Paradise Dynasty: Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao, and more!

Paradise Dynasty

Those colorful xiao long bao photos all over the social media heightened my curiosity about Paradise Dynasty. Located at the luxurious S Maison, Conrad Manila, this Singapore-origin restaurant offering Chinese cuisine easily blended in with its intricate design and interior.

interior

The place may look intimidating: high ceiling, comfy chairs, elegant wall accents. But go through their menu and you'll realize that Paradise Dynasty offers fine dining experience at reasonable price. What's best is that the food selections are not so common yet most, if not all, are good!


dining	kitchen

Steamed Glutinous Rice Stuffed in Red Dates (230Php)

Steamed Glutinous Rice Stuffed in Red Dates

Steamed Glutinous Rice Stuffed in Red Dates is something new for me... I don't even know what red dates are. It is being offered as appetizer, but may serve as dessert, too. Sweet, bite-size, textured -- you'll find yourself going for another bite.


Steamed Glutinous Rice Stuffed in Red Dates	Chilled Assorted Eggs Loaf in Yang Zhou Style

Chilled Assorted Eggs Loaf in Yang Zhou Style (180Php)

Chilled Assorted Eggs Loaf in Yang Zhou Style

Chilled Assorted Eggs Loaf in Yang Zhou Style isn't a crowd favorite but it is presented well with its star shape and layers of egg white and egg yolk. I find it okay that even if I'm not a fan of century egg, I will still eat it. It has light saltiness for a salted egg, and it gives a "balut" kind of aftertaste (if you're familiar with that) which I like.

Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy (328Php)

Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy

Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy generally tastes like a very good egg drop soup. It's light yet flavorful. You won't see nor feel even bits of fish or scallop but the enhanced flavor is the result of these ingredients.


Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy	Chilled Tofu with Century Egg

Chilled Tofu with Century Egg (180Php)

Chilled Tofu with Century Egg

Chilled Tofu with Century Egg has this soft velvety texture. I didn't taste any sourness in tofu, which for me is good. I like dipping it more on its own sauce to enjoy the hints of sweetness, spice, and herbs.

Pork Dumpling with Hot Chili Vinaigrette (6 pieces - 168Php)

Pork Dumpling with Hot Chili Vinaigrette

The amount of garlic and chili toppings on this Pork Dumpling with Hot Chili Vinaigrette may look scary but it isn't really that spicy. I love how meaty the dumplings are!


Pork Dumpling with Hot Chili Vinaigrette	Radish Pastry

Radish Pastry (3 pieces - 138Php)


Radish Pastry filling	Radish Pastry

The only time I eat radish is when it's in a radish cake form usually available in Chinese restaurants. But Paradise Dynasty has an upgraded version -- the Radish Pastry. Shredded radish is covered with thin crunchy layers for that complementing texture of softness and crisp. This is good to try!

Stir Fried Shrimps with Garden Greens (488Php)

Stir-fried Shrimps with Garden Greens

Stir-fried Shrimps with Garden Greens is a very simple dish. Enjoy it light and fresh, or dip it on the sour sauce for some zest.


Stir-fried Shrimps with Garden Greens	Stir-fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce

Stir-fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce served with Chinese Crepes (288Php)

Stir-fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce served with Chinese Crepes

No, these are not worms! This is Stir-fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce. The shredded pork has strong flavors and can be comparable to "asado" in siopao. But just like in asado siopao which needs mantou to balance the overall savor, this dish also needs the Chinese Crepe where you'll wrap the shredded pork.

Deep Fried Garlic Pork Ribs (338Php)

Deep Fried Garlic Pork Ribs

One of the relatively familiar dishes that I liked is the Deep Fried Garlic Pork Ribs. Tender pork with crunchy garlicky outer breading. This is a safe choice that's acceptable to everyone's palate.


