Mian at Marriott Grand Ballroom – Pasay City

It was my birthday weekend and I wanna treat the fambam to a gastronomic indulgence. Armed with chopsticks and a hefty desire for food, we traveled all the way to Pasay City to try out Mian Restaurant.

Mian Asian Restaurant Marriott Manila Blog

Mian is one of the three dining hot spots at Marriott Grand Ballroom. Located at the ground level, this Modern Asian bar offers great handcrafted rice bowls, noodles and dumplings with a twist.

The open style kitchen welcomed us as we were ushered to our seats. The homey feel made us loosen up a bit. We were handed the menu and were so torn which resulted to a food tasting cum glutton feast that afternoon.

As the food arrived I was stunned with the huge servings.

For starters, we had Pork Jiaozi (P150), Shrimp Lumpia Sariwa (195) and Sausage Empanada (195). There was an instant clamor for the Sausage Empanada which earned the most rave from the group. The saltiness of the sausage complemented the creamy boiled egg inside the crusty shell.

Shrimp Lumpia Sariwa - P195
with peanut dressing

Pork Jiaozi - P150
chinese chorizo, soy calamansi lime dip

Sausage Empanada - P195
local sausage, egg, vinegar dip

Green Bubble Tea - P180
Mango Strawberry Iced Tea - P180

For soup bowls, we had Chef’s Beef Noodles (P395), Pork Miso Ramen (295), Shrimp, Pork and Vegetable Lomi Soup (P275). For this round, the group was torn between Chef’s Beef Noodles and the Lomi Soup. The thick flavorful sauce of the lomi was in perfect contrast with the textures of the veggies and meat. The Chef’s Beef Noodles on the other hand was very reminiscent of Vietnamese Pho but what stood out of this dish was the tenderness of the beef that I believed was cooked for almost 24 hours.

Pork Miso Ramen - P295
pork belly, miso broth, soft boiled egg, ramen noodles

Shrimp, Pork and Vegetable Lomi Soup - P275
egg noodles

Chef's Beef Noodles - P395
slow braised beef, coriander, bean sprouts, rice noodles

For the noodles, we had Pansit Canton (P295) and Braised Pork Belly (P375). The Pansit Canton was on the salty side making the Braised Pork Belly the sure fire hit for this round. I love how the smoky flavour of the udon noodles was balanced by the succulent braised pork. I almost finished it that I forgot we still have rice bowls next.

Pansit Canton - P295
chicken, pork, shrimp, vegetables, egg noodles

Braised Pork Belly - P375
pickled vegetables, udon noodles

For the rice bowls, we had everything on the menu. Beef Caldereta (P395), Pork Adobo (P325) and Chicken Guinataan (P325). Chicken Guinataan with its creamy coconut sauce was delicious. The Pork Adobo with its fried quail eggs was superb. But you would forget just about everything when you get to taste the Beef Caldereta.

Pork Adobo - P325
fried quail egg, pickled vegetables

Chicken Guinataan - P325
chicken, coconut lime sauce, crisp egg, sprout salad

The slow braised beef was oozing with greatness. We all loved it that it was almost gone as soon as it was served. You need not much effort on munching it for it was amazingly tender. The sauce was outstanding with its creamy texture and the flavors of tomatoes, cheese and other ingredients break down slowly inside your mouth as you chew it. And yes, it was my favorite amongst everything.

Beef Caldereta - P395
root vegetables, slow braised beef
Super highly recommended!

Desserts are always fun, well, not for me. As a self-confessed dessert foe, I wasn’t as excited as the others when we had to fulfill their sweet desires. But as soon as the tray of yummy bowls arrived, I felt giddy seeing them ecstatic.

Halo-halo bowl - P220

The huge Halo-Halo bowl (P220) had all the happy things you’d like to see on your shaved ice treat. I dug in and was pleased with just one scoop. It’s just me, don’t blame the sweets. Haha. Afterwards, the unpretentious Mango Pudding (P120) arrived. Everyone was busy with halo-halo so I tried the pudding and oh how I loved it. The sweet mangoes and tapiocas were popped to life by the pomelo bits. The creamy sauce was neither too sweet nor too sour. The flavors were all in perfect balance that made me happy.

Mango Pudding - P120
tapioca, pomelo, mango

Overall it was a wonderful gastronomic birthday weekend; all of the staff attended to our each and every need and query and the general vibe was very welcoming. But what I love most about Mian is the variety of food choices and the food quality. There was an assortment of dipping sauces that were untouched at the end of sumptuous feast, a clear testimony that the core of all of the dishes is the perfectly crafted recipe that will leave you very delighted and satisfied as you walk out of the restaurant.