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Top 10 Binondo Food Trip Dishes You Can Replicate at Home
Think of the best food trips in Manila and Binondo instinctively comes to mind. Recognized as the world’s oldest Chinatown, Binondo boasts centuries of mixed cultural heritage, with much of it deeply rooted in Filipino-Chinese cuisine. Anytime you get a craving for Binondo specialties, these top 10 Binondo food trip dishes will make you feel like you’re walking Binondo’s bustling streets without the need to step outside your doorstep.
1. Pork and Beef Siomai
Among the best Binondo food trip dimsum options, siomai is perhaps the most quintessential. And rightly so — there are endless variations: Pork and Beef Siomai, Pork and Shrimp Soimai, fried, steamed, to name a few. All are easy to prepare at home and with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of skillfully wrapping meat inside wonton wrappers.
If you’re looking for ways to make your siomai healthier, steaming the dumplings is the way to go. Alternatively, you can pop them in the air fryer for that guiltless crunch. As for dipping sauce, Knorr Liquid Seasoning — in the original or chili variant — should do the trick.
2. Fried Chicken
Fried chicken may not necessarily be a dish specific to Filipino Chinese cuisine, but a Binondo, Manila food trip wouldn’t be complete without it. The district boasts of many fried chicken joints with varying recipes and star ingredients. But one thing’s for sure: Chinese-style Fried Chicken, like the ones that could easily make it to any top 10 Binondo food trip dishes list, oozes with umami.
The secret lies in the marinade, as seen in this Asian Fried Chicken Wings recipe or our Linamnam-Sarap Fried Chicken dish. If you’re in the mood for Air Fried Chicken with a zesty Filipino twist, you could add Knorr Sinigang sa Sampalok Mix Original to its marinade.
3. Wonton Noodle Soup
Now that you know how to make your own siomai, you’ll easily ace this Wonton Noodle Soup recipe. The broth seasoning is customizable; use whatever flavor profile you prefer — Knorr Pork Cube, Knorr Beef Cube, Knorr Chicken Cube, or Knorr Shrimp Cube.
4. Chinese Fried Rice
Like dim sum, Chinese fried rice has a lot of variations, with the more famous one being Yang Chow Fried Rice. This Chinese Fried Rice recipe goes well with all kinds of ulam, but it especially complements vans mentioned in this list of our top 10 Binondo food trip dishes — so be sure to make it to the end!
There’s another rice recipe popular in Filipino Chinese culture called Kiampong and it features glutinous rice. Surprisingly, it’s easy to make at home, too. Our Special Chinese Sticky Rice recipe feeds a party of five, perfect for a Binondo food trip-themed celebration with your loved ones.
5. Fried Pork Chops
Binondo aficionados would know that it is also the go-to for fried pork chops bigger than your face! This Binondo food trip crowd favorite’s also big on flavor, so get ready to chow down on it with generous servings of Chinese Fried Rice or Kiampong.
Don’t eat pork? No problem. Use our Fried Pork Chops recipe, but replace the pork chop with chicken chops instead. Binondo’s known for those giant chicken chops, too!
6. Congee
Lugaw comfort food goodness, but make it Binondo-style. The rainy season calls for a reliable Congee recipe that you can easily follow in your own kitchen especially when the weather gets cold and gloomy. The best thing about congee? It’s the perfect base for a wide range of toppings — fish, eggs, beef, pork, vegetables, you name it. Knorr Broth Cubes presents a convenient way to season your congee any way you want, too.
7. Char Siu Ribs
Want to impress your household with a fancy rib dish reminiscent of your last Binondo food trip? This Char Siu Ribs recipe is pretty spot-on. Picture it: a whole slab of succulent ribs seasoned with Char Siu sauce and Knorr Liquid Seasoning, slowly roasted to succulent perfection and topped with butter and fragrant herbs. You can practically taste it.
8. Lumpiang Shanghai
Despite it being named after the popular Chinese city, historical accounts tell us that lumpia might have originated from Fujian province – brought to the Philippines through trade and waves of migration. This no-fail Lumpiang Shanghai recipe walks you through the steps of making a perfect batch of Lumpiang Shanghai.
We also have a non-fried alternative for health nuts: Binondo-Style Fresh Lumpia. Some food stalls in the area are known for attracting long queues and they’re dedicated to this popular Binondo food trip dish. Get all the kitchen inspiration you need from our Fresh Lumpia recipe.
9. Pancit Miki Bihon
There’s a Filipino tradition that tells you to eat noodles for long life, especially on your birthday. It’s a Lunar Year custom Pinoys borrowed from the Chinese: chomping away on a hefty serving of longevity noodles for good luck on the new year. So, for long life any time of the year regardless if you’ve recently visited Binondo, prepare this tasty Pancit Miki Bihon recipe.
10. Hakaw
Another hit with Binondo food trip-goers, Hakaw has proven to be an all-time favorite for many foodies who frequent Chinese restaurants. It’s like making siomai at home, except the filling’s juicy large shrimp!
That concludes this list of the top 10 Binondo food trip dishes you can easily prepare at home. But when you do get a chance to restaurant-hop in Binondo, don’t forget to bring home a tasty piece (or rather, pieces) of Binondo with you. We recommend hopia and toasted siopao!
