Photoblog: Lucky Chinatown Secrets Tour

I have never been to one of the world's oldest Chinatown and I feel like eating authentic Chinese food on a budget. If you're like me or just looking for something to do this summer, I got a solution to our dilemma: go on an awesome culture and food tour at Lucky Chinatown!

- image heavy post ahead. prepare to crave. you've been warned :p -

Dubbed as "Secrets of Lucky Chinatown", the four-hour tour is hosted by Our Awesome Planet's Anton Diaz and Mercato Group's RJ Ledesma at Megaworld Lifestyle Malls' heritage project in Binondo, Manila.

Let me give you a rundown of our media tour experience:

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Lucky Chinatown Annex A

Most of us enjoy tea with added flavor and loads of sugar (think milk tea or C2), but the Chinese regard tea drinking as a fine art. The tour started with an Introduction to Tea at the Botanical Herbal Hall where we got to sample four (4) variants of Hongkong Botanical Herbal Healthy Tea — only found in this area.

Lo'5 Tea (Momordica Grosvenor Five Flowers Tea), which has a sweet wine-like taste for me, can mildly relief cough and reduce phlegm. Pear'C Tea (Snow Pear Chrysanthemum Tea) is a refreshing variant that can help improve eyesight. Lower your lipids with the champoy-tasting Maybloom Tea. Or grab a bottle of Plum Tea to aide with your digestion after a heavy meal. Their tea can be stored for a month and consumed hot or cold, depending on your preference.

[caption id="attachment_629" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Lo'5 Tea, Pear'C Tea, Maybloom Tea, and Plum Tea :)[/caption]

The second stop was at the Miao De Amituofo Pureland Temple, where participants were able to light an incense and say a little prayer.

[caption id="attachment_636" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Temple OIC, Sweet Go, gives a brief overview about Buddhism.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_638" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Incense outside the temple.[/caption]

Lucky Chinatown Walk

Step outside the temple and let your senses feast at different foodhawker stalls! Lunch was composed of healthy, freshly made and yummy food.

Mr. Fast Foo: the all veggie and tofu Signature Lumpia, Pork Tenderloin with noodles and sticky sauce Maki Mi and bite sized braised pork belly-filled Cu Pao. I can't help but go for seconds of the lumpia and cu pao <3

[caption id="attachment_640" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Mr. Fast Foo staff preparing our food :)[/caption]

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Fu Dao Shui Jiao: even if it was very warm that day, I love the soup base of the Sate Seafood Noddles with Dumplings. I didn't have a taste of the dumpling because I was taking my time with the food. Fortunately for me, I took home a dozen pieces and it was really good! <3

[caption id="attachment_652" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Handmade on the spot :)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_651" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Lots to choose from :)[/caption]

Cha Cha Food House: had a few of the it-did-not-taste-like-pumpkin-and-its-like-tikoy Pumpkin Cake! Forget that it's fried, I could totally have this as my snack everyday XD

[caption id="attachment_655" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Pumpkin Cake is <3[/caption]

We took a group photo before heading to Phoenix Dragon. Owner and renowned feng shui expert Samson Chua shared with us the forecast on the Year of the Horse and cleansed the charms of our fellow attendees.

Next stop was Reflexion Studio, where we learned more about Chinese engagement and wedding tradition.

Lucky Chinatown Mall

It was time to escape the heat as we made our way to Lucky Chinatown Mall's Food Junction area with cool treats waiting for us. Inspired by what Taiwanese call 'chhoah-peng', Rainbow Snow serves flavored shaved ice desserts.

[gallery link="none" type="rectangular" ids="3493,3494,3495"]

After our dessert, we went down to Wellness Sanctuary to try one of their services - acupuncture, tui na (massage) or fish spa. Since there were many participants in this tour, we decided to come back after getting a taste of Tao Yuan Restaurant's bestsellers.

[gallery link="none" ids="3497,3498,3499"]

[caption id="attachment_675" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Chicken Rice was a meal in itself. Gaah! I want more :3[/caption]

I was finishing the complimentary Mango Sago Cream dessert (again?) and on the last scoop I did an imaginary victory dance in my head because I was above my limit. Then one of the servers gave me another serving of the dessert and my fellow bloggers were teasing me to finish it on the spot! Haha! As much as I love mango, I surrendered and asked for it to be packed to go.

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What better way to cap off our tour than soaking my feet in water and let Doctor Fishes do their thing ;) #relax

It was a day of firsts and definitely a great introductory tour for those who haven't been to Chinatown. It also give you deeper appreciation to the different aspect of Chinese culture. There was an abundance of food (seriously, you'll never get hungry!) and not one activity will give you a culture shock.

For only P888, you can also take the tour yourself with family and friends. You can get tickets for the remaining May 24, May 31 and June 7 tours (11am to 3pm) at the Eastwood Mall concierge, Lucky Chinatown Mall concierge or at the Megaworld Lifestyle Malls website. :)

PS: Yours truly was invited as a guest and all opinions expressed are my own.