Hi There, Hai Dan!

Before anything else, let me wish you all a fruitful Year of the Snake. (“,)

In conjunction with the celebration, let us feature a restaurant that serves gastronomic delights; more specifically, the gratifying and flavorful dishes that the Chinese are known for.

Hai Dan Teahouse and Restaurant is one of the eating places serving Chinese food.  They’re located at the Mile Hi Center in Camp John Hay.

Inside Hai Dan Teahouse and Restaurant. You get a view (a closer view) of the bridge that is beautiful in its decrepitness from the Hai Dan windows, too.

Just when you thought you’ll only be eating burgers, fries, banana splits and shakes for a meal in John Hay, (Although, there’s nothing wrong with burgers, fries, banana splits and shakes. I, for one, wouldn’t back out on a spread like that. *nomnomnom), it’s a little surprising to learn that you have the option of eating a satisfying meal of Chinese dishes.

(A welcome option for dining, too, I assume, when you’ve booked your stay at the Mile Hi  Inn and you don’t want to go out of Camp John Hay or if you can’t get out of Camp John Hay. e.g. It’s past 7 p.m., it’s rainy, there are no taxis around, and you don’t have transportation of your own. =D)

Hai Dan millionaire’s rice. We feel rich already! Ka-Ching! =b

Arriving at Hai Dan a little past lunchtime, Race and I had the place to ourselves.  As soon as our attendant handed us the menu (lots of foodstuff on this flimsy overused cardboard sheet, yeah!), we scanned it for a delicious fried rice mix first.  Millionaire’s rice is what we settled for. (Soy sauce and calamansi to season and it’s a complete meal…for me.  *hihi)

Race caught of glimpse of the words ‘lechon Macau’ on the menu.  Oh, yes, he just had to have that.  He’s on a self-imposed quest of finding the best lechon kawali/lechon kawali-like dishes and he found it in this one.  ^^,  I liked it, too!  The meat was fried perfectly. Almost like Mentos, ‘crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside’, but for this dish, the skin was crunchy and the rest of the meat was tender.  Dipped into the sauce or not, it was yummy either way.  *cccrrrunch, chomp, chomp

In contrast to the meat, I needed some vegetables.  The tofu in black bean sauce got my attention.  After our attendant delivered the plate to our table, I took a spoonful of the black bean sauce.  My, that was savory!  Great texture for the tofu cubes as well. \m/ (Ahey, it’s Mentos-like again. *harhar Crunchy on the outside…soft on the inside.)  The serving spoon for this plate went scrape, scrape all throughout the meal.  We just had to get every bit and every drop of it.

Mango shakes for refreshments. =) (They’re taking a sip off each other. *hee)

For drinks, we couldn’t stay away from the shakes any longer.  Luckily, the teahouse offered more than tea.  We had refreshing glasses of fruity thick mango shake.  Nothing Chinese-y about that, (I think.  The Chinese drinks I had in mind went along the lines of ginseng, grass jelly, almond, etc. *hihi) but the mango shake did well enough.  We didn’t even have to order dessert with the way Hai Dan blended the ripe mangoes up – a dessert sipped through a straw =).

The entrance to Hai Dan.

We liked everything we had in this meal so much, we just had to have Chinese food again the next day.  We tried another resto (Lotus House) for a different take of the meat and tofu.  (Two Chinese restaurants checked off our list! \m/)

X marks Hai Dan Teahouse and Restaurant for good food in Baguio.  Sure enough, we’ll say hi to you again, Hai Dan! (“,)

Again, prosperity and fortune to you in the Chinese New Year, my dear foodie readers and followers!  Greetings from one of my doggies, too.

My furry friend wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year! ^^, (He’s got the flashies in his eyes.  “Oh, the light, I cannot see…“)

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Hai Dan Teahouse and Restaurant

Mile Hi Center, Camp John Hay

Baguio City, Philippines