Fortune Chinese Restaurant in Subic
Best Western Hotel, one of Subic’s best new hotels, aims to provide value for its customers through a slew of amenities and facilities. It has some of the best dining experiences in the area, too! Among the top players in the local gastronomic scene is Fortune Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant, found in Best Western Subic Plus’ ground floor. It is a specialty Chinese restaurant that offers a wide variety of cuisine, and we were indeed fortunate to be able to sample its best offers.
Here’s a list of the food we had in our little feast:
Lobster Sashimi. We were served two types of lobster dishes, and this is the first one. It’s my first time trying lobster sashimi, and it was an absolute delight! The way they served it couldn’t get any fresher, since it comes right after “presenting” the live lobster to your table! The taste was light and delicate, with a sweet touch that was perfect for the start of any meal.
Battered Lobster with Cheese and Noodle Base. It’s also the first time I tasted something like this. It’s a little like seafood carbonara, but infinitely better because of the lobster flavor! It was very tasty, and creamy. Not all the lobster pieces were cracked and open, though, so it’s a bit of a hassle picking through them. Overall, it’s a very filling dish.
Peking Duck. We also had our own Peking Duck skinning experience! They skin it and make the wraps in front of you, and it heightens the overall experience of the meal. It’s an art that requires precision, and you really get to appreciate it. The Fortune Peking Duck has the authentic crispy skin and delicious meat, and tastes completely like the ones you will have in Hong Kong.
Aside from the skinning, they also served Peking Duck minced with lettuce. I was already quite full at this point, but this remains to be one of my favorite Chinese dishes! The taste of the duck was just right, and the seasoning was exquisite. All that’s needed is a dash of hoisin sauce, and I can eat this all day!
Fish Lip Soup. Like the lobster fares, this was my first time tasting this kind of soup. I really liked it! It’s a great alternative to the hot and sour soups usually served with meals in our country.
If this is your first time hearing this soup’s name, it could set you back just like it did me. The heartwarming soup is made from real dried fish lips, sold in bags in very select parts of Asia. There are those who make do and make the soup of fish heads, but the taste isn’t quite the same. Authentic fish lip soup has a distinct smell that characterizes the fish lips themselves. And yes, it’s worth it! It’s a classic Chinese dish that offers a combination of textures. When cooked, the dried fish lips look and feel like jellyfish tentacles. There’s also the aroma of the other ingredients (ginger, garlic, onion) to complement the experience.
8 Kinds of Vegetables. All our other dishes were predominantly meat, and they were balanced by a dish of 8 different vegetables! There’s something for everyone here at Fortune, so even vegetarians can have their share. The green beans are particularly delicious!
Garlic Angus Beef. Just by the sound, I knew I would love this dish! Sumptuous strips of perfectly-cooked Angus beef were made even more flavorful by the garlic and select spices. At this point, I had as much as I could eat, but I could just squeeze in a little more indulgence from this dish.
Steamed Lapu-Lapu, Kirin Style. By this time, I no longer had any space in my stomach for more food. I didn’t taste the dish, although it looked great. The still-steaming hunk of fish came draped in greens that offer both visual and gustatory variety.
Omelette Fried Rice. This is pretty similar to Japan’s Omu Fried Rice, and it was a delightful surprise to cut it open. It had great taste, and did not overwhelm the flavors of the other dishes we tried it with. It was neither too salty or savory, and we can still clearly taste the meat and sauces of all the other dishes through it. My only gripe is that the egg is a bit too thick for my taste, though all else was well.
Being a Chinese resto, this is only a small part of what you could find in Fortune’s menu. They have all the other dishes you would expect to find in such a setting, such as spare ribs, shrimp, squid, cold cuts, seaweeds, century egg, mushroom vegetables, and more! The servings are all hefty and satisfying, and there are drinks to complement the various tastes. They even have a shabu-shabu style offering! There are definitely good reasons why Fortune Restaurant Subic became one of the most renowned Chinese restaurants in the Subic Bay Area.
Fortune Restaurant also offers catering services, you can take the delicious cuisines out to your party or function! They accept reservations, even though walk-in customers are also welcome. Groups will enjoy the sharing-sized platters they offer, and there’s also something for the little ones so whole families can eat out here. They have take-outs, too! Make sure you have some patience when you come in during the peak hours, as the place tends to be full and it may take a few minutes before you are even seated. There’s also a wait in the serving time, since everything is prepared fresh in their kitchens.
One thing they do not have is a specific breakfast fare, however, in spite of being open at 10AM (Best Western Hotel has a separate place that specializes in breakfast, though). But if you want a mouthwatering and authentic Chinese lunch or dinner experience, then drive up to Subic’s Dewey Avenue and experience Fortune! Their great food, fast and cordial service, and overall atmosphere are all worth the visit.
Photos by Tina Punzal edited by Karla Ramos
