Ying Ying, the new "President" in Binondo

Until now, I can't believe that the President Restaurant in Binondo closed down. It was a foodie institution and President was THE Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The rumor in the foodie community is that the head chef of President transferred to Ying Ying Tea House Restaurant. (Can anybody confirm this?) Ying Ying Restaurant is now becoming the new "President" in Binondo.

Ying Ying Dimsum, Congee, Rice Toppings, Drinks | Drinks and Short Orders

In Ultimate Philippines, we would regularly meet alternately between Binondo and Makati locations. On one Sunday, Ying Ying hosted our meeting and Old Manila Walks himself showed us how to order in Chinatown.

 

Hakao (Shrimp Dumpling) (P70).

I love Hakao! Sometimes, I prefer the Binondo version, which is smaller and its shrimps are coated with a lot of fillers and flavoring. It is usually served in overused dimsum containers.

 

 

Congee (P90).

Breakfast is never complete without a bowl of good Chinese congee.

 

White Chicken (P380).

After Hakao, my other Chinese food favorite is White Chicken. Ying Ying is known in Binondo for this dish, according to Ivan. The meat is tasty and a bit oilier than the usual versions in other Chinese restaurants outside Binondo.

Fried Wanton, 12pieces (P130).

Sometimes, it is called Prinsec Frito and is one of those traditional comfort food in Chinatown.

Steamed Spare Ribs (P65).

I remember my wife and I would fight over these ribs. We would scrape every piece of meat off the ribs with our teeth. Each piece is tasty and marinated very well over time.

Almond Jelly (P50) and Mango Sago (P45).

Ying Ying's desserts are served in glasses with straws instead of being served in bowls.

 

As you can see, we go to Chinatown for the usual Chinese comfort food -- nothing fancy. So, what's your favorite Chinese comfort food?

 

Ying Ying Tea House
233-235 Dasmarinas St. corner Yuchengco St.
Binondo, Manila
Telephone: +632 3872797, 710-3856, 241-6323
7am to 2am Daily

 

 

 

 Live an Awesome Life,

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2009.

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Comments

[Ron]

My gf and I dine here often.

The food is great but the place can be a bit too noisy for me.

We love their salt and pepper squid, yang chow fried rice, spinach soup, hakao, etc.

Sometimes its hard to get a table (lunch and dinner) because they have a lot of patrons.

Whenever Ying Ying is packed, we would usually go to Waiying (along Benavides) to get our fix.

[Anton]

Thanks Ron! I'll do a feature also of Waiying one of these days...

The salt and pepper squid is also a best seller @ Ying Ying...

[upto6only]

I love the freshly made dumpling and chinese pancake at Dong Bei Dumpling and the chicken noodles at Masuki when my officemate and I joined the Binondo Food Wok (Chinese Edition) with Ivan last January. We even went back to Binondo last Feb 14 with our other officemates to eat in all those restos where Ivan showed us :)

[cody and elle]

good not great chinese food

[Mike]

The President's at G4 Foodchoices is still open and they still serve take home dimsum in vacuum packed bags.

[jan]

Hi Anton! We ate their once before and it was ok. But Wai Ying is much better. But I love their dimsum and their buchi!!! But I heard that a grade school student from St. Jude was food poisoned from eating at Ying Ying. A friend of mine told me but I don't know how reliable it was. Nevertheless, we still tried the food :)

[Allan Ko]

Ying Ying is owned and operated by the couple who used to manage President Restaurant (the big one in Ongpin, not President Tea House in Salazar): Wai Sing is the former head cook, and his wife Aying is the former manager.

This couple also pioneered Wai Ying (notice the two Chinese characters at the start of the store's name -- it's the same as Wai Ying's).

[I Wei]

I like the ham suy kok of Wai Ying. It got me looking for ham suy kok wherever I go. It was like after I had the best sweet and sour fish ever in Taipei--it was sweet and sour, but not the sour did not come from pineapple, totally different from our maid's, or HK dai pai dong's. I kept on wanting to eat sweet and sour fish when I got home.

[I Wei]

sorry, wherever I went.

[Anton]

So Allan,
So which one do you like?

Anton

[optimuspride]

Thanks, Anton. President was our favorite Binondo restaurant and we were so disappointed when they ceased operations. This post will surely be good news to my wife. Thanks again.

[itbun]

typical chinese restaurant ,some issues with its sanitary, people working outside peeling vegetables how cleen can it get really typical chinese restaurant with sanitation problem

[linksys]

"typical chinese restaurant ,some issues with its sanitary, people working outside peeling vegetables how cleen can it get really typical chinese restaurant with sanitation problem"

are you race baiting?

[isa]

The chismis I heard must have been just that- chismis. Heard that the head chef of Yingying transferred from Waiying.

I've tried Yingying dimsum but I think Waiying's is still better. :)

[reebsrealworld]

The Stir-Fry Misua (Cha Misua) is the best-seller in President, Ongpin. Since the cook transferred to Ying Ying, the best stir-fry misua in Chinatown would be in Ying Ying. But the super best stir-fry misua is at Gloria Maris.

