Value-For-Money Wanton Noodle Soup: ZONG

Last Wednesday, before I headed for the Testimonial Toast and Members' Night of Pasay Makati Realtors Board at  Amber Ultra Lounger in The Fort Strip in Bonifacio Global City,  I dropped by at the nearby branch of Zong for a quick bowl of wanton noodle soup.

My family and I would occasionally visit Zong's branch at Westgate in Alabang.   I expected to have consistent food and service and I was not disappointed with the Fort Strip branch of Zong.

My bowl of wanton noodle soup was  served full to the brim.  The  bed of Hong Kong noodles was thick. There were three big wantons,  several slices of pork  that seemed bracketed by  "bok choy" or Chinese cabbage.  The broth had a hint of garlic and what was delightful-- it had no MSG or mono sodium glutamate as flavor enhancer.  Zong does not use MSG in any of its dishes.

That quick meal cost me only Ps 158.00 and that to me is VFM.  BTW,  Zong  does not impose service charge, so this means leave a  tip as you please.

When I visited Zong's website,   I  came upon these details ...

Zong has been part of the Philippine Tatler's Best Restaurant guide since its inception and has also received recognition from the 24/7 Nocturnal Navigator and Manila's Best Kept Restaurant Secrets.

Gauging on the wanton noodle soup alone,  to me the citations are well deserved.

Value-For-Money Vietnamese Noodles: ZAO

Yesterday, my daughter asked me to bring her to a Vietnamese restaurant. She was not feeling well and she felt that a bowl of hot noodle soup would help.

We were at Bonifacio High Street and I remembered that there was a Vietnamese bistro in Serendra.   In a short while, we were already  at Zao Vietnamese Bistro.  My daughter ordered her favorite-- "Pho Bo" or Beef Noodle Soup.  I --being watchful of my uric acid level--  ordered "Pho Ga" or Chicken Noodle Soup.

Zao's furnishings and decors were stylish to say the least.  The place seemed  quiet and spacious, seats were  adequately spaced apart and there was subdued music.    I thought it was a good place to have an unhurried lunch.  The soups came steaming hot and  flavorful,   served with generous portions of bean sprouts and basil leaves.  I noticed that the basil leaves were not loose, they were more like trimmings from the  plants'  tops.

When the check came, I  was pleased to see the breakdown.  The big bowls of soup cost less than Ps 200 each before service charge.  Given the bistro's  attention  to food details,  to the ambiance  and to the patrons themselves, I found that lunch experience  VFM.  And yes, it was my daughter's first visit  there and she liked it very much.  As the ad goes-- that is priceless.