Paradise Dynasty is still the place to go for flavored xiao long baos (小籠包)! No one does it better.
For the past few years, when one is craving their xlbs and spicy Szechaun dishes, you’d have to go to Podium, SM Aura or S Maison. But now, Makati denizens can also enjoy these famous xiao long baos without needing to venture too far.
Paradise Dynasty is opening a new branch at the third level of Greenbelt 5. They will be on soft opening starting September 26, 2024!
What to Try at Paradise Dynasty
Paradise Dynasty newbie? Don’t worry, I have some recommendations.
My family and I have been dining at Paradise Dynasty since they opened in Manila. In my opinion, what sets Paradise Dynasty apart from the other popular Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila, aside from their flavorful and colorful xiao long baos, is that they offer “not your usual” Chinese dishes like: Yang Chow Doubled-boiled Meat Ball with Crab Roe Soup (P238), Radish Pastry (P188), Chilled Baby Spinach with Vermicelli (P288), Chilled Assorted Eggs Loaf in Yang Chow Style (P238), Sliced Beef and Tripe in Spicy Szechuan Sauce (P588), Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy (P488). The Scrambled Egg White with Fish and Conpoy is soft and senior-friendly.
They’re not afraid to be bold with flavors. If the dish is supposed to be spicy, it is (but not unreasonably spicy). If it’s supposed to be a bit sour, it is. If it is supposed to be ma la, it is. However, the taste is still balanced. No one taste overpowers the others.
I still think Paradise Dynasty has the best Dan Dan sauce I’ve tried so far (La Mian with Dan Dan Sauce). Though I really wish they’d have an option to add ground pork! If you have no idea what their dan dan sauce tastes like, think of a spicy and very peanut butter-heavy kare-kare sauce, with the added aroma of Szechuan peppercorns!
Don’t get me wrong – their “usual and safe” Chinese dishes like sweet & sours, fried pork ribs, fried chicken etc… are still very good and quite popular. But to me, it’s their “other” dishes that really stick in my mind. If you have an adventurous palate, do give their other dishes a try.
Anyway, here are my current favorites at Paradise Dynasty:
- Xiao Long Bao – you cannot go to Paradise Dynasty and not order this! You can order the assorted one to try all the flavors. My faves are the black truffle, crab roe and foie gras.
- La Mian with Dan Dan Sauce – fave!!! already discussed above
- Radish Pastry – very flaky pastry with a mild-flavored, soft radish filling. I know not everyone will appreciate this, but I like it
- Chilled Baby Spinach with Vermicelli – a refreshing appetizer to start the meal! The vegetables are tossed in a light vinaigrette.
- Pork Dumpling with Hot Chili Vinaigrette – one of the better Szechuan-style pork dumplings, the Szechuan peppercorns are so mala and aromatic!
- Kung Pao Chicken – spicy and flavorful, slightly sweet, with lots of garlic and cashews
- Yang Chow Doubled-boiled Meat Ball with Crab Roe Soup – I love crab roe, LOL
If you eat tripe, the Sliced Beef and Tripe in Spicy Szechuan Sauce is actually also quite good – the tripe is properly cleaned, tender. Slightly spicy, mala, and I can really smell the citrus notes of the Szechuan peppercorn.
You can see the Paradise Dynasty Menu here (with dish photos & prices): https://paradisedynasty.ph/menu/
