Empress Jade:  Chinese Restaurant in Makati

Whatever our food preference, Chinese food always holds a place in our hearts (or stomachs). Recently, we were invited to dine in one of the Chinese restos in Makati.  In line with our stay at  I’M Hotel in Makati, we were introduced to the latest Chinese restaurant in Poblacion ⸺Empress Jade. The name itself evokes luxury and stately royalty. How does the menu measure up? As it turns out, pretty darn well!

A Top-Notch Menu

Steamed prawn dumpling. We started with these, and had 4 pieces for PHP 180. This isn’t a bad price for the quality. The dumpling’s wrapper had good bite, and there were generous amounts of shrimp inside! It was fresh and meaty, and perfect for appetizers.

Taro croquette with scallop. This came wrapped in a crispy golden shell, and cost PHP 220. The taro and scallop had an interesting contrast of flavors and textures. It had a good crisp, though it wouldn’t be bad to have a little more scallop for more of the seafood goodness.

Deep fried mantou with chili crab sauce.  This was somewhat of a disappointment, as the mantou was oily. The filling had a flat flavor, largely caused by the fact that there wasn’t enough of it! It’s priced at PHP 180 for 4 pieces.

Crispy cereal prawns. There were two sizes for this one, with the small one at PHP 700 and the large one at PHP 1400. We got the small one, and it didn’t really feel “small”! It was good for around 3-4 people at most, and became an absolute favorite for us. The taste was really good, and the prawns were very crunchy and flavorful. You can tell its freshness by the sweet flavor coming from the meat! The prawns were also large, making for a filling portion.

Singaporean Chili Crab. This is expensive, at PHP 2000 per kilogram. But it’s a definite must-have! We really enjoyed the saucy, sweet and spicy flavor. The dish came with mantou that you can dip into the sauce! They said that Empress Jade’s specialty is its crab bihon, but sadly we did not get to try it.

Assorted roast platter. This also comes in two sizes, at PHP 475 and PHP 950. There was very crunchy crackling roast pork, as well as sweet-savory honey BBQ pork. The platter had grilled chicken, too, which was just amazing! You should really try this! This was one of our favorites.

Sambal fried rice. This is a good spinoff of the traditional Yang chow. The serving was generous, and the ingredients were fresh and flavorful. However, we really could not distinguish the sambal flavor out of it. Despite that, it was a good addition to our meal. The servings cost PHP 300 and PHP 600 for small and large respectively.

Coffee pudding dessert. What good would a meal be without a good dessert? This one had the perfect combination of velvety texture and distinctive coffee taste. Also a great way to end the meal!

Admittedly, dining at these prices wouldn’t be practical when you do it often. But experiencing the luxury of fine dining with a great modern Chinese menu, peaceful ambience, and an attentive wait staff is just something you must experience! If ever you are looking for a Chinese restaurant in Makati for that special occasion with family and friends, head over to I’M Hotel for Empress Jade!