Sincerity's fried chicken is the best. It's at Nueva St. (The street's name has changed. I forgot what's the name).
Tasty Dumpling (at Rosario) for their veggie dumplings.
Suzhou Dimsum (at Gandara or Masangkay) for xiao long bao. Yum yum!
New Po Heng (at Rosario) for the real chinese fresh lumpia.
Polland for their ku-chai ah (veggie+meat turnover...something like that)
And many to mention but can't think anymore at 4.19am... hehe

[taganegros]

hi anton,

i'd be happy to eat in ying ying and wai ying or any other such restaurants in chinatown rather than in a pretentious place with ridiculously overpriced "so-so food" like Establishment at the Fort. Much thanks for this posting. Delicious reading, as usual!

[arnel]

can't wait to try the food! Wonder if it's better than Xiamen China food........I guess that's for me to check it out!

[Duke]

What I don't like sa labas ng Ying Ying is bahain. pag high tide, mabaho and madumi sa labas ng restaurant. Sana naman maayos yung mga clogged sewage duon sa area.

[Midge]

I was startled to hear that President closed down, but Ying Ying looks quite promising. (Oh, and I'm the sort of person who will walk on her knees for braised chicken feet and hakaw.)

[Rea]

Hi! Was going to answer your question, but I see that others already have. Ying Ying, in my opinion, is the best chinese food you can get. We eat in Binondo every Sunday, every week looking for a new "hole in the wall." Since we discovered Ying Ying early last year, we've never eaten elsewhere. Ok, I exaggerate, maybe a few times in Sun Hwa or Dong Bei. We eat there so often that we're even in your photo! Hahaha! I thought I recognized you that Sunday, but wasn't sure. You should go back and try the Peking Duck. The best!

[Mary Ann]

You should also try their porkleg bihon, sizzling oyster, hotpot kambing and fried frog leg so yummy!!!!!

[Musulman]

of course, this can't be the new President.Bwa ha ha! Food is so-so!Service is awfully bad There are lots of good chinese restaurant around Binondo.Ask any Binondo-based chinese.

[Musulman]

Watch Anthony Bourdain "no reservation" on Philippines and guess what Old Manila Walk recommend to sample in Chinatown? street vendor's fish ball and squid ball on the corner of Condesa st. near Binondo church.I almost die laughing!

[Allan Ko]

Hi Anton, I haven't been to Ying Ying yet, so can't say. Will let you know if I get to try it out ;)

[Anton]

Hi Rea, So which one are you in the photo? We will try the Peking Duck next
time...

Anton

[Anton]

Humaba ang blogging list ko with this comment... Thanks for this!

[Mish]

Hi Anton!

I heard that the head chef of the President actually owns Yin Ying. =)

[candice]

Try their Prawn Salad.

Oh so much chismis! I heard naman that the Presidents' owners' daughter married a chef and they opened their own Yingying because they couldn't agree on their differences.

Prawn Salad. You.must.not.miss.it!

[mm]

try the cha misua w/ oyster at Ying Ying super sarap!

[anonymous]

There's a new Chinese restaurant at M.H. del Pilar, near Pan Pacific Hotel with the best Beef Hofan so far. The name's Tao Yuan Restaurant. News around says that the previous part-owners/chef of Choi Garden opened this place. (well, rumors helped spread the interest for people to try this place). You should try to.

[Evert's Desserts]

isn't there another President's at Binondo? the one near sintongyang and Diao Eng Chay?

[Anton]

It must be the Dimsum. But that one is already owned by a different group
already even before President was still open.

[dashashash]

i agree with you regarding the best fried chicken [Sincerity Fried Chicken (half) for P150] ! Ü i suggest you also try their Duck Tong Kee Misua Soup at P120.

Sincerity Restaurant
497 Yuchengco (Nueva) Street
Binondo, Manila
(02)241 9991 or (02)241 9972

[ying]

hi!!! my name is also ying ying...nice miting u guys....
...i had try also in that fast food when i went there in phil.
... they serve fast and good ...

[beerbudget]

hi, foodies.

fyi, President reopened as President Grand Palace last Sunday with a grand buffet.

cheers

[beerbudget]

... este lauriat pala

[Anton]

Wow open na... sige we will check out President.

anton

[monkeyman]

good food,good people.. GF ko anak ng may ari nyan. though filipino ako mabait pa din sila..
manager ng ying ying nasa president na din sila ulit

[Pinoyexexpat]

Hi Anton, do you know any Chinese restaurants in Manila that serve authentic Szechuan and Shanghainese cuisine? I think most Chinese restos in the Philippines serve Cantonese, which is understandable because it fits the Filipino taste.

[Anton]

There's none. I've been looking for years now...

anton

[Dial]

i think sea palace is one of the best chinese restaurants in manila, you should try this place out, lalo na yung spring rolls and spinach soup nila.

[Michael]

At around 6:00PM of Dec. 23, 2009, We decided to eat at the President’s Tea House in Binondo. When the drink was served and taken a few sip, I noticed a COCKROACH in my drink!!! I immediately approach the head waiter and assistant manager to look into the incident. They did not deny instead admitted their fault. But admission was not enough, they should responsible for the cleanliness and proper sanitation of their establishment. Someone should be accountable for this incident. Since this is an issue of one’s health.

For this reason I’ll file a complaint at the Sanitation Division of Manila City Hall. This is a major violation since President’s Tea House is a Food Establishment.

[Chef Albert]

@ Pinoyexexpat - try to visit the following:

LSQ Chinese Home Cuisine (4966 Guerrero Street, Poblacion Makati City 397-9877 look for Miss Kao)

Szechuan House @ Aloha Hotel (2150 Roxas Boulevard, Cor. Quirino Ave.,Malate,Manila 526 - 8088)