Ling Nam

Alper Koçyiğit

4.0

Remember my Binondo Foodtrip / Photowalk last March? If you're looking for delicious and affordable dimsum and noodles,I don't think you have to search that far to satisfy your comfort food cravings.Ling Nam has been around for 60 years and it's famous for its delectable authentic Chinese noodles, congee and dimsum. With its comfortable ambiance, it will surely give you that memorable fast-casual dinning experience that will bring you back for more.I am not Chinese but if you needed to know, the word "Ling Nam" roughly translates as the Southern mountaineers' province of Canton or Guangzhou, China where it draws inspiration from Cantoneese restaurants there.Here are some of the food in their menu that I got to try specially prepared by their chief cook, Romeo.DimsumBola Siopao (P70)Compared to your ordinary siopao these ones are huge! Probably twice the size of the regular ones. I wish I had a coin for comparison. Here's a random tip: in differentiating siopaos, look for the dots. If there isn't any, it's probably an asado. If there is, it's a bola bola. But if it has two dots, it's a red monggo. This one is a bola bola. I like how the salted egg goes well with the firm meat.Asado Siopao (P70)I'm more of an asado person. I like how this one is not too salty compared to those regular ones. The meat is so tender and quite easy to chew. No wonder it bagged the top spot in Manila's Best Siopao 3 years ago.Just like their bola bola siopao, their servings are huge so it's probably good to share for two.Pork Siomai (P70) I know you all are thinking the price is quite steep for your pork siomai. It is more expensive because other than it tastes good, it's really packed with lean meat. No extenders. This one I like with my toyomansi.Hakaw (P135)Hakaw is one of my all time favorites! Theirs in particular are not salty and good on its own.Best served warm you could taste the shrimp and pork along with some bamboo shoot.Here's another trivia: Hakaw is not too common because it is said that it's one of those dishes that are quite expensive to make. Ham Suy Kok (P130)This is the first time I got to try one of these and I fell in love immediately. Imagine the texture of that outer layer is similar to a soft sweet buchi skin while the filling inside is salty. It's one of those interesting things that you think won't really go along with each other but it does actually work, surprisingly.Noodles with SoupBeef Wanton Noodles (P180)This is one of their signature Chinese noodles that they're really known for. This is one of the best soup bases I had. I can't even describe how soulful it is. The texture of the noodles are firm and never soggy. It never breaks easily and I don't know about the others but the siomai there tastes smoky and beef is cooked to perfection. It's really heavy and fulfilling that you'd get what you paid for.Chicken Asado Noodles (P180)Unfortunately, I haven't tried this one but my blogger friends were having a hard time deciding which of the two Chinese noodles they like more. They said the sauce goes well with the chicken noodle. Maybe I'll try this when I come back.Sauteed NoodlesBeef Hofan (P265) This one is made with rice based noodles and classic stir fried beef and bean sprouts. I believe this is one of the group favorites because Rattus recalls how much she likes having this as a child and Vicky told me prior to ordering that she loves this and could finish a whole plate. Take note: a whole plate is good for 2-3 people. That's a huge appetite for a small girl. Kidding.EntreeDragon Shrimp Balls (P320)One of the most creative presentations for a shrimp ball. If you're a shrimp ball fan, this one is setting the bar high. Compared to every other shrimp balls I've tried, this is the juiciest one I've had so far. Again, pure meaty goodness. No extenders because because the owner isn't a fan of extenders and wants only the best dining experience for the customers. Coated with a crispy deep-fried wanton wrapper it surely compliments the texture of the delicate minced shrimps.Sweet and Sour Pork (P275) Accompanied by fresh vegetables, this Sweet and Sour Pork is very soft and the sauce is flavorful compared to those that I've tried at Chinese buffets and restaurants in the Metro.Lemon Chicken (P270)Another one of my delightful favorites, the Lemon Chicken never disappoints. The chicken meat soft and moist. It is very effortless to chew. And the sauce? You be surprised that it's actually sweet and not too sour. The lemon sauce is not too overpowering to the extent it won't cover up the flavor of the chicken meat. Awesome.VegetablesHome-Made Tofu with 3 Kinds of Mushroom (P240)For the vegetarians I highly recommend this as well. This is one of my favorites because I have never tasted something quite similar to this dish. Imagine this slab of home-made tofu that tastes like tamago. It's sweet and soft plus the Tausi sauce is the bomb. The best part? Shitake and button mushrooms!!!RiceYang Chow Rice (P220)I think we're all familiar with Yang Chow Rice. It's good on it's own especially with those plump small shrimps and I think one serving of this is already good for 2-3 persons.

