Filipino food stems from many origins and influences, one of which is Chinese with the now Filipino versions of the dishes such as Pancit, Lumpia, Mami, Siomai, and many more – all of which have evolved through time and were given a more authentic Filipino flavor. So it isn’t a surprise why Filipinos similarly love and crave for Chinese food too! This is why restaurants such as the newly opened Beef King located at the Pacific Building at TECOM in Dubai satisfy the cravings of those searching to have that taste of classic Chinese meals.
The Ambiance
Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted with the smiles of the courteous staff who are more than eager to assist and serve you. Jan Lester Salazar, supervisor at Beef King said that most of their new and returning customers are very pleased with the level of customer service that the restaurant provides: “Yung pakikitungo namin sa mga customers ay talagang nagugustuhan nila kasi maayos at very friendly ang mga staff at talagang na-suggest nila kung ano ang mga ‘must-try’ na dishes lalo na sa mga bagong customers.” The place in itself is filled with Chinese decors and fixtures that adds in to the overall dining experience. If you’re lucky, you may even be served by their very own “Miss Lonely”, a robot server who, despite the quite unhappy name provides happiness with its diligence on giving customers what they need.
The Food
We were served with their signature Shabu-Shabu seafood selection. It was an assortment of freshly-caught seafood such as shrimps, squids, and crabs to be cooked in the hot pot. There were also several crisp vegetables to go together with the soup. Salazar furthers that all of their ingredients that they served are delivered fresh daily: “Yung food po namin, fresh yan every day para masigurado namin ang quality ng pagkain na hinahain namin sa bawat customer.” Together with these, we were served with marinated meats of beef and chicken, fish tofu, crab sticks, crab balls, and a whole lot more.
As you cook up each piece of seafood, you will immediately smell the aroma of the freshness of the sea. Salazar takes pride as he shares stories of many of their regular and returning customers always rave about their signature soup: “Yung mga customer namin, galing pa ng Rigga, Deira, at sa iba pang sulok ng Dubai – lahat sila, sinasabi na sabaw pa lang, panalo na!”
And truly enough with each bite, the flavors of either their signature regular or spicy Chinese soup will be infused perfectly, releasing the umami or the juices of the seafood within it. The vegetables also gives off that taste of mild sweetness and/or mild saltiness that adds to the experience.
We were also served with their signature ‘Egg with Green Chill’ more popularly known as their century eggs as well as a variety of their noodle dishes – each of which gave a taste of decades of influence of Chinese food on the Filipino meals that we currently love.
The Verdict
Beef King serves up a storm when it comes to satisfying your cravings for Chinese cuisine. Salazar said that the combination of great tasting food and their customer-centric service have their clients returning time and again. “Pagpasok pa lang nila, nasisiyahan na agad sila sa pagbati namin, at pagdating sa pagkain, mas bet talaga hindi lang ng mga Pinoy, kundi ng ibang mga expat din ang lasa ng aming Chinese cuise.” said Salazar. Beef King is located at the Pacific Building at TECOM in Dubai.
