Hong Kong Master Cook Seafood Restaurant — Restaurant in Pasay

If it weren’t so difficult to get here we’d eat here more often. Nestled in the inner belly of Macapagal Ave lies Hong Kong Master Cook… Pinoys call it “Paluto” which means “to cook”. It is also called “Dampa” where guests buy fresh seafood at the nearby wet market. The goods are then taken to any of the restaurants in the compound and given to the waiter who then weighs it and suggests how it should be cooked. My Cantonese Mother In Law prefers Hong Kong Master Cook because as the name suggests, the cook is a master at what he or she does.

The wet market had amazing choices today… the prize find was the Alaskan King Crab. Have it steamed with garlic and ask them to use the crab fat for the fried rice. IT IS TO DIE FOR.

I only took a few photos because my hands were soon dripping with crab juice and I had forgotten my wet wipes!

Tips: -Wear comfy clothes -Know your seafood prices so you can haggle when you are at the wet market. -bring wet ones coz your fingers are gonna need constant cleaning specially if you want to take photos of the food as they are placed on your table. -Bring cash -Beat the lunch/dinner crowd...

Updated Review - Sep 2024: consistently good food. We ordered Pompano with black beans, prawn with lemon and garlic, baked mussels, yang chow fried rice, fresh buko. First review: It's our first time to go to a Dampa here in Manila and Hong Kong Master Cook did not disappoint. What we ordered: Prawn with Lemon and Garlic, Baked Cheese Lobster, Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Mango Shake, Fresh Buko Upside: short order allowed us to enjoy our favorite seafood without the hassle of going to the market. The staff are also friendly and attentive. It was warm inside the restaurant but one staff moved us to a different table and directed an electric fan at us. Downside: price point. Ask for how much the seafood would cost against its weight before you order. The menu has prices for their cooking fees, not the actual cost of the seafood you're getting. It's warm inside unless you're in a VIP room. Do we recommend this place? Yes Are we going back? For special...

We always celebrate special occasions at dampa and have a suki resto before. But to welcome my daughter, we tried Hongkong Master Chef. They are a bit expensive compared to other paluto restos in dampa (250 vs 280 per kilo) but you get everything you bought from the market. They dont deduct portions from your meal before taking it to your table. We've noticed this because we order the usual - sinigang, tempura, chili crabs, baked tahong. In the previous restos, their serving of 1kilo was just enough for our family. But in HK Chef food was overflowing that we couldnt finish everything served on our table. Also, when we brought in some crabs, the chef asked my husband to return one crab and have it exchanged for another since its not fresh anymore. In other restos they wouldnt tell you that and just cook it all whether fresh or not. That makes HK Master Chef my new favorite. Pick the middle tables if you have a large group (about 8-10pax) since the AC are cooler in the middle part...