Taste 80 years of tradition in this ‘pugon’-roasted asado

MANILA, Philippines – Since the 19th century, Chinese cuisine has influenced Filipino dining in more ways than one. Nowadays, anyone can easily indulge in authentic mami, pancit, dim sum, and various Chinese rice dishes with a quick trip almost anywhere in Manila.

However, the abundance of East Asian delicacies across the metro is often overwhelming to the common foodie and it only gets more challenging to find something unique from the usual Chinese fare offered.

For a truly distinct nostalgic-cuisine experience, look no further than Lido Cocina Tsina (by Panciteria Lido), one of the pioneering specialty Chinese restaurants in Metro Manila, whose sizable menu captures the matchless flavors and aroma of classic Cantonese cuisine.

In 1936, Lido Cocina Tsina was first known as Panciteria Lido, a modest eatery opened by Mr. Lido, a Cantonese chef, along the bustling street of T. Alonzo in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

This was where chef Lido soon developed his own secret recipe for asado, where he basted a succulent loin of pork in careful proportions of Chinese ingredients. He roasted the marinated loin in a pugon (an old-fashioned brick oven), which gave the dish its ambrosial flavors that Filipinos quickly grew to love.

Later on, Lido soon migrated to another country in the ’70s and Panciteria Lido’s administration changed hands several times over the years, from one group of businessmen to another, until the share of one of the businessmen was bought in 1997 by Annie Wong, the current owner and president of the new Lido Cocina Tsina.

Tasting the legend

After almost a century of unparalleled cuisine, Lido will be celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. In a recent interview, Wong said that Lido’s anniversary will coincide with the Chinese Mooncake Festival on Aug. 8, a lucky Chinese date.

Over the years, chef Lido’s secret recipe for Pugon Roasted Asado has endured the test of time and remains one of the most popular menu items until today.

Unique in Metro Manila only to Lido Cocina Tsina, the Pugon Roasted Asado is made only from the choicest cured pork loin and roasted in the restaurant’s brick oven using firewood, a method that locks the essential smoky aromatic flavors into the meat.

“Our promise to customers is that the Pugon Roasted Asado is freshly roasted every morning. We start roasting the asado at 3 a.m. so that it’s ready when we open the restaurants,” Wong said. “We never sell leftover asado.”

Another popular dish among Filipinos, according to Wong, is the Drunken Lechon Macau, which she says has patrons always coming back for more.

Prior to cooking, Lido immerses the pork in premium flower wine and other spices, creating an intricate balance of flavors. Lido also serves a sizzling version of this dish.

Another distinctive dish that Lido regulars swear by is the 16-Spice Shantung Pork, a carefully prepared pork chop seasoned with 16 kinds of spices that remains faithful to the ancient traditions of Shantung cuisine.

Shantung or Shandong cuisine is a cooking style from the eastern province of Shandong in China and considered one of the most influential East Asian cuisines.

Apart from their pork offerings, Lido’s Manchurian Chili Wings boasts a gingery oriental sauce that is both pleasantly spicy and sweet.

Annie Wong, president of Lido Cocina Tsina. Photos by GEREMY PINTOLO

Among the newest additions to Lido’s menu, Beef with Shallot Fried Rice is definitely one of the best, with extremely flavorful Chinese-style fried rice accented with a generous serving of beef bits.

During Chinese New Year, Lido serves their exclusive Pata Tim, a Filipino-Chinese dish that consists of a whole pork leg slowly cooked in their sweet-and-salty secret sauce. The result is a tender slab of pork lathered in special, fragrant herbal sauces and served with assorted vegetables and Chinese mushrooms.

Other recommended dishes include the Spareribs with Salt and Pepper, the Eight Treasure Soup, the Poached Tofu in Special Soy, the Chopsuey Guisado and the Chami Special.

Breakfast and coffee

While Lido may be a Chinese restaurant, their coffee has always been a strong part of their identity.

“The coffee was introduced by previous Lido partner Robert Lee in 1994,” Wong said. “In the 1990s, the original Binondo restaurant accommodated at least 250 people every morning for those who wanted breakfast and a cup of coffee.”

Until today, Lido still prides itself on its brewed coffee, which is prepared meticulously with a siphon coffee maker.

For early risers, Lido’s coffee is best paired with their freshly baked asado or corned beef pandesal.

Those looking for something heavier will definitely enjoy bestsellers Chinese Breakfast Medley, a serving of fried tofu, congee and dim sum; or the Classic Breakfast Medley, a mixed platter consisting of Camaron Rebosado shrimp, a sausage, beef tapa strips and scrambled eggs over rice.

From a once-humble eatery among the streets of Binondo, Lido has now quickly branched out to several stores in key locations of Metro Manila. Branches are located along E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Visayas Ave., Commonwealth Ave., Quezon Ave., Banawe corner Del Monte Ave. and Mindanao Avenue (opening soon), Quezon City; Dr. A Santos Road in Parañaque City; C. Raymundo in Pasig City; Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City; United Nations Ave. in Manila; Alabang-Zapote Road and Naga Road in Las Piñas City; Cainta in Rizal; and Chino Roces Ave. corner Herrera St., and Chino Roces Ave. corner Sabio St. (their latest branch) in Makati City.

Lido is also one of the few Chinese restaurants that has fast, efficient delivery of authentic Chinese food across Metro Manila.