Foodie Rating: Five Stars!!!

-----

Ever since Ivan Man Dy of oldmanilawalks.com introduced this foodie treasure, I'd always make it a point to stop by this place for lunch whenever I happen to be around Old Manila -- this, and Dong Bei (I will post an entry on this once my film rolls get developed).  For this, I was in Hidalgo having the family film cameras cleaned/repaired, when I realized that I haven't been to Binondo in a long while.  Since Binondo is just walking distance from Quiapo (albeit a loooong walk), I decided to brave the throng of people in the crowded streets of Quiapo AND Binondo, just to have my fix of good ol' authentic Chinese food.

According to Ivan, Cafe Mezzanine was built by an immigrant of Fukien (China), who had two passions in life: firefighting and photography.  Both of these passions can be observed once entering the restaurant, as the walls were filled with pictures of firefighters in action... and the most obvious, in the subtext of the restaurant's name.  Aside from the interior, another noteworthy detail about the restaurant is the history of the food itself.  

(The two pictures below are found courtesy of Google Images)

Café Mezzanine is Located along Ongpin Street (near Binondo Church), Binondo Manila.

Foods being served in Cafe Mezzanine (at least, the Chinese food in the menu) are mostly dishes from Fukien.  Fukien is a province in China, which is significantly rural vis a vis cities like Shanghai and Beijing.  Being a province, the lifestyle in Fukien is simpler, more laid back, and this attitude is reflected on their food -- simple and modest dishes, made from ingredients of the earth.  The visual impact of these dishes is unremarkable, but because of their innovation in cooking, the taste tells a different story.  Trust me.

A perfect example of Fukien simplicity and innovation, according to Ivan, is the Kiampong rice.  This is just simple fried rice with toyo, pork bits, mushrooms and spring onions, but what makes it different from the usual fried rice is the addition of peanuts.  This innovation brings a different texture to the food, as the crunchiness of the peanuts compliment well to the starchiness of the rice.  Similar to the impact created by crunchy adobo flakes on adobo rice, the peanuts in the Kiampong rice make the eating experience a little more interesting.

The waitress in the restaurant recommended the Go Kong soup as partner to the rice.  This is a soy-based clear soup with chicken and pork.  This dish looks simple; almost like leftover meat soup, but it actually tastes good -- like braised beef of some sorts.  The soup, albeit clear, is rich in flavor, and the flavor of the different meats contributed to the exquisite taste of the broth.  'Yun nga lang puro taba 'yung karne, which may not be appreciated by the health-conscious.

Another favorite is the Pork Kikiam, because this is ACTUAL REAL kikiam, and not the flour-and-extenders concoction na nilalako ng mga fishball vendors.  I love the sweet sauce placed over the kikiam; this dish alone is ulam na with the Kiampong.

Cafe Mezzanine also offers non-Chinese food, like sandwiches and other Western stuff, which I have yet to sample.  Needless to say, this is one of the foodie places in my dadayuhin list.  Kiampong rice pa lang is enough to make the trip.