of the malls in the city.
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| Food On Display At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
It has that school canteen feel, especially when the place is full. People would share the tables. Mingnan has three small rectangular tables that can seat four people and two large round tables that can probably seat eight to ten people. I’m not really sure if they have more seats on the second floor. But, I will not be surprised since the place is rather popular since they offer great-tasting food at a very reasonable price. And, oh, the place is air-conditioned. So, it will be a welcome respite from the heat if you eat at the Mingnan Chinese Cuisine for lunch. The Plaridel Extension branch is open from 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM from Monday to Saturday. The place is closed on Sundays.
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| Reasonably-Priced Food At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
The Food
I actually visited the place thrice. The first time was sometime in February 2016 and the second time was during the Sinulog sa Barangay street parade in January 2017. In the first two visits, I ordered food displayed at the counter. On my third visit, I tried their dumplings.
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| Two Viands And One Rice At PHP50 |
While the food was cheap, the taste wasn’t. Even as I cannot say I am a food connoisseur, I did like their food. In fact, a lot of people will likely agree with me. During my first visit, there was only one other customer since they were already about to close. On my second visit, the place was full. In fact, I shared a table with a couple of other customers.
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| Love The Food At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
You can choose to get two meat-based viands or two vegetable-based viands from the display counter. It is all up to you. Aside from the items on the counter, you can also order dumplings and lomi from the food servers. The dumplings and lomi are prepared upon order. You have to ask if these items are available since they do not have a menu board at the place. Each plate has ten pieces of dumplings, which are rather tasty. I didn’t get to order the lomi so I have no idea how it tasted. But, if the taste is based on the other food items I tried, I’m guessing the lomi is also good.
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| Dumplings At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
The meals of two viands and one cup of rice are priced at PHP50, which is very cheap considering you are eating at a Chinese restaurant. The dumplings cost PHP80 per plate. The servings of each dumpling may be big enough for three to four people. The lomi is priced at PHP50 while their soft drink is priced at PHP15.
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| A Closer Look At The Dumplings |
The Location
Mingnan Chinese Cuisine actually has two branches. The first branch is along Plaridel Extension. It is a small road close to the Basilica del Sto. Niño. The second branch of the restaurant is located along General Maxilom Ave. It is at the ground floor of the building right in front of National Bookstore. The Plaridel Extension branch is a cafeteria-style restaurant where you order food displayed on the counter. On the other hand, the Mango Avenue branch is a regular restaurant where a waiter or waitress will take your order.
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| More Dumplings Coming Your Way |
Getting To Mingnan Chinese Cuisine
To get to the original location or the Plaridel Extension branch of Mingnan Chinese Cuisine, you should get on a jeepney passing through Osmeña Boulevard. When the jeepney reaches Basilica del Sto. Niño, you already went past the place. So, you have to get off and backtrack. Your landmark is the Ranola Motor Company or RMC building. Once you see the building, get off the jeepney. Mingnan Chinese Cuisine is on the left side of this side street.
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| The Food Is The Best Motivation To Go To The Place |
One thing to remember is that you should make sure the jeepney you are riding does not take a right turn towards the Carbon Market area after it reaches the intersection fronting Metro Gaisano. If it does, then you have to either get on another jeepney or you can take a walk along the downtown area. You actually will not get bored while walking since you have a lot to see along the road. You might even get side-tracked by the cheap items sold by vendors in the area. If you have to walk, go along Osmeña Boulevard until you reach the building where RMC is located.
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| Check Out Some Of The Food Waiting For You |
The Plaridel Extension branch of Mingnan Chinese Cuisine has actually been operating for some time already. But, there are still some people who have no idea it existed until the Mango Avenue branch opened. If you ever get to crave for authentic Chinese food at a very reasonable price, you can check out this hole-in-the-wall place along Plaridel Extension.
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| Another View Of Their tasty Dumplings |
Know anywhere else we can eat great-tasting food at a reasonable price? Hit me up on the comments section below.
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| Love The Dumplings At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
Note: Prices may change without prior notice.
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| Dumpling Love At Mingnan Chinese Cuisine |
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