Best of Luck Brings Hong Kong Night-Market Vibes to Cubao Expo
The small eatery makes Cantonese fare their own.
Best of Luck
Cubao Expo, Quezon City
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebestofluck888
Open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Tuesday to Sunday
(SPOT.ph) Cubao Expo's proven to be a treasure trove unlike any other hub in the food department, and relatively new to its eclectic mix of dining spots is Best of Luck. There's a decided kitschiness to its cobalt-blue signage, the spot's name spelled out in an outlined serif font, that the eatery could have been lifted from a street market in Taiwan or Hong Kong. With its striking front, it's no wonder Best of Luck gets attention from the kids who frequent the area—especially in the later hours of the day, as the place lights up and shines bright against the evening sky.
Also read:
Cubao Is Now a Fine Spot to Have Crafty Cocktails—Here Are 4 Bars We Recommend
Ukay-Ukay Shops in Cubao: The SPOT.ph Guide
A Love Letter to Cubao
What to try at Best of Luck in Cubao Expo
Accompanying Best of Luck's English name on their signage are two sinograms: 加油, collectively jiayou, an expression of support and encouragement. Metal tables seating two at a time, each bordered by metal chairs, make up the most of Best of Luck's space, which is intimate but not cramped, and fluoresecent-lit in a way that mimics an old-school eatery in Chinatown. (There's a second storey, BTW, but we didn't have the time to make the climb up.)
The menu is a compact collection of Cantonese and Chinese-Filipino dishes, most of them in some sense done Best of Luck's own distinct way. The Pork & Shrimp Siomai (P168/three pieces) arrive steaming-hot and plump and loaded, about the size of clementines, which is to say they're much chonkier than most other versions of the dumpling around. Their Chicken Feet (P158) come swimming in a savory-sweet sauce that's seemingly spiked with garlic and fermented black beans—which makes gnawing on their collagen-rich skins all the more enjoyable.
On their Noodles section is the Braised Beef Tendon Dry Noodles (P288), with chunks of beef and tendon cooked until meltingly tender (we can confirm they leave our lips sticky in the best way possible). And though unorthodox, the Special Bacon Bao (P188) showcases a more playful side of Best of Luck.
What's a night out at Cubao Expo without some booze to get you through? It's well worth checking out Best of Luck's cocktail lineup, where all libations go for P218 per pop. There's a fairly classic Amaretto Sour that's great with their dim sum; more decidedly on-theme is the Happy Milkboy which pairs sweet milk, soju, and White Rabbit; and not to be missed is The Mandarin (P218), an apple pie-esque variation on an Aperol spritz.
Chinese fare is far from being exclusively available in this area, but Best of Luck serves theirs with uniquely Cubao flava—and plenty of retro charm to boot.
Hey, Spotters! Check us out on Viber to join our Community and subscribe to our Chatbot.