Tien Ma's Taiwanese Cuisine in Libis, Quezon City - WTF Food Review

Authentic Taiwanese cuisine? Sound new, let's check it out!

Disclaimer: This review is sponsored by Tien Ma. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are our own and not influenced by the restaurant, owner(s) and/or its affiliates, in any way.

Tien Ma's Taiwanese Cuisine is located along the C5 Libis area, a location for foodie millennials who are too lazy to go to Katipunan or Maginhawa. Tien Ma is known for its affordable Xiao Long Bao, Beef Noodle Soup and Three Cup Chicken, plus if your palate is looking for that authentic Taiwanese food, well you've come to the right place.

A little background, Tien Ma is an actual name, according to their website her real name is Tien Liyuan who grew up in Taiwan and was best known for her recipe of Xiao Long Bao.

Tien Ma's interior - it's quaint but with a little sophisticated twist

The place is well air-conditioned and very well lit. They have a semi-open kitchen separated with glass where you can see the chefs work their magic. Parking is not a problem since they have both front and back parking, albeit the latter is hidden if you don't pay close attention to your surrounding but manong guard will help you out with your parking dilemma.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon so we've decided to go all-out in our lunch since I'm with my family. We've ordered Chicken w/ Corn Soup (PHP219), Stir-Fried Water Spinach (PHP215), Pork Siomai (PHP90), Kung Pao Shrimp (PHP219), Three Cup Squid (PHP225), Stir-Fried Beef w/ Broccoli (PHP229), Tainan Fried Chicken (PHP365), Taiwan Style Fried Rice (PHP396) and Salted Fish Fried Rice (PHP396).

Chicken w/ Corn Soup (PHP219)

I did not expect the serving size to be big but hey for the price of PHP219? Their Chicken w/ Corn Soup is perfect to prime your hungry stomach. It's piping hot from the moment it was served to us and still hot when we finished the whole bowl. There is a generous amount of chicken strips, corn and egg drops which makes it a complete meal altogether. My daughter even requested for a bowl of rice (lol) to go with it.

Stir-Fried Water Spinach (PHP215)

We love meat but we also love our vegetables and water spinach is not new for us - it's more like a staple whenever it's available on the menu if we dine-out. Tien Ma's Stir-Fried Water Spinach (PHP215) is seasoned perfectly enough to extract the freshness of the water spinach. The toasted garlic on top added that aroma and pungency in the dish.

Pork Siomai (PHP90)

I am a big critique when it comes to siomai because I believe (and I will defend it at all costs) that my mom makes the best pork siomai in the world, like literally, so my expectations when it comes to siomai is really high. Tien Ma's Pork Siomai (PHP90) raised the bar on how siomai should taste like in a restaurant! I've tasted different siomai's from different restaurants and they ranged from poor to mediocre, this one is great but not on par with my mum's, of course. The pork filling is very savory and well seasoned. Once dipped in their homemade chili garlic oil, game over!

Kung Pao Shrimp (PHP219)

Kung Pao Shrimp (PHP219) - it raised the temperature in the restaurant. The shrimps were perfectly cooked, the spicy yet garlicky kung pao sauce increased the rich flavor of the shrimp and perfectly synergize the rest of the ingredients to create a spectacular dish.

Three Cup Squid (PHP225)

Three Cup Squid (PHP225) - for the uninitiated, the term three cups originated in China and was popularized in Taiwanese cuisines. It basically means three cups of sauces - soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. This intensifies the aroma and the taste of the squid to the next level.

Stir-Fried Beef w/ Broccoli (PHP229)

Stir-Fried Beef w/ Broccoli (PHP229) - this one is my favorite. The savory beef is just caressing my taste buds enough that it makes the leafy and earthy flavor of the broccoli stands out. This is dish is a total powerhouse as the broccoli and carrots are great sources of vitamins and nutrients while beef gives us that fiber that we need. It's succulent yet guilt-free!

Tainan Fried Chicken (PHP365)

Tainan Fried Chicken (PHP365) - I am not familiar with Tainan cuisine and all I know about it is that it is a city south of Taiwan. I think they are known for being Taiwan's culinary melting pot as they are using their traditional way of cooking and giving flavors all the way from their roots. This dish reminds me of home as it's unpretentious and very straightforward. You have that crisp savory skin that you can just munch all day and that juicy flavorful meat that's just oozing with flavor. If a whole chicken is too much for you, they also offer half for PHP235.

Taiwan Style Fried Rice (PHP396)

Taiwan Style Fried Rice (PHP396) - its lackluster appearance may disappoint some but it does pack flavor. You'll get that meaty and savory flavor which is a perfect pair for all the dishes mentioned above.

Salted Fish Fried Rice (PHP396)

Salted Fish Fried Rice (PHP396) - now this rice is delish! It's a meal by itself! It's like your traditional "sinangag" which a little bit of oriental twist.

It was a great experience, I was able to try at least a little bit of Taiwan. I'll be sure to come back for their Xiao Long Bao, but for now, I would like to end this review in a good note.

• Food
• I love the food - they're straightforward, unpretentious and have that authenticity note to it. Albeit some dish needs improvement.
• They have a couple of sauces that you can mix up with your food: Chili Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Pickled Chili, and Light Soy Sauce.
• Place 
• You won't have a problem when it comes to parking, they have one big parking space at the back of the restaurant and limited space in front.
• The place looks easy to the eye and comfortable.
• The restroom is so-so, can be improved.
• Service 
• The servers are just wonderful. They are very attentive and neat - they always wear that smile when serving to the customer.
• I should commend manong guard man! He's the man!
• Price 
• The price is reasonable - in return, you'll get a decent quality meal and a medium to big serving. 

Let's rate them, shall we?

Food: 4/5

Ambiance: 5/5

Service: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5

OVERALL: 4.5/5

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Location: 184 B E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Bagumbayan, Libis, Quezon City, Philippines

Operating Hours: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Contact Number: +632 3723955