CHOWKING now in OMAN

Chowking food outlet in Qurum CIty CEnter, Oman

Chowking is one of my favorite food chain and now has open its first outlet in Oman on May 20, 2012. Hundreds of people mostly Eastern and Asian flocked to Qurum City Center to taste their famous Chinese and oriental cuisines.

A group of friends making their food choices only to find out only few menus are served

The company started its business in 1985 and more than two decades later it became one of the biggest and known to the best tasting Chinese food outlet in Philippines. It is considered as the number one pioneer in quick-service restaurants in Asia and now has expand its coverage worldwide! It's concept is conceived from the idea of combing Western fast food style with Chinese cuisines. Most of its sellable food include dim sum, rice toppings, and noodle soup. And because most Filipinos love oriental cuisine, Chowking always gets the first spot in their preferences when it comes to food and dining.

Mixed Seafood Kungpa

So today, my husband Jesse treat us to dine out and we rush to the place to order my fave Chowking Lauriat.

When we arrive, a long queue of avid "Pinoy" diners are lining up in the counter. To my dismay, not all my selections are available and the Indian staff who is taking our orders is anxious to clear the queue of customers. So instead, we order shanghai lauriat, chicken lauriat, and mixed seafood kungpa.

The chicken lauriat and shanghai lauriat

The prices are a bit expensive. The Shanghai lauriat and Chicken Lauriat each cost 2.800 Omani rials roughly around 315.00 in Philippine peso or $7.28 while Mixed Seafood Kungpa is sold at 2.300 OR about 261.00 PHP or $5.9. The Shanghai lauriat consist of shanghai rolls (minced beef with spices rolled in a flour-made wrapper), pancit canton, siomai, and fried chicharon. But for chicken lauriat, the chicken is serve in lieu of the shanghai rolls. The Mixed seafood kungpa is a soft rice topped with shrimps, and squid rings in a sweet, sour, n spicy sauce.

We patiently waiting for more than 15 minutes for our orders. Then we hear the bell and our customer number "36" is held up by the female staff.

patience is a virtue

Jesse gently place the two dishes on our table. The food are serve on a disposable styro plate chowking paper bowl. I quickly examine the lauriat and looking for the Buchi for my baby to try but it is not included. Instead, I cut a bit of fried chicharon for my little girl to taste.

little girl is enjoying the food

Surprisingly, Anyah gobble up the piece of chicharon and actually chewing it with her bare gums. In a while, I take a bite of the siomai and some pancit canton, then the shanghai. Though I am a satisying my cravings for Chowking food but the food serving is in small proportions. I could find no more than 4 pieces of siomao and 4 pieces of shanghai rolls. Above all, I did not taste the flavor I used to get in Philippines. Most of which are salty and starchy. The food even turned cold quickly before I could finish the half of it.

The seafoods on top

The rice topped with seafood looked most tempting but once again it was cold and lumpy which means that not enough "wok fire" was used to cook the rice.

But anyway, I will just leave this food critique of mine in this blog. Perhaps, all that I have experience with the new Chowking outlet in the Middle East will only be at the start. After all, I still appreciate that food chain like this that originated from my home country brings boost to most Filipinos and I am certainly hoping that the “Taste and flavor will keep you (me) come back”.

So any of our local readers have been to ChowKing yet? If so, how was your experience? Here's is a report from Muscat Daily, the Local Newspaper in Oman, on the opening of Chowking in Qurum City Centre in Al Qurum.