Jing Ting in City of Dreams Manila, Paranaque City - WTF Food Review

Ready for some Chinese madness?

I'm not a big fan of noodles and dumplings but my wife sure does. Since we've been to City of Dreams Manila for the nth time, one of our staple places to dine in is Jing Ting in City of Dreams Manila. It's a Chinese restaurant which term originated from jing ting which means little house or resting place inspired by Northern Chinese "Hutongs". Hutongs are small areas of old buildings in Beijing centered around one or more narrow streets or alleys which reflect the culture of the common people.

Jing Ting is located along the retail floor (Upper Ground) of City of Dreams Manila

It has an open kitchen where you can see the whole brigade of chefs working which is a great touch since you won't get bored while waiting for your food. The team is spearheaded by Chef Yang Chen Fei who trained under the famous Chinese Master Chef Cheng Hui, the chef of China’s former President Hu Jintao.

Jing Ting in City of Dreams Manila

Traditional yet contemporary take on their motif

The restaurant is spacious, well air-conditioned and ventilated and is also very well lit. It'll give you a traditional and elegant vibe since the ambiance is giving you a hint of first-class dining.

We started by ordering Fried Rice "Beijing Style" with Cabbage and Pork Belly (PHP360), Crispy Five Spice Eggplant (PHP198), "Genghis Khan" Roasted Prime Beef Short Ribs (PHP1,530), "Xinjiang Style" Spicy Lamb Skewers with Cumin Spices (PHP850),  Pan-fried Grains and Bacon Pancake Roll (PHP370), Beijing Pork "Jiao Zi" Dumpling (PHP450), Roasted Pork Belly Skewer on Charcoal (PHP490), Wok-fried Sweet and Sour Pork Belly (PHP410), Crispy Fried Tea-marinated Chicken (PHP380). Whew, that was a lot!

We did not get bored while waiting as we watched the chef preparing our order in their awesome open kitchen, enjoy it while sipping on their free house tea. Take note though, if you are not planning to order beverages, as you place your orders, ask for water right away. Also, the service time for dumplings may take a while so order it right away.

Pan-fried Grains and Bacon Pancake Roll (PHP370)

Their Pan-fried Grains and Bacon Pancake Roll is a complete meal! We thought it would be mediocre due to the size and simplicity of the dish. Once we took that very first bite, our mouth is completely on party mode as we are bombarded by different flavors, the savory and smokiness of the bacon being countered by the sweetness and freshness of the pancake ending with a sultry texture of the rice and veggies.

Crispy Five Spice Eggplant (PHP198)

Who knows that a simple eggplant can turn into an eggtree!? (get it? egg+plant? growing to a tree? no? okay...). The Crispy Five Spice Eggplant showed a new take on eggplant as it is very well seasoned and topped with pork floss. It's like a healthier version of your pork nugget but instead of pork, you'll get eggplant and tofu. It's an appetizer but I consider it as an entree because why not? With all that smoky and savory taste coming from the five-spice seasoning really put this dish as one of our favorite.

Beijing Pork "Jiao Zi" Dumpling (PHP450)

The Beijing Pork "Jiao Zi" Dumpling is one of those dishes that opened my palate in the world of dumpling. Personally, I am not a fan of dumpling but when I've tried this masterpiece, it did change my perception and now I am more eager to try different dumplings all around the world. Hefty, bold and full of flavor, don't be fooled by its appearance as once you take that first bite, you'll get to experience heaven. Be cautious though, the juicy inside might splatter as it is filled with the filling and its juices. We've ordered the 8 pieces set but if you are a hardcore dumpling lover, they also offer 30 pieces for PHP1,400 which is overkill!

