Whenever you ask Filipinos about their preferred vegetable dish, one of the first dishes that would definitely come in mind is the iconic Chopsuey or ‘Stir Fried Vegetables’.
This is why the ongoing Philippines Food Festival (PFF) included this well-known vegetable dish in their list of ‘Bangkota Meals’ that both Filipinos and expats in the UAE can experience.
Dubai-based Filipino-owned restaurant ‘Desert Wok’ has prepared a special Chopsuey dish that accentuates the distinct flavors of freshly-harvested vegetables. These include cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, red & green capsicum, snow peas, mushroom, and young corn. These vegetables are then drenched in a special Chopsuey sauce that add a savory mix to enhance the flavors of each vegetable.
In addition, Desert Wok also prepares a special version of the Filipino fried rice, otherwise known as the ‘Sinangag’. The restaurant has cooked up piping hot fried rice with crisp vegetables filled with the aroma and taste of roasted garlic. The Desert Wok ‘Sinangag’ is then paired with some of their best-selling dishes such as the Singapore Chicken, Beef Pepper Crushed Garlic, and the Sweet and Sour Fish.
Filipino-Asian fusion
Desert Wok has been serving a fusion of delectable & flavorful Filipino and Indo-Chinese Cuisine at its restaurant located in Jumeirah Village Circle.
Vangie “Asiyah” Monjardin, owner of The Desert Wok, said that their restaurant is pleased to participate as part of the ‘Bangkota Meal’ offerings as they have served hundreds of thousands of residents since their original restaurant :Lotus Garden” was launched in 2007.
“75 per cent ng sales namin, nasa deliveries. So since maliit lang yung dining (area) namin, gusto namin na i-boost yung food in a box. Gumawa kami ng ‘Bangkota meals’ na sine-serve namin di lang sa lunch, for the whole month of Bangkota, binibigay na rin namin ito sa dinner. Tapos nagbigay kami ng special discounted price doon,” said Monjardin.
Desert Wok is a member of the League of Food and Beverage Entrepreneur (LFBE), a subsidiary of the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates (PBC-DNE). The PBC-DNE is a non-profit organization established in 2001 under the patronage of the Embassy of the Philippines and the Philippine Consulate General of Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and the only Filipino organization recognized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with the esteemed role of facilitating business opportunities for the Filipino community and their commercial partners in the country.
