Savoring China

Courtyard
1820 Maria Orosa Street, Malate

To his cozy corner in Malate, restaurateur DJ Montano has brought his experience of Shanghai with the newly-opened Courtyard. Gone are the common presuppositions that coome with Chinese dining in Manila. Instead we experience what DJ has come to see, taste, and touch through his travels.

The menu may not be complicated, but the dishes are prepared thoughtfully and throroughly. Authenticity is unquestionable as the chef hails from mainland China. Meals make a flavorful feast, where, for instance, asparagus, mushrooms and kaylan are sauteed in ginger-oyster sauce, steamed fish is bundled by Chinese ham, and rise comes fried with saffron and seafood. Every bite is certainly meant for pleasure and unhurried enjoyment.

published in Preview, August 2003