IMC Kavino

Gwammy, Kongkong and I took Pipsey out for lunch at IMC Kavino along Jupiter St. in Makati.  The restaurant serves Cantonese cuisine and is jointly owned by Chef Kavino Lau and his partner, Wilson Tan, whom I understand both worked for local 5-star hotels (the Heritage along Roxas Boulevard and the Century Park Sheraton along Vito Cruz St).  IMC stands for International Master Chef, a title which Chef Kavino achieved a few years ago, by winning the IMC competition in Hong Kong (his medals are shown below).  I liked the interiors of the restaurant--the bright orange colors were muted by touches of olive and beige, and the ambiance was warm and welcoming.  Judging from the number of Chinese clientele that was already seated inside the restaurant when we arrived, I was sure that the food would be up to par.

The outlet manager, Lhea Badenas, quickly made friends with Gwammy, and gave us some pointers for the food choices.  The hakaw was simply delicious, shrimps were very fresh and the dimsum came in piping hot.  I was a bit disappointed with the siao long pao, which was tasty but lacked soup (I like the soup to pour out as I chew).

The main dishes were quite good.  The shrimps were wrapped in fried noodles, and were crispy, and Gwammy was delighted with the fried kangkong that came as the siding.  Fish was served with broccoli, and this was what Pipsey enjoyed.

I couldn't resist ordering the soft-shelled crab, which came on top of rice crispies.  True to my expectations, this was delicious, salted just right, and the whole crab was crunchy and spiced without going overboard.  As a throwback to memories of youth, I love the way lotus leaves affect the flavor of rice, and this sticky rice concoction was another treat that I just had to order.  Three cup chicken was also a hit with Pipsey, and was perfect with white rice.

Our bill came to something like P550 per head.  I think that we were lucky to have arrived on the lazy Saturday of a long weekend--we were able to sit immediately, without having to wait for a table.  I understand that the restaurant sits less than a hundred people, and this gets to be full especially on Fridays and Saturdays.  If you are celebrating some important event, or plan to have dinner with a big group, I guess it would be better if you made reservations.