Those who have been into milk tea in the 90s will know that Ersao is pioneer of the milk tea industry in Manila 🙂
Ersao was a favorite hangout of students after class because of its student-friendly-priced snacks and milk teas, and now, decades later, it still provides these reliable staples at affordable prices.
Ersao was opened by Ms. Joy Yao, previously a restaurant owner in Taiwan who has since lived in the Philippines. Ersao (二嫂) means second sister-in-law, referring to Ms. Yao’s position in the family.
ERSAO REVAMPS ITS LOOKS
Of course, after decades in operation, it was time to revamp Ersao’s looks for the 2020’s! In spite of the proliferation of other milk tea shops, Ersao still maintains its market niche as the place for authentic Taiwanese snacks. It is the only milk tea shop I know that specializes in casual dining Taiwanese food – not just the typical fried squid and chicken, but Ersao has noodles, dumplings and seafood pancakes, too.
I was recently invited to the reopening of their Banawe (Mauban) branch, located just a few feet from the original King Chef. They updated their signage to reflect their new logo, as well as changed the interiors.
It has changed from a cafe vibe to a more casual dining setting. When we went back to have dinner at Ersao, I saw other families dining there, too.
MORE THAN MILK TEA
Here are some of the authentic Taiwanese dishes available at Ersao:
Soybathe Dumplings (P165) – this is the must-order food item for me at Ersao! The boiled dumplings have a finely ground pork filling, and sit on a pool of slightly sweet soy sauce, and topped with green onions and cilantro.
Spicy Squid (P95) and Spicy Chicken (P95) – many of my friends were addicted to these back in the day. They were served in a paper bag and a bamboo skewer which you use to make tusok tusok, and that’s how you eat them. They are still served the same way (takeout), but are also available for dine in. I much prefer the Spicy Chicken over the Spicy Squid though, personal preference.
Radish Cake (P95) – I liked this in 2015, and I still like it. It has good texture. It’s crunchy outside, soft inside – make sure to ask for the hoisin sauce to dip the radish cake in.
Savoury Seafood Pancake (P210) – the Taiwanese version of okonomiyaki 🙂 Vegetables and seafood in a flour and egg batter fried like a giant pancake, then topped with mayo, sauce and bonito flakes
Signature Beef Noodle (P310) – this has a flavorful, hearty broth that tastes close to a beef stew. The beef chunks have a rich, concentrated beefy taste. The noodles seem handmade – they are thicker and have a denser texture compared to the usual commercial noodles.
We always end up ordering this, but I am looking forward to trying Ersao’s other noodles. The noodles at Ersao are what most of the regulars (non-students) order. One of their regular customers who I shared a table with on one visit told me her favorite is the maki (you can order it without noodles), and she tuned me into the seafood pancake 🙂
Chicken Steak Bendong (P170) – chicken breast that has been fried pork chop-style, rice topping (also available Chicken Steak only, no rice)
Bola-bola Troops (P165) – fish balls and meat balls made in-house
Pork Chao Fan (P170) – fried rice, surprisingly generous with the pork strips 🙂 It is toppe with an adobo egg
DRINKS MENU & PRICING
Ersao has a big variety of drinks to choose from. I was able to try their Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Avocado Shake, and of course, the Taro Milk Tea that is a classic of the 90s.
Here’s their drinks menu to give you an idea of their pricing:
You can also adjust the sugar level to your preference.
SUMMARY
This Ersao branch is where neighborhood patrons go for a satisfying meal without hurting the wallet. Ersao has drinks, snacks, rice toppings and even noodle soups! Parking is also available in front.
My recommendations: Soybathe Dumplings, Spicy Chicken, Radish Cake
Service was also good. Our big order arrived within 5-10 minutes 🙂 We were actually surprised at how fast the food came out!
Ersao Banawe
Unit 1, 213 Banawe Street, Manresa, Banawe, Quezon City
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ERSAOofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ersao_2.0_official/