"Xinjiang Style" Spicy Lamb Skewers with Cumin Spices (PHP850)

Lambs, they are my favorite next to pork as they give this unique texture and flavor. The "Xinjiang Style" Spicy Lamb Skewers with Cumin Spices makes me fall in love with lambs all over again. Since Xinjiang is located in the northwestern part of China, being that close to Central Asia, the province become a fusion point for both China and other parts of Central Asia and has developed a unique way of using their herbs and spices in cooking. Inspired by Xinjiang's history, Jing Ting created a lamb skewer slammed onto different spices giving it a unique aroma. The taste is out of this world as the spices combined with a juicy lamb provided a piquant flavor top that with the smokiness of the lamb skewers, this dish is to die for.

Roasted Pork Belly Skewer on Charcoal (PHP490)

To add for this skewer eating spree, I present, the Roasted Pork Belly Skewer on Charcoal. Perhaps the most attractive scent ever for mankind is the smell of meat grilling over an open fire. This dish will definitely give you a roasting-over-a-campfire vibe as the charred aroma mixing with the scent of the spices fills up our nostrils. Throw in some sesame chili oil and enjoy it as is or with Fried Rice "Beijing Style" with Cabbage and Pork Belly for total meat madness.

Roasted Pork Belly Skewer on Charcoal on top of Fried Rice "Beijing Style" with Cabbage and Pork Belly

"Genghis Khan" Roasted Prime Beef Short Ribs (PHP1,530)

The main event, the beauty, the beast, Jing Ting's "Genghis Khan" Roasted Prime Beef Short Ribs! The beef is perfectly roasted to medium rare and to lock that juices and flavor inside the meat the crust is seared to perfection. Try a squeeze of lime and orange spice on a piece for that wonderful burst of subtle, unadulterated and out-of-this-world flavor.

Crispy Fried Tea-marinated Chicken (PHP380)

Their Crispy Fried Tea-marinated Chicken is a unique take on fried chicken. With the infusion of tea in this dish, it creates a new world of flavor for our palate as the earthy taste of the tea was injected on every flesh and bone of the chicken giving it a juicy and sumptuous center while the perfectly seasoned crispy crust gives a kick and explosion of flavor from the spices.

Wok-fried Sweet and Sour Pork Belly (PHP410)

While the rest of the dishes we've ordered gave us a heavenly experience and cleaned, empty plates, this dish disappoints us to the next level to the point that we've finished all of our food but there are still some leftovers from their Wok-fried Sweet and Sour Pork Belly. Base on the name, we expect an actually fried pork belly with a sweet and sour sauce, what we got is a sweet and sour fried breading instead. The amount of breading is insane that we did not realize that it's supposed to be the sweet and sour pork belly because we are missing the pork belly! While the sauce is on point, tangy and delicious, the oversized fried breading did not appeal to us big time. Jing Ting management, so far, your dishes are on point and outstanding but please for everyone's sake, look into this.

Aside from that disastrous dish, the experience is quite nice. From the unique take on the eggplant to the tea-infused fried chicken, it's extraordinary. We left the place with a party hangover in our mouth as the delicate flavors stay and make you crave for more. We will definitely go back and try out your other menu items.

Location: Upper Ground Floor, City of Dreams Manila, Aseana Boulevard Corner Macapagal Avenue, Entertainment City, Parañaque City
Operating Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:00 AM
Contact Number: +632 8008080 / +632 6917645

• Place 
• The place is spacious, well lit, well air-conditioned.
• The interior design will give out a relaxing and soothing vibe while enjoying your meal.
• Since it's very near the casino area, be wary of the cigarette smell that can quickly stick in your clothes.
• Service 
• We've been here many times but the thing that remains consistent is that they will not (or it may take too long, like very long) provide drinking water. Even if you request for it, expect that you will still need to wait and call them out a couple of times just to be reminded.
• Price 
• The price is on point, even though the Wok-fried Sweet and Sour Pork Belly for PHP410 is a major flop, the rest of the dish is priced fair. You'll get to experience Northern China for a couple of bucks.

Let's rate them, shall we?

Food: 4.5/5

Ambiance: 4.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Value for money: 4/5

OVERALL: 4.3/5

What does Zomato say?

Follow us on Instagram