Wadi Chan

4.0

I was really really hungry and craving for Siopao! I went her with my friends after school. It's actually dinner time. The place is fine, i like their couch on the side:)I ordered siopao bolabola and finally craving satisfied! i also like their beef wanton, lemon chicken and the yang chow fried rice:) The serving size is good for sharing. I actually want to refer this to my family:)Oh! their staff is nice also, very attentive:)

Reyhan Daffa

4.0

Ling Nam started in the 1950s, with their first branch on Binondo. You can have a glimpse of how this restaurant grew through the wall displays that surrounded the whole restaurant. The place is packed with people that night which denoted that foods are appetizing because people are patronizing the restaurant. I love the whole ambiance of the place and most especially how attentive the staffs are. They are all so nice to the customers and their smiles made our whole stay more overwhelming. For me, a great food would be one of the criteria for me to go back to a certain restaurant, but for the most part I would definitely go back if the staffs are well-mannered and would give you pleasing experience throughout your entire stay. As an appetizer, they served Siopao which is one of their bestsellers. They hold the no.1 spot on the Top 10 Best Siopao in Metro Manila by spot.ph. Asado Siopao P70. The siopao itself is huge enough and is really perfect for sharing. Inside, you’ll see chunky asado meat filling that is so mouth-watering and you don’t even have to put sauce or anything.  Bola Bola Siopao P70. What I really like about Ling Nam’s siopao is their enormous fluffy dough. Notice how Bola Bola has a red dot on it; it’s basically to differentiate it with Asado Siopao.Pork Siomai (2pcs)P70. Not only the biggest siopao I’ve ever seen, Ling Nam also has the largest siomai I have ever seen in my entire life. It’s like a two normal size siomai in one. It’s really meaty and you can even taste how good this is just by eating this without any soy sauce-calamansi dip. Definitely a winner for me.Hakaw P135. This is my first time to try hakaw so please bear with me if I don’t have anything to compare with it. Basically hakaw is shrimp dumplings covered with fluffy dumpling shell. It’s a melt-in-your-mouth experience for me, and yeah, who doesn’t love shrimps after all?Ham Suy Kok P125. This reminds me of empanada because of its crescent shape, but in a more sweet way since the pastry crust they used is sweet rice flour (like the one they use for butchi). The meat filling inside is really delicious and I bet one order of this will satisfy your Chinese snack cravings. Dragon Shrimp Balls (8 pcs) P320. The moment when the staff served this to us, I was so amused of the food presentation and immediately took photos of it. Dragon shrimp balls are deep fried shrimp balls, and wrapped with shredded wanton wrapper. It’s like a fried hakaw for me, but in a more exquisite design. Time for heavy meals! If above servings doesn’t make you full, I guess you should try these too.Beef Noodles P155. Eating in a Chinese restaurant wouldn’t be complete without ordering noodles, of course. The soup is very tasty and the beef has the right amount of tenderness. One order is really good for sharing up to 3 persons.Chicken Asado Noodles P155. This is my first time to taste a chicken asado noodles and surprisingly, it tasted more on the sweet side maybe because of the asado sauce. It complements the chicken and chicken broth perfectly. Beef Wanton Noodles- P170. I always loved beef noodles with wanton in it. As for Ling Nam’s beef wanton noodles, I’ll give them a two thumbs up for the scrumptious broth and the perfect texture of the noodles. The wantons are delicious and refreshing as well. Let’s now go to the main course!Yang Chow Rice (2-3 persons) P200. This comes in a huge serving so this makes it more affordable since you can share this up to 3 persons.Beef Hofan is also one of my favorites on the menu. This is made of flat noodles with lots and lots of tender beef which is really good. I really recommend this when you go to Ling Nam.Lemon Chicken P270. This one is more on the sweet side, and I love how perfectly cooked the chicken cutlets are. It’s not too hard to chew and is perfect for the yang chow rice.Sweet and Sour Pork P275. The sauce has a sweet and tangy flavor which is basically the soul of this dish. Home-made Tofu with Three Kinds of Mushroom P210. This is my grand finale because this is worth ordering, I must say. I never tasted tofu this good! The tofu is well cooked and has that melt-in-your-mouth texture. The sauce complements the tofu and the mushrooms making it one of the their best sellers. If you’re craving for something enjoyable and filling Chinese cuisines that will surely bring pleasure to your taste buds, head over to Ling Nam and find out why everyone adores this restaurant.

Sevinnar

4.0

Ling Nam is those restaurants that you go not for ambiance but to be fed with good delicious food. this branch has the most menu & I do recommend the sweet & sour pork. Well cooked & the pork texture reminds me of home cook somewhere in Ongpin. Try it & you will come back for more

Klara

4.0

Beef Wanton Noodles is good... You must try din the Asado Siopao... " May Rice Meals din sila and one of my fave is Breaded Pork Chop may side dish pa na achara..." I love the place... Its like Binondo ambiance... :) Good Job!

Jona

3.0

It's my first time to eat here and I'm glad it's a good experience to begin with. We only ordered what's enough for two but I must say I really loved their Chinese-style chicken and beef wanton noodles. I will surely go back here and eat a lot more. #LingNam #foodporn #review

Panthera

3.0

It was another Chinese food experience for me... The food was good and the staffs are nice. They have their signature Beef Wanton Noodles and other similar hot, tasty meals that you need to try on and most importantly is the price which is very affordable. Check out my food review on my blog here, tasteofgoodness.blogspot.com/2014/09/ling-nam-offers-affordable-house.html

Addico Porsiana

4.0

The siomai was disappointing, but the chami noodles and shrimp hakaw are so legit!!!!! It's so tasty. I can still remember it even if it's been months.

Mona Santiago

3.0

Beef hofan and pork chop are both good. But the siomai is not that good plus its a bit pricey for 2 pcs @ 75 php. Overall, its a good dining experience still.