SM isn’t exactly, well stereotypically speaking, known for its dining experience but it is rapidly leveling up in this game by bringing in huge contenders to this sentiment. Only in SM Mega Fashion Hal lwill you find the cheapest Michelin star dim sum, healthy fried chicken, the best churros from Madrid, and a classy afternoon tea set in the middle of a bustling mall.
Kyochon
What’s on the menu: Korean Fried Chicken
Kyochon is the most famous chicken franchise in Korea, and has been servinghealthy and tasty fried chicken since 1991 by promising to use only natural ingredients, not to make fast food, and use only fresh and healthy chicken. Since then, it has grown to 1000 stores worldwide in the US, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and now the Philippines.
Their hearty recipe involves thin batter and the famous double-frying method to remove excess oil to offer a light and clean taste. The first 10 minutes will remove the oil, and the next two minutes completely remove the oil through another round of crisp frying. Each piece of chicken is then coated one by one with sauce. The result is a moist chicken with amazingly crunchy and flavorful paper thin skin. They have four different flavors: the Kyochon series features a rich taste from garlic and soy sauce, Red Series features spicy hot sauce made with Korean red pepper, the Honey Series is sweet and crispy chicken made with sweet honey sauce, and the Salsal series is rice-battered, boneless & skinless breast and thigh meat.. Serving is at Small (5 pcs.) P149.00; Medium (10 pcs.) P290.00; and Large (20 pcs.) P540.00.
Kyochon
Underground Level, Building B
(02) 997-3333
Facebook: Kyochon
Osaka Ohsho
What’s on the menu: Japanese
Meaning “The King of Gyoza in Osaka”, Osaka Oshsho is a popular Japanese chain which claims to serve the “World’s No. 1 Gyoza”. First opened in Osaka in 1969 reportedly as a humble gyoza stand, it now has over 300 stores in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand among others. All branches make sure to import Japanese flour which is necessary to make the thin and sturdy skin that houses a mixture of cabbage, ginger, garlic and three kinds of pork. Linfred Yap, who brought in the franchise assures us that our chefs here in the Philippines have trained extensively under Gyoza Master Chefs in Japan to ensure the perfect Japanese gyoza: pan-fried on one side, and steamed on the other, giving us a golden brown crispy exterior but with soft and moist filling inside.
Osaka Ohsho serves three kinds of gyoza: Original (P175/6 pieces), cheese (P190/6 pieces) and nori (P190/6 pieces), and comes with three sauces: original (soy & vinegar), miso, and chili. To go with the gyoza, you may want to order the Tenshinhan, chewy Japanese rice topped with fluffy eggs in a soy-sauce based soup.
Osaka Ohsho
3rd Level, Mega Fashion Hall, Building D
(02) 631-7074, (63) 917-8285011
Facebook: Osaka Ohssho
Boqueria
What’s on the menu: Spanish
Named after the famous market along La Rambla, Barcelona, this authentic Spanish restaurant is owned by Marvin Agustin of the Sumo Sam group. It opened last March with two young Spanish chefs from Andalucia, Spain heading the kitchen.
For appetizers you can order the Chicharones (P198), pork cracklings that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, best dipped in the white vinegar or the Albondigas con foiegras(PHP288), juicy meatballs with just the right amount of goose liver. Your main course should have the Paella QuesoManchengo with their homemade chorizo which is soft and only slightly salty and creamy (P408, good for 2-3 people). Drinks like their Mint Iced Tea, Apple Iced Tea, or Sangria are served in nostalgic mason jars and are slightly expensive (P68++) but extremely refreshing. For dessert, one should definitely get their churros (P190/3 pieces) which deviate from the usual oily and sugar-showered churros out there. It’s a crisp dough with a chewy interior, served with thick chocolate made with Valor chocolates from Madrid.
Boqueria
3rd Level, Mega Fashion Hall
(02) 631-9102, (63) 917-5463370
Facebook: Boqueria
The French Baker Salon de Thé
What’s on the menu: pastries, cakes, desserts, tea
The French Baker has been a long time partner of SM for quite some time now, but French Baker founder Johnlu Koa wanted to give us the experience of being able to slow down in the midst of a busy mall where people can catch up and enjoy their time in a more sophisticated ambiance than what they usually offer. Truly, inside their new tea salon, you’d feel as if you weren’t in SM at all. Chandeliers, classy chairs, and classical music, it’s okay to feel slightly pretentious and fancy with pinky up on that teacup.
The tea salon serves savories and sweets, from potato salads, sandwiches, pizza, and chicken, to pastas, wines, sweet crepes, macarons, scones, and high quality chocolate made in-store, all complemented by tea imported from countries like Sri Lanka (P105-125). A tea set (P425) includes scones, mini chocolates, macarons, mini sandwiches, chicken lollipops chips, and a pot of tea of your choice, more affordable than other tea salons. It’s a casual but elegant dining experience designed for great company and great conversations.
The French Baker
Ground Level, Mega Fashion Hall
Facebook: The French Baker Philippines
Tim Ho Wan
What’s on the menu: Hong Kong dimsum
The cheapest Michelin star restaurant in the world announced its arrival in Manila just last May, the first franchise outside Hong Kong and Singapore. The Hong Kong-based dim sum brand was brought in through a partnership between Ricky Dee of the Todd English Food Hall, and Felix Ang of CATS Motors. Tim Ho Wan is all about high quality yet affordable dim sum for the masses. Everything is made-to-order using only the freshest quality ingredients. In order to maintain the same taste and experience as in their original hole-in-the-wall HongKong branch, most raw materials such as shrimp, flour, dim sum wrappers, down to the chili sauce have to be imported. No take outs are allowed in any of their branches, their philosophy being, if their food isn’t eaten right then and there, it’s not Tim Ho Wan. In short, they will only allow their food to be eaten one way, at its best.Tim Ho Wan’s “Big 4 Heavenly Kings” are usually the best items to try.
It starts with their famous Baked Buns with BBQ Pork (P145 for 3 pieces), the Vermicelli Roll stuffed with Pig’s liver (P150 for 3 pieces), the Pan Fried Turnip/Carrot Cake (P145), and Steamed Egg Cake (P85).
Tim Ho Wan
Ground Floor, Mega Fashion Hall
Facebook: Tim Ho Wan
SM Megamall Fashion Hall
www.sm-megamall.com
EDSA corner J. Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City
(+63 2) 633-5042 to 46
Operating hours: Monday – Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Friday – Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Facebook: SM Megamall
Twitter: @SMMegamall
Photo Credits: Osaka Foursquare User Christian C, Tim Ho Wan Foursquare User Robbie D, Facebook Page Kyochon, SM Megamall Foursquare User Mark C
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