Zong: My Cousin's 16th Birthday Celebration - Contemporary Chinese Style!

My baby cousin turned 16 a few weeks ago. Wow! I still see her as my 9 year old baby cousin. I can't believe she's 16!  I'm still in shock. I think she'll always be 9 years old for me. Hahaha. :) 

We celebrated her 16th birthday in this restaurant in Fort Strip called, Zong. I don't frequent this side of Fort much so I wasn't aware what kind of restaurant it was prior to her birthday. Since it was a family dinner, I had a strong hunch it was a Chinese restaurant. True enough it was Chinese - a hip, contemporary Chinese bistro!

When I think of Chinese restaurant, there are four main categories that float around my mind: the hardcore no nonsense interior Chinese restaurant (Binondo), the regal fine dining Chinese restaurant (Spring Deer), the comfort Chinese food restaurant (North Park) and the fastfood Chinese restaurant (Chowking). Zong has created a new category in the Chinese restaurant scene with its refreshing modern and stylish take on Oriental cuisine. 


The brainchild behind it is the young restauranteur, Joshua Tiu. After studying Hotel & Restaurant Management in Switzerland and working in hotel chains in North America and Europe, he came back to the Philippines to put up his own restaurant. 

In contrast to other Chinese restaurants, Zong's interior exudes a sharp and chic vibe. It does away with the snobbish feel of fine dining restaurants but it also ups the Chinese comfort food experience. 


My Tita ordered a lot of food that night. We were overwhelmed by the variety of dishes but I'll share with you the ones that really made a mark in my food memory bank. It's been three weeks since I ate here but I simply cannot forget some of the dishes served that evening. 

Prawn Hakao (Php128)

Zong started on a good note with me as they served one of my dear comfort foods, Hakaw. Honestly I've tasted better Hakaw but after eating in so many Chinese restaurants in the past, I have come to appreciate perfectly steamed Hakaw. Believe me, it's not easy to find good Hakaw. Their Hakaw were plump and juicy. The steaming prawn bounced as I bit into it after lightly dipping it in soy sauce with kalamansi and chili sauce. 

Roast Combination Platter (Php358)

Shortly after, we were presented with their appetizer platter, typical in Chinese restaurants. All of the elements in this dish are of the same quality like those of fine dining Chinese restaurants. I especially liked how fresh the jellyfish tasted. 

Singapore Style Fish Fillet (Php328)

After a brief lull from the time the appetizer was served, all the main courses rapidly bombarded the table. Within seconds, we were confronted with an array of Chinese food. I took a piece of each dish but I had second to third servings of my favorites. One of which was their Singapore Style Fish Fillet. 


My mom kept raving about it as she bit into it. She loved how tender and pristine the dory fish was as it was drenched in a sweet (but not "nakakasuya" type) orange sauce. The egg floss sprinkled on top gave each bite a surprising ending. 

Sauteed Beef & Broccoli in Black Pepper Sauce (Php288)

A dish that I kept coming back to was their Sauteed Beef & Broccoli in Black Pepper Sauce. Since I had braces back in college, I tend to avoid beef and pork dishes for they usually require a lot of chewing before you can swallow them. However, Zong's beef was cooked perfectly that it almost melts into your mouth. It also had a very light taste which was refreshing after a taste of their flavor packed fish fillet. 

Chicken in Salted Egg Yolk (Php228)

Among all of the dishes served that evening, this wins hands down in the most innovative culinary creation - Chicken in Salted Egg Yolk. I've never tasted a breading like it before that I kept taking in more pieces just to figure out what ingredients went into it. I ended up researching the name of the dish online and it all made sense since I said it tasted eggy and salty. That's it, salted egg yolk! Haha. :)

Mango Sago Cream (Php128)

We ended the meal with this sweet and velvety Mango Sago Cream. I can be a bit exaggerated when I eat but you'll know I really love a certain dish when I eat it in slow motion with my eyes closed. Yes, this dessert made me do just that! What a heavenly way to end a bountiful meal! 


Aside from the great food, I also enjoyed hearing stories about my cousin from different guests. A friend of my Tita shared to me that my cousin took a long time in Tita's womb. She was overdue and she walked all over the place just to "help" give birth to my cousin. Haha! When my Tita's friend already flew back to Manila, my Tita suddenly gave birth. Haha, my cousin already knows how to play hide and seek even before she was born! 


We had a great time and we took so many photos beside my cousin and her well lit birthday cake! It was really funny because my Tita's friends were so game to pose in front of the camera. 


I wouldn't mind coming back to Zong for another family dinner in the future. :)


More Info on Zong:
Address: The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City

Taguig City, Metro Manila

Contact Number: (02) 889-0472 or 79

Operating Hours: Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

                             Su, M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

~It's the little sweet notes everyday that matter. :)~