Ersao Goes Beyond Milk Tea: Ish Eats Taiwanese Treats in Manila!
The Ersao restaurant chain is popular for their Milk Tea. However, I recently found out that their extensive menu of Taiwanese dishes deserve their own moment in the spotlight.
My friends and I visited the Banawe (Manresa) branch on the occasion of the chain’s 17th anniversary. Off the bat, I ordered a Wintermelon Milk Tea. I would have to say that Ersao’s version is slightly less sweet than what I’m used to. I prefer my milk tea a lot sweeter but this is probably healthier for me anyway haha.
Our meal started with a selection of different noodle dishes. First on the table were some SEAFOOD MILK NOODLES. This reminded me of the popular Filipino sopas except this is bursting with seafood flavor. Yum!
The DUMPLING NOODLES came next. this was my first time to experience the taste of Ersao’s dumplings and man, was I floored! The hefty parcels of goodness were bursting with flavor! The actual noodles and the soup base were nothing to write home about but the dumpling were the real star of this dish.
Out of all the noodle dishes, the SIGNATURE BEEF NOODLES were my favorite. I really enjoyed the chewy, thick noodles and the flavorful broth. It was also quite a large serving and is good enough to serve as a full meal.
After trying a variety of noodles, we just had to go for some rice. After all, what’s an Asian meal without it? The PORK CHAO FAN was a big hit in our group. Ersao’s version of the classic Chinese fried rice was full of meat and vegetables flavored with Chinese spices. The rice dish is good enough to be eaten alone but we had it in tandem with the SPICY CHICKEN, a house specialty.
Soon, we also added a serving of SPICY SQUID. Both dishes are deep-fried to golden brown perfection and seasoned with the all-too familiar flavors of Taiwanese street food. It brings me back to the Shilin Night Market in Taipei! Yum!
Aside from the chao fan, we also tried another rice dish called HONG MA. Boy, oh, boy, did this melt in my mouth! The slow-cooked pork belly was so tender and flavorful! It was perfectly greasy in all the right ways. a great match for plain steamed rice! this isn’t for the diet conscious diners but it’s a good treat once in a while.
Whatever the rest of the world can do, the Taiwanese can do it too. That’s at least proven by their extensive number of factories manufacturing nearly everything in your house. The same goes for food. In Ersao, they have their own version of the Japanese Okonomiyaki.
The SAVOURY SEAFOOD PANCAKE is one of my favorite items on the menu. They made it somewhat like the Korean Pajeon, a crispy pancake filled with loads of seafood. They then topped it with Japanese mayo and bonito flakes, just like an okonomiyaki.
If you must try one thing, try Ersao’s dumplings. They have a commissary that makes their own range of dumplings. Just like the ones in the dumpling noodles, the Japanese GYOZA that they serve here are bursting with flavor. They are also fairly large with no signs of cheap extenders.
The grand finale was a dish of SOY BATHE DUMPLINGS. They are basically steamed dumplings bathed in a light, sweet, soy sauce. I liked this dish so much that I brought two bags of frozen dumplings to enjoy back home!
What an amazing Taiwanese meal that made me miss my adventures on the streets of Taiwan! To wash it all down, I just had to order another drink. Take a look at their unique twin cup! It serves two drinks so that indecisive people like me don’t have to choose. If you’re dining with a significant other you can also opt to share!
Ersao isn’t a fancy place, but it definitely offers a lot of bang for your buck! Definitely a nice place for some snacks and tea with friends or even a quick weekday lunch.
Star rating: 4/5
Location: Unit 1, 213 Banawe Street, Manresa, Banawe, Quezon City
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