Family reunion at Summer Palace, EDSA Shangrila Hotel

My dad's side (Lim) of the family had a reunion last Sunday at Summer Palace in EDSA Shangri-la Hotel. I'm always excited whenever we have a get-together because it meant spending time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins... all of whom I grew up with (most of us lived in my paternal grandparents' house for a good many years). It also meant lots of delicious food.

Whenever we have a get-together like this my eldest uncle (he's next after my dad because my dad is the oldest child) would always order the most unique Chinese dishes. Ever since I was a child, we've always had Chinese lauriat parties with more or less the same fare. There's always the cold cuts platter, steamed garoupa (lapu-lapu) in soy sauce, roast pigeon (ew, I don't eat this), steamed crabs, birthday noodles, fish maw soup, abalone mushroom with broccoli and sea cucumber, and chilled mango sago. I've had them so often I've memorized the entire drill and a lot of the lauriat parties we attend actually still serve all of those same things. I'm so glad my uncle makes it a point to deviate from the usual.

Avocado Salad Roll, Soft Shell Crab with Pork Floss, Prawns in Wasabi Sauce

This particular gathering was no different. My uncle ordered food that people don't usually have during a lauriat party and it was splendid! I had no idea you could do a lauriat lunch semi-degustation style but wow, that was what happened. Check out our first three dishes above -- all portioned into single servings and plated nicely! The Avocado Salad Roll tasted like California Maki and the prawn had way too much mayo for my tastes but the Soft Shell Crab with Pork Floss... OMG. The crab is both crunchy and soft at the same time then covered with really tasty pork floss, similar to the kind BreadTalk uses on their Pork Floss Buns. Okay so I could feel the oil with every bite because crab is deep fried but who cares hahaha. Soooo good!

Braised Four Treasure Soup "Chef's Style"

Next we were each served a bowl of Braised Four Treasure Soup. Thick and hearty, it tastes a lot like the usual Fish Maw Soup -- but I'm sure it's a lot more expensive judging from the fancy name hahaha! Hot and Sour Soup would've done it for me, I wonder why they don't usually serve that during lauriats.

Baked Fresh Scallop Topped on Homemade Tofu in Special Sauce

This was another delicious and unique dish which in my opinion had a tad too much mayo on top. I'm not very fond of mayo because it makes everything greasy and cloying. Read more »

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