Deep Fried Garlic Pork Ribs	Shanghai Fried Rice

Shanghai Fried Rice (238Php)

Shanghai Fried Rice

Shanghai Fried Rice can be shared by 2 people. I find it too flavorful on its own (salty and hints of sweetness) that dishes with subtle flavors might match it better. It's difficult to use chopsticks as the rice don't really stick together. Better to ask for a spoon.

La Mian with Scallion (Dry) (200Php)

La Mian with Scallion (Dry)

La Mian is another specialty in Paradise Dynasty aside from the Xiao Long Bao. La Mian with Scallion is served with the noodles and the soup separate. This noodle soup is simple, light, and pleasant. A good balance to an already flavorful line up.


La Mian with Scallion (Dry)	Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken

Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken (298Php)

Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken

A nice color of red, orange, and yellow, Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken may look intimidating with its huge chunks of pepper and garlic toppings. These crunchy chicken bites exude a level of spiciness that may linger on your tongue for a few seconds, then you'd go for another.

Xiao Long Bao

Before we go to desserts, let's have a glimpse of the xia long baos.

Signature Original Xiao Long Bao (6 pieces - 188Php, 10 pieces - 298Php)

Signature Original Xiao Long Bao

This Signature Original Xiao Long Bao is good enough for me. This may not have the most amount of soup nor the biggest among those I've tried before, but the soup and the meat were light, tasty, and well-balanced. It's good to try the other 7 flavors, but I'd still go back to the original.


Signature Original Xiao Long Bao	Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (8 flavours)

Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (8 flavours) (8 pieces - 388Php)

Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (8 flavours)

Paradise Dynasty takes pride in coming up with world's first innovative fusion xiao long bao -- the Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao. This includes 8 flavors which should be enjoyed in this order (clockwise): Original (white), Ginseng (green), Foie Gras (brown), Black Truffle (black), Cheesy (yellow), Crab Roe (orange), Garlic (gray), Szechuan (red). This is best to be enjoyed by 1 person to try all the flavors but since we just shared a basket, I only had Ginseng and Szechuan. Ginseng is the closest to the original flavor except that it has stronger ginger taste. Szechuan, on the other hand, is spicy as expected but still tolerable and enjoyable. I didn't get to try Cheesy but it looks interesting as it has a chunk of cheese.

Chilled Glutinous Rice Roll with Red Bean Paste topped with Grated Nuts (3 pieces - 128Php)

Chilled Glutinous Rice Roll with Red Bean Paste topped with Grated Nuts

Now onto the desserts. Chilled Glutinous Rice Roll with Red Bean Paste topped with Grated Nuts is your kind of sticky yet sweet dessert. Can be a bit heavy though but still good especially I love red bean!


Chilled Glutinous Rice Roll with Red Bean Paste	Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry

Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry (3 pieces - 128Php)

Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry

Pan Fried Pumpkin Pastry is something new for me as I usually associate pumpkin with soup. This is/tastes like thin tikoy (nian gao). I also didn't get much of the pumpkin "essence" but that is fine for me.

Glutinous Rice Ball topped with Grated Nuts (4 pieces - 138Php)

Glutinous Rice Ball filling

Glutinous Rice Ball is, for me, a sophisticated buchi. The covering is made of grated nuts instead of sesame seeds. It is easy to chew on and served warm. But be careful as the sesame filling may ooze out. Yum!


Glutinous Rice Ball topped with Grated Nuts	Glutinous Rice Ball topped with Grated Nuts

Chilled Mango Pudding (100Php)

Chilled Mango Pudding

If usual Chinese Restaurants serve mango sango, at Paradise Dynasty they upgraded it to Mango Pudding. I love how it captures the mango flavor and not overdo it.

Given the grand ambiance, the up-scaled food selections and taste, I'd say Paradise Dynasty gives great value for money. So aside from the more expensive fine-dining Chinese restaurants, and cheaper fastfood or Binondo food trip, here's another option to enjoy both classic Chinese dishes and creative new ones.

Paradise Dynasty
S Maison, Conrad Manila, Second Level, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
+632 828-8333