Paradise Dynasty Philippines Opens Fourth Branch in Greenbelt 5
Our favorite Xiao Long Bao restaurant Paradise Dynasty Philippines recently opened its fourth branch at Greenbelt 5 in Ayala Center, Makati. Loyal customers like me can now get their signature XLBs at more locations in the city after their first three branches in Mall of Asia, SM Podium, and SM Aura.
You can find the newest outlet of Paradise Dynasty at the third level of Greenbelt 5 near the side going to Greenbelt 4. They actually opened last September 2024 but this is just our first time to visit. I had been craving for their delicious XLBs the past week so this is the perfect time for me to take a look and indulge in their newest offerings.
The Greenbelt branch of Paradise Dynasty is their biggest branch so far with a seating capacity of 154 guests including four private dining rooms. Each branch comes with its own unique design and vibe so this one is better for big families and groups.
Paradise Dynasty is a popular international franchise which originated from Singapore and specializes in serving Xiao Long Bao and other delightful Shanghainese dishes. It captures the finer points of bygone Chinese eras in a contemporary style. Paradise Dynasty has been included once again on Tatler Dining Guide’s list of Best Restaurants in 2024, an award they also received in 2022 and 2023.
We always start with their refreshing beverages like the Seasonal Fruit Shake (P180) which come in several options like the melon, mango, or watermelon shakes.
I was really hungry that afternoon so I was ready to devour our orders. The Greenbelt branch has some exclusive dishes that you won't find at the other branches so I also wanted to try some of those.
The star of the show at Paradise Dynasty is always their Xiao Long Bao. Everyone who visits Paradise Dynasty should order the Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao (P488). This basket contains eight different flavors of Xiao Long Bao which are all color coded for easy reference. Paraside Dynasty is the first restaurant which offered this kind of colored Xiao Long Bao set and they will always be remembered for putting their legendary Xiao Long Bao on the global foodie map.
Each Xiao Long Bao has its own unique flavor and taste which really separates this from other Chinese restaurants I have visited. The Xiao Long Bao dumplings are perfectly made, with thin but durable wrappers that do not easily break even with all the hot soup inside.
So how do you usually eat XLBs? First, place a dumpling on your spoon. Next, take small bite out of the side of the dumpling and sip the hot broth. Lastly, dip the dumpling on the XLB sauce and finish the rest of the piece. The procedure is not really as strict as like how the Japanese eat their sushi, so you can consume it however you like.
You can also order each Xiao Long Bao basket with just one type of dumpling. The Original XLB (P230-6pcs / P360-10pcs) continues to be the most popular, but you can also go get the special flavors like the Cheese XLB (P280-6pcs / P450-10pcs) and the Korean Kimchi XLB (P330-6pcs / P540-10pcs). My favorites are the Original, Foie Gras, and most especially the Black Truffle XLBs.
For our next appetizer, we had the Stir Fried Shredded Pork in Black Bean Sauce (P588) which is served with Chinese Crepes that can be used as wrappers.
Place the savory shredded pork inside the crepes, wrap or roll them into bite-sized portions then bite away. The salty and savory pork pairs well with Chinese crepes to help balance the flavors.
The Spicy Szechuan Crispy Chicken (P588) is one of the fiery Szechuan dishes at Paradise Dynasty. This looks really menacing at first glance but those who love spicy dishes will really get a kick out of this. The crunchy chicken cuts are quite tasty and my husband really loved every bite.
Another favorite of mine is the Crispy Fried Crystal Prawns Tossed with Salted Egg Yolk (P688). Now this is one dish that I can finish on my own. The lovely prawns are so plump and delicious. This is definitely the highlight of my afternoon.
Paradise Dynasty offers several interesting noodles on the menu, but they also have an exclusive noodle dish that you won't find in any of their other branches. The La Mian with Crispy Pork Chop in Signature Pork Bone Soup (P480) is a Greenbelt 5 exclusive so I just had to try this for myself.
You can place the noodles on top of the noodles or eat them separately, it's all up to you. For me, I prefer combining them in one bowl since the salty pork chop goes well with the clean tasting broth.
Another exclusive dish at Greenbelt is the Black Pepper Beef (P688). This is a very flavorful and tender beef dish cooked with onions and bell peppers.
It goes really well with fried rice so it's best to eat it with the Fried Rice in Yang Zhou Style (P328). Chinese restaurants tend to serve rice at the end but we asked them to serve this yummy fried rice together with all of the dishes we ordered.
Lastly, we had the Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Ball served with Ginger Soup (P188) for our dessert. This comes with three pieces of glutinous rice balls that had a very unique taste. I really liked it especially with its refreshing ginger soup. I'm really glad that Paradise Dynasty is expanding with more branches that are accessible to its diners. I usually dine at their Podium branch because that is the closest to my residence, but now I have several other options whenever I get the cravings for their XLBs. I'm surely going to visit again really soon.
Paradise Dynasty Philippines
Level 3, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Legazpi Street, Makati City
7001-9143
paradisedynasty.ph
www.facebook.com/paradisedynastyph
IG: @paradisedynastyph
