The shop is small with only four tables and save for some huge prints on the wall, it was rather nondescript, resembling the hole-in-the-wall eateries in Binondo. The two aircon units look fairly new but on several visits, they were never on. Not even the Binondo eateries were this hot. If you close your eyes for a moment and take a sniff, you can imagine being in a Chinatown restaurant instead of a Makati hole-in-the-wall.
The steady stream of Chinese patrons coming and going seems like a good indication of how good (and authentic) the food is. Diners brave the stifling heat at (Old Beijing) Peace and Happiness Dumpling House so the food must be that good, right? That will take a taste test to find out.
Lagal[og] says: The first dish I ever tried here at Peace and Happiness was the Special Beef Noodle. I wasn’t really expecting much and after I placed the order, I thought I should’ve ordered something more fanciful. But the dish was a revelation. The noodle had a distinct taste and bite, nothing like those commercially-available noodles. (Later, I was told that the noodles were hand-made in the owners’ kitchen in Greenhills). Sipping the broth, the subtle nuances of the stock revealed themselves with every spoonful. The thin slices of beef were delicately, smokey-flavored. On another visit, we had the Beef Noodle in Chili Oil and it was also very good, the Chili Oil adding a tempered spiciness to the mix.
Ironwulf says: I was immediately intrigued seeing the Searing Hot-Pot on their menu. Will this be as good as the ones I tasted in Mainland China? Let’s see. First thing to do was to order noodles then the add-on like beef, mushrooms, and crabsticks, usually a broth would be served on the side but here, they already mix it up with the noodles. I wasn’t expecting much from the dish but once I tasted the noodles, it felt like I was transported back to Sichuan because of its distinct spiciness of the Sichuan peppers used. The good thing is they didn’t hold back on the spiciness so make sure you have drinks with you when you eat here. I was so glad to finally find a Chinese restaurant that serves authentic Sichuan dishes in Manila.
Lagal[og] says: There’s something about their beef offerings that is delightfully flavorful. We also had the Braised Beef with Soy Sauce and while the name sounds rather banal, happily, it was far from ordinary. The beef seemed like it was marinated for days — tender with the delicate flavor of the soy sauce and spices evident right down to the morsels.
Ironwulf says: The Braised Beef with Soy Sauce was my favorite but the dumplings fared well too. The Xiao Long Bao has white and fluffy dough with really tasty meat inside. It’s good to eat it in one bite so you can taste the soup inside. It’s tastes pretty good with the sauce as well. The Shrimp and Pork Dumpling was really filling since each piece is generously packed with tasty shrimp and pork.
(Old Beijing) Peace and Happiness Dumpling House
Unit G-8 Cityland Makati Executive Tower III,
Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Tel. 218.3665 • Mobile 0915.3741974
It is very cool now!