Established in 1594, Binondo in Manila, Philippines is recognised as the world’s oldest Chinatown. Its streets have seen its fair share of history – from revolts by the local Chinese population against Spanish colonisers, to its heyday as “The Wall Street of the Philippines”. Today, the district is a bustling commercial and tourism hub, filled with historic buildings as well as Filipino-Chinese- run businesses, some of which have lasted for generations.

For our trip around Binondo, N and I met up with fellow blogger The Monching’s Guide, whom I’ve been following on WordPress for close to a decade now. We made plans eight years ago (yes, it’s been that long) to go for a food trip to Binondo one day, so I’m really glad it finally came to fruition.

Our first stop was to Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant along Quintin Parades Street. Opened in 1956 by the Uy family as a simple noodle shop, the restaurant has since become one of the must-go-to spots for good Chinese food in Binondo.

Despite its popularity, having been featured in multiple news outlets and even international food shows, the restaurant retains its humble appearance, with the dining area spanning two floors as well as an adjacent semi-open kitchen.The interiors reminded me of old-school Chinese restos, with its clashing wall colours of peach and turqoise, as well as steel banquet chairs in a rather cramped space. Very nostalgic!

The menu is extensive and spans various proteins, rice, noodle, and soup dishes. ESome items are familiar, although we call them by different names in Malaysia, such as the machang (bakchang) and kikiam (ngohiang). The price point is also quite affordable.

We ordered three of the restaurant’s popular dishes to share, (from left) fried chicken, oyster cake, and kikiam. Usually I’d get rice, but we didn’t want to fill ourselves up because we were planning to snack later on.

Fried chicken has been a signature at Sincerity ever since they introduced it on the menu decades ago, and it’s clear to see why. The meat was served fresh and piping hot, still emanating wisps of steam, and while the skin was crispy and well seasoned, the inside remained moist and juicy. It has a homemade taste to it: kinda like when you’re visiting your grandma’s place as a kid and she’s made fried chicken for you as a treat, and despite being simple, it tasted like the best fried chicken in the world.

Ngo hiang, or Kikiam as it is known in the Philippines, is a Hokkien / Teochew dish of minced meat and vegetable rolls and five spice powder, wrapped in a thin bean curd skin then deep fried. The version here was perfectly spiced and stuffed full of meat, yielding satisfaction in every bite. Tastewise, it was quite consistent with the ngo hiang you can get in Malaysia, so I think the recipe is very similar.

Last but not least, we got the oyster cake, which came in generous portions. I enjoyed this a lot as it had a nice, chewy consistency, thanks to the combination of egg and starch, interspersed with plump pieces of oyster.

After our meal at Sincerity, I can see why the place is a food gem of Binondo, beloved by locals and tourists alike – and it certainly deserves its popularity. One for the itinerary if you’re ever in the area!

SINCERITY CAFE & RESTAURANT

 519 Quintin Paredes, Binondo, Manila, 1006 Metro Manila, Philippines

Opening hours: 9AM – 7PM

Phone: +63 2 8241 9990

PS: If you enjoyed reading this, please consider supporting my website via Patreon. This will go towards hosting fees and ensuring that I can continue to deliver authentic content for your reading pleasure. Or buy me a cup of coffee at paypal.com @erisgoesto. Thanks for stopping by!

PS2:  All food reviews are at own expense unless otherwise stated. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.