Hakaw All Ye Faithful!

I was never a fan of Chinese food. Not until one day, the appetite center of my brain and the gustatory islands of my tongue went haywire and conspired to have this one peculiar craving for which I didn't expect to happen -- a crave for hakaw (shrimp dumplings). It's as if I was being immersed to the struggles of a pregnant woman on her first trimester and her irresistible and crazy cravings over a particular food. Yes, It was never easy. Of course, I gave in. So that commenced my search for places serving the best hakaw there is. 

These are the unforgettable shrimp dumplings I have tried so far:

Wai Ying

927 Benavidez Street Binondo, Manila

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  • It was Chinese New Year when we decided to brave this store for their famous hakaw. It took us an hour to wait for a table. The place was jampacked and the crew were on their toes as they were serving wave of customers. I thought the quality of the food will be compromised. When the hakaw was served, I had this impression that it was bland and dry. But these fragile dumplings proved me wrong when I took the first bite. It was an ecstasy of shrimps and it was addictive! We just find ourselves finishing one dumpling basket after the other. How much? 70 pesos. Are we going back? Definitely!

Also must try: Roasted Duck

Tim Ho WanUG/F SM Megamall, Fashion Hall, Julia Vargas Ave cor EDSA Wack Wack, Mandaluyong

People went gaga from the time this place launched their opening last May 20 this year. The long queue was dreadful, we can see that. But we just found ourselves lining up and bearing the long queue, all in the love of hakaw craving. There are so many must try's in their food list,  but hakaw remained to be my priority. As soon as the hakaw was served, I knew it will be remarkable. True enough, these dumplings served my impression and expectations very well. The wrapper was not too thin for it to be very delicate to handle nor too thick as if you were eating a chewy treat. The fresh-tasting shrimps are plump, as if they were bouncing inside your mouth. All in all, it was a burst of delight in every bite (now that's cheesy). At P160, not bad.

Almost must try: Baked Buns

Wang Fu

2nd Floor, T. Morato Plaza Don A. Roces cor. Tomas Morato Ave. Sacred Heart, QC

The mother of all hakaws, I must say. I cannot even count how many pieces of shrimps inside a single dumpling wrapper. It was a party of shrimps in one bite. The shrimps were fresh and not overcooked. The wrapper was just perfect to hug a mouthful of shrimps in every dumpling. Orgasmic was an understatement when I had my first bite. Surprisingly, the place was not crowded. The place has enough space (with second floor that can serve as the their function room) to accommodate all curious and avid customers. June has been a successful month for Wang Fu as they have a promo of 40% on ALL of their dimsum series, again ALL. Where would you get a set of Shrimp Dumplings at P58.80? It's more than good enough!

Also must try: Bird's Eye Dumplings

So far, these are the best places with great hakaws that I have tried so far. I will update this list if ever I come across a set of hakaw that is worth sharing (and to where my hakaw cravings will lead me).

Enjoy!

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